Madhya Pradesh
Do you speculate ever how can shingle communicate human sentiments? How can astound carved caves direct you towards salvation? And the way the tigers guide you trough the virgin and tranquil forests of the biggest national wild life sanctuary. Welcome to Madhya Pradesh, the land of cultural heritage which is undoubtedly forms the heart of India. Located in the central fraction of our country, Madhya Pradesh is the place where varied religions, culture and architectures has melted together to form one of the most beautiful places in India and also the heart of India. So go ahead and plan your dream holiday amidst the great physical contrast starting with the ominous Malwa plateau, stunning mountain ranges of Vindhyachal, miles after miles of impenetrable forests coupled with an exhilarating landscape of flora and fauna and the tortuous Narmada River, on its impulsive voyage towards the sea. Set at the mid of all this, is the spirit of erotic India - the architectural marvels of Khajuraho which were misplaced for years were found and excavated to represent then to their lost splendor. Madhya Pradesh has all a vacationer can request for. Therefore while planning for your next vacation, give a thought on selecting Madhya Pradesh as the destination which can give you the much needed break from the hob knobs of the city life.
Location
The word Madhya Pradesh in local language means central province and geographically as well, this state is located right at the centre of the map of India. The river Narmada and Satpura ranges separate the state from the northern and south Indian states. The state shares its borders in the northwest with Rajasthan, Gujarat on the west, and Uttar Pradesh on the eastern side and Maharashtra on the south. Precisely the state of Madhya Pradesh is located at 23° 10' 12" N and 77° 12' 36" E. Madhya Pradesh is spread over an total area of 308252 square kilometer.
Places to see
Madhya Pradesh, the heart of India has all that a vacationer can imagine to see and experience while on a vacation. The diversity of this land is incredible and the scenic and architectural beauty of this land is something which will charm you for sure. Some of the most preferred tourist destinations of the state of Madhya Pradesh are as follows.
Gwalior Fort: This fort is also known as the 'pearl in the necklace of the castles of Hind', this citadel dominates the town’s skyline with its enormous and attractive and appealing structural beauty. This architectural marvel and its stunning good looks is a mix of Hindu and Islamic style of construction. This fort is sure to live an everlasting imprint on your mind once you visit the same.
Bhopal: The capital city of Madhya Pradesh is also the abode of art and culture. One of the major attractions here is the Bharat Bhavan located on the Shamala Hills. The other famous tourist hangout here is Bhimbetka which is famous for its enchanting cave paintings. These carving are said to be more then 30,000 years old. Other tourist destines of the capital city of Madhya Pradesh includes Shiv temple and the lake of Bhojpur, Jain temples of Ashapuri and the Chiklod Palace.
Orchha: This town was the capital of Bundelkhand in the past. Even the Chinese traveler Huen-Tsang visited this town in the 7th century AD. One can find the legacy of Bundela art on the interior and the exterior of palaces, temples. Some of the places to see in this town of Madhya Pradesh are the picturesque banks of the river Betwa, Jahangir Mahal, the Laxminarayan temple, the Ramaraja temple, Siddh Baba ka Sthan, Jugal Kishore Temple and the Janaki and Hanuman Mandirs and the Bundela School of Painting.
Sanchi Stupa: This UNESCO world heritage site is a holy shrine for the Buddhists. This site gives a chance to sit under the shed of trees and enjoy the panoramic view of the surroundings. It can be a nice place to unwind and relax. One can find real peace in the silence of this shrine for the Buddhist. This site was rediscovered in the year 1818 by General Taylor, a British Officer. The restoration work of this stupa was done in the year 1881 and in between the 1912 and 1919 Sir John Marshall got this site renovated and restored.
Khajuraho Temples: This UNESCO certified World Heritage Site is a true example of India’s glorious architectural past. The temples here at Khajuraho are the abode of the most erotic and sensuous sculptures that the world has ever seen and known. Every temple of this site has a distinct design. The three groups of the Khajuraho village are the western group temples, the eastern group temple and the southern group of temples. The famous Khajuraho Dance festival is held between 25th February to 2nd March every year which pulls dancers and music and dance lovers from far corners of the country.
Omkareshwar: This river island of Madhya Pradesh is shapes like Om and spread on an area which is about 2kilometers long and 1 kilometer wide. This is a holy shrine for the Hindus as this place houses one of the twelve Jotillingas of lord Shiva. This town houses the famous Sri Omkareshwar Mahadeo Temple and the Siddanth Temple which are the classic example of brahmanic architecture. Omkareshwar is situated at the meeting point of the two rivers namely Narmada and Kaveri.
Other places which can be of great tourist interest include Ujjain which is an important place for the Hindus, Bir Singh Palace of Datia, Wild Life Sanctuary at Kanha, the Ganges valley of Chitrakoot which is also a place of Hindu faith and culture, the perfect honeymoon destination of Mandu, Amarkantak which is the source of river Narmada and Sone, Bandhavgarh National Patk at Jabalpur and the Pachmarhi hill station.
How to reach
The state of Madhya Pradesh is very well connected by road, rail and air. The tourism dept of Madhya Pradesh over the years has made all possible efforts to give the tourists a much needed ease in moving from one place to another within Madhya Pradesh.
By Air: The five important air-ports of Madhya Pradesh that facilitate air traffic are situated in Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur and Khajuraho. All the significant public and private domestic air carriers run regular flights from these airports to all the major cities of India. The 'Raja Bhoj International Airport' of Bhopal operates even international airline service that flies to countries like Dubai, Singapore, Sharjah and Bangkok. Moreover; Silk Air, Air Arabia, Indian Airlines and Air India Express are some of the international airline carriers that functions from the 'Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport' located at Indore.
By Rail: The major railheads of Madhya Pradesh incluse Bhopal, Bilaspur, Bina, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur, Ratlam and Ujjain. Bhopal Railway Station is the most important railhead of the state of Madhya Pradesh and it is connected by many super fast trains with the rest of the India. Major trains that operate here are Rajdhani Express, Shatabdi Express, Punjab Mail, Bangalore Karnataka Express etc. Bhopal is the most important railway junction of the West Central Railways.
By Road: Widespread system of National Highways and State Highways interweave in Madhya Pradesh which assists vacationers to reach different destinations by roads. These well-maintained roads connect Madhya Pradesh to the nearby areas which are within and outside the state of Madhya Pradesh with ease. The capital city of Bhopal is the center point from where destinations like Gwalior, Indore, Sanchi, Khajuraho, Mandu (290 km) can be easily reached by road.
What to do
Madhya Pradesh, the land of diversities offers a lot to the travel buffs. Few things that one can do while in this part of India are:
Trekking : On the hilly slope of Satpura ranges, the adventure sport lovers can take up trekking and enjoy themselves to the extent possible.
Enjoy Indian Culture: One can enjoy the Indian culture while on a visit to Kahjuraho. The song and dance festival of Khajuraho can also be made a part of the schedule.
Wild Safaris: The wild life sanctuaries of Madhya Pradesh offer wild safaris which is sure to enchant wild life lovers.
Enjoy Local Cuisines: On a trip to Madhya Pradesh, one can savor his taste buds with the mouth watering delicacies which are the specialties of Madhya Pradesh.
Best time to visit
Though the heat of summers whisk the state of Madhya Pradesh ruthlessly but this period of year is perfect time to tour the numerous wildlife sanctuaries and parks which can give you a chance to get a glimpse of the famous white tigers which is found here. One can settle to visit this state in the summers if one believes that he or she can tolerate the severity of the heat of this season. The perfect time to plan a tour of Madhya Pradesh is during the comparatively cold winter season which is from November till February. In this period the heat of summers is long gone and the incessant heavy showers gives the place an amazing green look. The numerous water bodies too puff up with a transformed spirit. This is the period when the state of Madhya Pradesh assures a fun-filled vacation.
History
The history of the state of Madhya Pradesh goes back till 320 BC when the ruler of this province Chandragupta Maurya ruled over many provinces which are a part of today’s Madhya Pradesh. Other dynasties which ruled over this state include the Shakas and the Kushanas. The Satavahana dynasty of the northern Deccan commanded this province in between 1st and 3rd centuries AD. During the end of 4th century this province came under Gupta dynasty which ruled here for over 150 years and finally collapsed near around the end of the 5th century. Ujjain was predominantly the commercial center of this part of India during the ancient period.
Climate
Generally, Madhya Pradesh has a monsoonal type of weather. From June till October, monsoon prevails here and the state of Madhya Pradesh receives recurrent spells of precipitation, roughly averaging 60 inches or may be more. However, precipitation might be 40 inches or less in certain western parts of the state of Madhya Pradesh. From the Chambal River Valley till the Northern provinces, the amount of precipitation is generally less than 30 inches. The months of March, April and May forms the summers and the state of Madhya Pradesh experience severe weather conditions through this period. The mercury remains normally more than 29°C in almost all the places and even exceeds 40°C in certain areas.
