Madhya Pradesh State Information Capital : Bhopal Districts : 48 Language : Hindi Introduction to Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh is a cluster of innumerable districts having varied topographic and climatic characteristics. Housing the magnificent Vindhyachal mountain range, river valleys and plateau. Rich in geographical varieties, the state also has a good number of important mines that have a good influence on the economy of the country. Engaged mostly in agricultural activities, the state is also the homeland of many tribal races.

Geography of Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh lies in the middle of the India, sharing its border with six neighboring states. The total geographical area the state of Madhya Pradesh covers is approximately 308,000 sq km divided among the 45 districts of the state

History of Madhya Pradesh Historical record reveals the fact of it being ruled by a number of famous empires of India. The empires included the Mauryan Empire to the Mughals and later of course by the British. There are many interesting legends and folklore related to Tansen and Birbal in the court of Akbar. Madhya Pradesh is also the homeland of Kalidasa, the famous immortal Indian poet and dramatist. The innumerable monuments, carved temples, stupas,, of great warriors and builders, poets and musicians, saints and philosophers.

Government of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chauhan is the current chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. He belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party and has been the president of its Madhya Pradesh state party unit in the recent past.

Economy of Madhya Pradesh Coal and iron are among the important minerals of Madhya Pradesh. The iron ore found in here is of high grade and occurs in the Dury, Jubalpur, Bastar and Gwalior districts. The Panna region has a rich diamond bed. There are many flourishing textile mills in the state and artificial silk manufacturing plants.

Madhya Pradesh Travel Information This land is a fascinating amalgam of scenic beauty, history and modern, urban planning. Madhya Pradesh is famous for its legendary tourist destinations such as the temples of Khajuraho, the majestic forts of Gwalior, Buddhist stupas of Sanchi and the various wildlife sanctuaries that the state is peppered with.

Rivers of Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh represents great river basins and the watershed of a number of rivers. Catchments of many rivers of India lie in Madhya Pradesh. The Narmada and Tapti rivers and their basins divide the state in two, with the northern part draining largely into the Ganga basin and the southern part into the Godavari and Mahanadi systems.

Education in Madhya Pradesh The state of Madhya Pradesh has a well managed education system in the country. Schools in the state are either affiliated to the state board of secondary education or to the CBSE or ICSE. However schools affiliated to CBSE or ICSE use English as their medium of study. The government has adopted the free and compulsory education policy to provide primary education to all children up to the age of 14.

Madhya Pradesh has 13 state universities, 3 deemed universities, 8 medical colleges and a good many number of engineering and management institutions.

Food of Madhya Pradesh Food in M.P is characteristic of typical north Indian cuisine. Roti is the staple food of the state. Vegetables are cooked with tomato and onion as the major ingredients. Generally spicy and rich, both vegetarian and non- vegetarian foods are cooked here.

Jalebi, Dal Baati, Gulab Jamun, Kheer, Laddu are various dishes served.

Festivals of Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh celebrates almost all the festivals of Hindu solar calendar. The attire again differs here from region to region and tribe to tribe. Though the most common among them is the usual Indian saree for women and kurta pyjama for men.

Some commonly celebrated festivals are – Diwali, Holi, Rakhi, Eid, Christmas etc.

Arts & Culture of Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh is home to majority of India's tribal population who, in most cases, live apart from mainstream India. The art and craft of the state is unique from region to region. A long heritage of tradition continues to add a highly distinctive, individualistic touch to the crafts of Madhya Pradesh.

The famous Chanderi sarees some of them with gold checks and rich gold border along with two gold bands on the pallav, give each saree a special touch. The craftsmanship of the famous Maheshwari sarees has a wide variety of checks. Madhya Pradesh is also famous for producing tussar silk handloom fabrics

Bhopal Bhopal, capital of Madhya Pradesh, combines scenic beauty, historicity and modern urban planning. It is situated on the site of an 11th century city, Bhojapal, founded by Raja Bhoj. The old city with its teeming market places and fine old mosques and palaces still bears the aristocratic imprint of its former rulers.