Welcome to Madhya Pradesh (MP) Tourism India

Talking about the diversity of its tourist destinations, Madhya Pradesh can be called the best state in the country. Madhya Pradesh is called the "Heart of India" because of a lot of things. It has been home to the cultural and spiritual heritage of almost all religions. Innumerable monuments, intricately carved temples, stupas, forts and palaces are scattered all over the state. The natural beauty of the state is equally diverse. Largely consisting of a plateau, the state has everything from mighty mountain ranges to flowing rivers to lush green forests.

In fact a large part of Madhya Pradesh is under the cover of forests, offering a unique and exciting panorama of wildlife. In the national parks of Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Pench you can see tigers, bison and various types of deer and antelopes. Water sports, caravan yatra, river cruise, sound and light show, tribal life, every trip in Madhya Pradesh has everything for the thirsty soul. Lose yourself in the romance with nature in the marble rocks of Jabalpur in Chandni or in the legend of poet Rajkumar Baz Bahadur and his beautiful wife Roopmati in Mandu. Follow the paths of Prince Rama in Chitrakoot.

The hands of time on the umbrellas, palaces and forts of Orchha and Gwalior whispered the tales of medieval India. The temples of Khajuraho are India's unique gift to the world, representing love and the joys of life in a sublime expression. Madhya Pradesh is also a shopper's paradise with beautiful Maheshwari and Chanderi textiles and bell metal crafts of Bastar. The state has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, namely Sanchi, Bhimbetka and Khajuraho. But perhaps the best thing about Madhya Pradesh is its reach. Being the 'heart of India', it is equally close to major tourist destinations across the country.

Madhya Pradesh is the central part of India. It was divided into two parts in 2000; One remained Madhya Pradesh and the other became Chhattisgarh. Undivided Madhya Pradesh was formed on November 1, 1956. It has five major cities: Indore, capital Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur and Ujjain, and is divided into several divisions, fifty districts and two hundred blocks. There are fifty villages in each block and twelve districts in each division. At the 2001 census the population was 60,385,118 of which about fifty percent were males. The geographical area is 308,252 square km (119,017 sq mi).

One of the oldest districts is Dhar, the ancient city of Madhya Pradesh. The ruler was Raja Bhoj, hence the name of the district Bhoj. In ancient times, Wari Singh II was the king and the capital was Ujjain. When King Bhoja became king he shifted the capital to Dhar, whose fort played an important role in independence, producing many freedom fighters. Many tribes played important roles such as Bhils, Rajpurohits and Rajputs. The power of the state was in opposition to the British, who took revenge on the local people. They dragged civilians from their homes and fields, killed them and looted their properties. Women were insulted after the uprising. Dhar district was the main target of the British during the freedom struggle.
There are many large tribes and castes in Madhya Pradesh such as Bhil, Gond, Chamar, Kalal, Rajpurohit, Khol and many others. The rest of the Hindu population, including Rajputs (land owners) and many more mix Hindus. The caste system in this state is prejudiced. Together there are fixed places for tribes and Scheduled Castes. Every caste has its own festivals, customs and food habits. Bhils have an important festival, where they slaughter animals in front of their God. He believes that if they sacrifice an animal to God he will be happy and his wish will be fulfilled. Madhya Pradesh is the heart of India.

Many types of crops and vegetables grow here, so another name of Madhya Pradesh is Green Malwa. Eighty per cent of the population is dependent on agriculture. Wheat, maize, peas, cereals, cotton and soybeans are the most important crops. Many dense forests are an important resource of bamboo, teak and wood providing sal. Lakhs of hectares of land is under the forest department, which is active here. The state government implements several policies for the forest. This district is full of natural resources. Coal and iron are two important resources. There are many cement factories and a regional name, "Emerald", is world famous for diamonds. Handicraft items of Madhya Pradesh are famous. Many government organizations and individual organizations are working for the handicraft industry and promoting the work of craftsmen.

Madhya Pradesh has beautiful cities and historical places. There is a famous temple in Indore which is made of glass. Indore is a commercial center of the agricultural sector. The major industries of cotton and jewellery are in Bhopal. It is the largest mosque in India. Modern Bhopal was established in 1970. In the eighteenth century, a king Mohammed ruled there, Bhopal was also the capital of the former princely state of Bhopal. Gwalior has jain rock carvings, Mansingh was the king and there is a Sikh temple here. Ujjain is a famous place in the world as it is one of the holy city for Hindus. In the eighth century AD it was the center of Sanskrit education and there are many famous temples here. A big fair, Kumbh, is held every twenty years. The city of Raipur was founded in the 14th century by Rai Brahma Dev of the Ratnapur dynasty and has several major food processing industries. Sanchi is a world famous place. It is known for sputs, monasteries, temples and pillars. Saatchi Sput One was originally built by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka.