Famous State of Madhya Pradesh in india

  By Dhananjai | September 4, 2012 | INDIAN CULTURE

History Archaeological sites strewn across the state show that the first settlements in the region date back to the Stone Age. Several prehistoric cave dwellings at Bhimbetka (the oldest find) have paintings superimposed, one on top of the other indicating that the caves were occupied by different people at different times spread over a long period of mankind’s history. The region of Madhya Pradesh is also deeply rooted in Hindu mythology. The region around Chitrakoot is hallowed land; the legendary King Rama of Ayodhya and his wife Sita spent eleven of their fourteen years of exile in its dense forests. Ujjain is a sacred site because a few precious drops of divine nectar spilt and sanctified its soil as the as the gods and demons battled in the skies to gain possession of the vessel containing the nectar, brought out of the ocean depths. Madhya Pradesh has always had a chequered and turbulent history. Centrally located as this region is, its long been a corridor through which expansionist rulers and their conquering armies marched in their quest for supremacy over peninsula India. Emperor Ashoka ruled the region in the 3rd century BC, followed by the Sunga and the Gupta dynasties. Towards the end of the first millennium the Parmaras held sway over the western and central parts, while around the same time, the highly aesthetic Chandelas ruled in the north of the state, where they built their magnificent temples at Khajuraho. The Muslim influx started with Mahmud of Ghazni’s multiple forays in the 11th century. Over the next four centuries the region saw violent times as the Hindus and Muslims fought to gain control till the Mughal armies eventually vanquished everyone in sight. The Marathas rose to power as the Mughal Empire weakened. Their star remained on the ascendant during the 18th century till their ultimate defeat at the hands of the British in the early 19th century. The British set up cantonments and garrison towns and administered the region they named the Central Provinces. So, in MP, visitors will find an unusual blend of the social and religious traditions of many different cultures from Muslim to Maratha Hindu, from tribal to Christian. The state of Madhya Pradesh came into being on 1st Nov 1956 when the different regions of India were reorganized after independence. This behemoth of a state has recently been split with 16 eastern, predominantly tribal districts making up the new state of Chhattisgarh.

Economy Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy of Madhya Pradesh. Rice, wheat, millet, pulses or lentils, groundnuts, linseed and cotton are the chief crops. Industry includes manufacture of cotton and polyester textiles, newsprint, pottery, cement, carpets, silk, rayon, jute products, glass, steel, and electrical engineering goods. Different regions of the state are famous for handicrafts like silk and cotton textiles including the famous chanderi, maheshwari and kosa fabrics, sandstone and soapstone carvings, carpets, toys, ceramics, decorative laquerware, woodwork, brass and bell metalwork, tribal jewellery and metal utensils.

Language Madhya Pradesh has a very large tribal population – almost a quarter of the people belong to the Scheduled tribes (listed under the Indian Constitution). The main tribes are the Gonds who spread all across central India. Madhya Pradesh accounts for over 72 percent of the 7.4 million Gonds. The other main tribes here are the Bhils. While large parts of the tribal population has joined the mainstream, the Bastar region in the east is home to the colorful Madias and Mudias who still follow their age old customs and practices. The other ethnic groups are the Bhil, Baiga, Korku, Kol and Kamar. Most people in Madhya Pradesh speak Hindi, English, Urdu, Marathi and local dialects of Hindi. The regional languages are spoken by people belonging to those particular regions of India, but travellers will have no problem as English and Hindi are universally spoken /understood.

Religion In common with the rest of India, Madhya Pradesh is a predominantly Hindu majority state. Most places have a minority Muslim, Sikh and Christian populations. The tribal areas of Chattisgarh have been largely converted to Christianity, though some tribes still subscribe to a blend of old animist and Hindu/Christian beliefs. Bhopal has a large population of Muslims, as Muslim kings or Nawabs once ruled it.

Food An eclectic variety of cuisines are available in the different cities and towns of Madhya Pradesh, depending on the regional predisposition of the local population. In cities with strong Muslim influence, like Bhopal, the food tends to be rich and heavy. Typical Bhopal cuisine would include an interesting array of breads, rice dishes like biryani and kababs and curries of fish, mutton and chicken with the dominant flavours of garlic, onions and spices all cooked in generous quantities of ghee. On the other hand, the food of the Marathas is lightly spiced, low fat and uses fresh coconut, a large variety of vegetables and pulses. In between these diametrically opposite cuisines lies an entire range of snack foods and sweetmeats typical to Indian cooking. Indore, one of the big commercial centres of Madhya Pradesh has a street with more than 56 eating places encompassing the entire gamut of Indian cuisine. But for those who like to stay with the tried and tested, Madhya Pradesh has plenty of restaurants that serve continental European dishes, Chinese food and American style fast food like pizzas, burgers and grilled sandwiches.

Culture and Crafts The culture of Madhya Pradesh captures the essence of Indian culture and presents it in a microcosm. The different castes of Hindus follow the rituals and traditions proscribed by their religion; they tend to be conservative and conventional, as do the Muslims. The Christians, in contrast, are easy going and relaxed and generally fun loving. Intercommunity marriages are rare though not unheard of, as there is always a ruckus when they do happen. The tribals of Madhya Pradesh have their own unique culture, with rites and rituals varying from tribe to tribe. Madhya Pradesh is a craft lover’s delight. The local handicrafts range from gossamer fine sarees woven in silk and cotton and named after the area they’re made in like Chanderi and Maheshwari. Coarse raw silk called kosa and tussar are also very popular. Cotton bedspreads and cushion covers, chanderi and maheshwari stoles and yards of dress material cater to western tastes. The tribal belt creates stylized figures of people, animals and birds in metal alloys called Dokra and wonderful curios in bell metal. Bead and metal jewellery worn by the tribals is another hot favourite with city dwellers.

Tourist info centres

Madhya Pradesh Tourism has offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Calcutta and at all the major tourist destinations in the state – at Bhopal, Gwalior, Khajuraho, Indore, Mandu and Jabalpur. The tourist corporation is state run and will be able to assist with bookings, tours to the national parks and maps and brochures. The MPSTDC (Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation) main office is in Bhopal at the following address: MPSTDC, 4th floor, Gangotri, T.T Nagar, Bhopal-462003. Tel: 554340/43

How to get there by Air Bhopal, Gwalior, Khajuraho and Indore are connected by air to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Calcutta. A number of private airlines have commercial services to the state, as does the national domestic carrier. Auto rickshaws, taxis and airport-city buses are available outside the terminus for the ride to the city centre, or you could have a rented car meet you on arrival.

How to get there by Rail Madhya Pradesh lies on the main rail routes between Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Chennai. Superfast and express trains link the major cities in the state to other important destinations in the country. The Taj Express and the Shatabdi Express are two superfast trains from Delhi to Gwalior (4hrs) and Bhopal (7hrs).

How to get there by Road Towns and cities in Madhya Pradesh are well connected by inter state buses that ply to Madhya Pradesh from the neighbouring states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Maharashtra. The major highways are well maintained, making for pleasant driving conditions. The distances between Bhopal (the capital of Madhya Pradesh) and Bombay is 789 km, Aurangabad-588 km, Ahmedabad-571 km, Agra-523 km, Delhi-728 km.

Getting around Bhopal, Gwalior, Khajuraho and Indore have airports and are connected by air to several other Indian cities. A number of private airlines operate commercial services to the state, as does the national domestic carrier. National and state highways connect the various towns and cities of Madhya Pradesh. Most major roads are well maintained, with gas and service stations dotting the roadside, shops and eating establishments at regular intervals. The distances aren’t very big either; the important centres are Gwalior-422 km, Indore-187 km, Ujjain-189 km, Sanchi-46 km, Khajuraho-387 km, Mandu-290 km and Pachmarhi-210 km from Bhopal. The immense network of Indian Railways passenger, express and superfast trains connects all the places in Madhya Pradesh to each other and to other parts of the country. Bhopal and Gwalior lie right in the middle of the main line connecting north and south India and north and west India, so all trains to and from there pass through Bhopal and Gwalior.

Where to Stay in Madhya Pradesh

You are sure to come across all types of hotels and places to stay in all the prime cities of Madhya Pradesh. All the hotels provide you with comfortable accommodation and all the facilities and services that suit your needs and pockets. Keeping in mind the affordability’s and requirements of the different classes of tourists, different categories of Hotels have come up in the various cities of Madhya Pradesh.

Best Time to Visit Madhya Pradesh

The best time to visit Madhya Pradesh is in the winter months, anytime from October to March. Bhopal has an extremely pleasant climate, so all times of the year are good to travel. Gwalior, Mandu, Indore and Jabalpur can be very hot in summer months with the mercury climbing as high as 40°- 42° Celsius. The best time to visit the National Parks in Madhya Pradesh differ slightly depending on which one you wish to visit: Bandhavgarh is good between November and June; for Kanha, the best time is February to June, though travellers would find the weather more comfortable during the cooler winter months of November to January. The parks are closed during the monsoon season from 1 July to 31 October, so plan accordingly.

Climate Madhya Pradesh’s climate is either hot and arid or cold and dry with the maximum precipitation from June to October. Generally, rainfall decreases westward and northward; in the east and southeast it averages 60 inches or more, dropping to 40 inches or less in the west and less than 30 inches in the Chambal River valley to the north. With the annual rainfall ranging between 20 inches and 40 inches in the plateau region, the climate is breezy and temperate with summers tolerably warm and the winters pleasant. The northern parts of the state have extremes of temperature while the plains in the east and south are generally warm and humid.

Things to do in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh offers many things to do because of its rich cultural legacy and historical value. Take a trip to Bhopal, the capital city, for its landscape and Gwalior for its royal heritage. Visit the world famous Sanchi Stupa for its sculptures, the temples of Khajuraho for their stunning architecture, and Bhimbetka, well-known for its rock arts and cave paintings.
Other places to see are Ujjain, Orchcha, Maheshwar and Indore, for their pilgrimage value, or one may just head towards Pachmarhi and Bhedaghat for relaxing and Kanha or Bandhavgarh wildlife parks for fun.
The Chanderi and Maheshwari saris of Madhya Pradesh are a must to shop for! One can also buy metallic artefacts made by the local tribes. Outdoor activities in Madhya Pradesh are mostly nature-centric, which involves going on jungle safaris or visiting national parks like the Kanha National Park and Bandhavgarh National Park. The most celebrated festivals of Madhya Pradesh are the Tansen Festival of Music, the Khajuraho Dance Festival, and the Dhrupad Festival.