Madhya Pradesh, the heart of India, is situated in the centre of the country. Madhya Pradesh which means middle province shares its borders with the states of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan. The state is dotted with innumerable monuments, forts, stupas and places of historical importance. The state is blessed with rich natural resources, splendid mountain ranges and dense forests that offer the tourists a look at the wide variety of flora and fauna of the state. Tourism industry is one of the main industries of the state. The famous and ancient Khajuraho temples are situated here.
Bhopal - Capital of Madhya Pradesh
The city of Bhopal, located on the Malwa plateau, is the capital of Madhya Pradesh. It is also known as the city of seven lakes. Hindus and Muslims form a majority of the city's population with Christians, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists also making up part of the population. Bhopal got some abdicable fame in the year 1984 when the Union Carbide factory leaked toxic gases killing and injuring lacs of people.
Tourist Attractions
Madhya Pradesh is a state that is immersed in history. While visiting the innumerable historical monuments of the place, you will feel history uncovering right in front of your eyes. Tourist attractions in the state consist of historical monuments, places of religious importance and variety of wildlife.
Khajuraho
One of the biggest tourist attractions of the state, Khajuraho has a collection of temples. The beautifully sculptures and ../images inside the temples display a combination of religion and eroticism.
Gwalior
Khajuraho TempleThe forts and palaces of this historically important city have been witness to many decisive gory battles and deaths.
Bandhavgarh
The Bandhavgarh National Park situated in the Vindhya mountain ranges has the highest population of tigers in India. Elephant safaris are a main tourist attraction here.
Besides the above other tourist attractions of the state are Ujjain, Mandu, Sanchi, Bhimbetka, Shivpuri and Indore.
Culture
Most of the people in Madhya Pradesh are Hindus with Muslims, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists and Christians also showing their presence. Almost 40% of the state's population is tribal consisting of three main tribal communities - Gonds, Bhils and Oraons. Hindi is the main and the official language of the state. Gujrati, Marathi, Sindhi and Urdu are also spoken because of the mix of people. The dance and music of Madhya Pradesh are unique and and comprise of varied forms. The main festivals of the state are the festival of dances at Khajuraho, Dhrupad Samaroh, Akhil Bhartiya Kalidas Samaroh, Tansen Sangeet Samaroh.
Climate
The summer season in Madhya Pradesh which starts from the month of April records maximum temeratures of up to 45 degrees celcius. The month of July brings rainfall that helps in dropping the temperature a bit. The monsoon season starts in end June and continues till August. The temperatures do not change much during the months of September/ October. The winter season starts from the month of November and reaches its peak in December and January when the average temperature ranges from 10-15 degrees.
How to Reach
Madhya Pradesh, the central state of India, owing to its strategic location is well accessible from any part of the country.
Tiger - Bandavgarh
By Air - There are many airports in the state in the cities of Gwalior, Khajuraho, Indore, Jabalpur and Bhopal. Many public and private airlines operate regular flights connecting the state to the rest of the country.
By Rail - The main railway station of the state is situated in the city of Bhopal which connects it to the rest of the country through many express, super-fast and passenger trains.
By Road - A well developed and well maintained network of state and national highways connect the cities of Madhya Pradesh to other principal cities of the country.