Madhya Pradesh Tourism
Madhya Pradesh is the second largest Indian state with an area of 3, 08, 000 sq.km. and the fifth largest state by population.
It borders the states of Uttar Pradesh to the northeast, Chhattisgarh to the southeast, Maharashtra to the south, Gujarat to the west, and Rajasthan to the northwest. Madhya Pradesh literally means "Central Province", and is located in the geographic heart of India.
The topography of Madhya Pradesh is defined by the Narmada-Sone Valley. It is a narrow and long valley extending through almost the whole of the state from east to west.
The lower part forms the Narmada valley. It has an average elevation of 300 m above MSL and is covered with alluvial soil. Jabalpur, Mandla, Narsinghpur, Hoshangabad, Raisen, Khandwa, Khargone and Barwani districts lie in this region.
Sone valley forms the upper part. The Sone valley is narrower than Narmada valley and alluvial deposit is also comparatively poor and thin, therefore Narmada valley is more important than Sone valley for agricultural activities.
History
On account of its central position, all historical currents had apparently passed through this region, leaving conspicuous marks on it.
The prehistoric period begins with the Stone Age, which the sites such as Bhimbetka, Adamgarh, Jaora, Raisen, Pachmarhi, etc. stand witness to.
After that the region was dominated by the Nanda, Maurya, and Gupta Empires.
The medieval period saw the rise of Rajput clans including the Paramara and Chandela clans, the latter is known for constructing the temples of Khajuraho. The Malwa Sultanate also ruled during this period.
The modern period in Madhya Pradesh saw the rise of the Mughal and Maratha empires and later, the British Empire.
The British princely states of Gwalior, Indore, and Bhopal, were a part of modern Madhya Pradesh. The British rule continued until the middle of the 20th century, when India gained independence in 1947.
The state of Madhya Pradesh was formed in 1956 and Chhattisgarh was carved out from the state in 2000.