Madhya Pradesh tourism and travel guide
Overview
Madhya Pradesh, the central region of our country occupies perhaps the oldest part of the subcontinent. The region, which is now called by the name Madhya Pradesh, was the oldest dwelling of human beings. The historians have exposed the history of Madhya Pradesh right from the late Stone Age to the early historic period. The present form of Madhya Pradesh came into existence on 1st Nov 2000. Lately the state has been bifurcated to form a new state called Chhattisgarh. The undivided state of Madhya Pradesh was brought into being on 1st Nov 1956. After India got independence in 1947, the merger of princely states was done. In 1950 the Indian Republic was founded. After the merger, Madhya Pradesh assumed its present face.
Climate/Temperature: Madhya Pradesh is a state of extreme temperatures. In summers, the temperature touches great heights and in winters it goes down awfully. In summer, the temperature reaches up to around 42 degrees Celsius. And in winters it goes tremendously down. From March the temperature starts rising and from October the temperature starts falling. The temperature also varies from place to place in the state. The hottest place is Gwalior in summer. Then in Bhopal, the temperature reaches about 40 degrees Celsius. The monsoon initiates in end June and lasts till the end of August.
The resplendent Hindu temples of Khajuraho, immaculately restored after almost a millennium of abandonment and neglect, are among the most essential stops on any itinerary of India's historic monuments.
Orchha: Central India at its most exotic crumbling riverside tombs and ornate Rajput palaces amid lush, tranquil countryside.
Sanchi: a finely restored Buddhist stupa complex, complete with intricately carved gateways.
Pachmarhi: The only hill station in central India, where you can trek to the top of a sacred Shiva peak, hunt out prehistoric rock art or just relax in the cool air.
Mandu: A medieval fort atop a plateau where the emperor got down to serious pleasure-seeking in his vast harem, theatre, steam baths and pavilions.
Gwalior: whose hilltop fort-palace was the linchpin of both the Delhi Sultanate's and the Moghuls' southward expansion, straddles the main Delhi-Mumbai railway in the far north.
In addition to its historic sites, Madhya Pradesh boasts a number of wildlife reserves. In the sparsely populated east, remote savannah grasslands are an ideal habitat for deer and bison, while the shady sal forests and Tarai swamplands that surround the maidans provide perfect cover for larger predators such as the tiger. Of the national parks hidden away in Madhya Pradesh, Kanha is deservedly popular, though there are more chances of seeing the big cats at the smaller Bandhavgarh national park to the north.
Adventure & Activities
Madhya Pradesh offers an increasing number of opportunities for adventure sports, including trekking, mountaineering, whitewater rafting, caving, and diving. The hill resort of Pachmarhi is a paradise for adventure seekers. For trekking enthusiasts, Pachmarhi offers opportunities for trekking trips, in and around the town. Madhya Pradesh also boasts of beautiful reservoirs and rivers where water sports are being promoted in a big way. Water sports activities are being encouraged in Tighara in Gwalior, Upper Lake in Bhopal, Betwa river in Orchha and Benisagar Dam in Khajuraho. Parasailing and hot air ballooning are also being promoted. A cruise boat has already been launched in the Upper Lake at Bhopal and rafting would start shortly in Betwa river at Orchha.
Madhya Pradesh also has sacred places of great religious importance Omkareshwar and Ujjain, two of the 12 Jyotirlingas of the country. Amarkantak, Maheshwar, Chitrakoot, and Bhojpur are also unmatched. Light and Sound programs have already been started at Gwalior and Khajuraho and the same would start at Orchha and Indore this year. Burhanpur and Indore are being developed as new tourist destinations. Orchha, Chitrakoot, Maihar, Ujjain, Omkareshwar, Maheshwar and Amarkantak have been declared holy cities where special attention has been paid to improve basic facilities for the devotees and tourists. All these efforts are going a long way in putting Madhya Pradesh on the world tourism map prominently.
Geography: As the state is in the center of the country so it got its name as Madhya Pradesh. ëMadhyaí means ëcenterí in Hindi. Being the heart of the country, Madhya Pradesh has remained a crucible of historical currents from all the four parts of the country, viz. north, south, east and west. In terms of area, Madhya Pradesh is the largest state in India, sprawling across a massive 443,450sq km. If we compare the area of Madhya Pradesh with other countries then it is found to be twice as big as United Kingdom. You can find all types of geographical structures here like hills, plains, plateaus, rivers and forests.
People / Population: Around 40 percent of the population of Madhya Pradesh is tribal. Its four agro-climatic zones have resulted in a most interesting mix of peoples and lifestyles. Three discrete tribal groups inhabit the land of Madhya Pradesh. The biggest chunk is that of Gonds. There was a time when Gonds used to rule most of the state. One more remarkable thing about this tribe is that after the name of Gonds the Gondwana has been named. Gondwana is the central portion of the state of Madhya Pradesh.
Many great men and women had lived on the land of Madhya Pradesh. To name a few, there was Kalidas, the father of poetry who belonged to the city of Ujjain. Then there was Tansen, the great musician of his time who belonged to Gwalior. Then there were many daring women like Durgawati, Avantibai, Kamlapati and Devi Ahilya Bai who lived on this land of Madhya Pradesh.
Religions: Talking about the religion in the state of Madhya Pradesh, itís a mix and match of cultures. Most of the people in the state are Hindus. Then there are Muslims, Christians, Jains, and Buddhists. You can also find a sizeable minority of Sikhs on the land.
Languages: As for the language spoken in the state, Hindi is the official language of the people of Madhya Pradesh. The languages inspired from Hindi like Malwi, Chhattisgarhi and Bundelkhand are also spoken in some parts of the state. Punjabi, Urdu, Marathi, Gujrati and Sindhi are also spoken in different parts of the land because of different cultural backgrounds of people.
