Madhya Pradesh is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and largest city is Indore. With over 75 million inhabitants, it is the sixth largest state in India by population. It borders several other states. The state has many historical and religious sites, including three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The cuisine and culture varies regionally within the state. Hindi is the official language, though several other languages are also spoken.

3. Madhya Pradesh (MP) literally
"Central Province") is a state in
central India. Its capital is Bhopal,
and the largest city is Indore.
Nicknamed the "heart of India" due
to its geographical location in India,
Madhya Pradesh is the second
largest state in the country by area.
With over 75 million inhabitants, it
is the sixth largest state in India 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.

4. HISTORY
Isolated remains of Homo erectus found in Hathnora in the Narmada Valley
indicate that Madhya Pradesh might have been inhabited since the Middle
Pleistocene era, around 500,000 years ago.Painted pottery dated to the
later mesolithic period has been found in the Bhimbetka rock shelters.
Chalcolithic sites belonging to Kayatha culture (2100–1800 BCE) and
Malwa culture (1700–1500 BCE) have been discovered in the Western part
of the state.

5. The city of Ujjain arose as a major center in the region,
during the second wave of Indian urbanization in the
sixth century BCE. It served as the capital of the Avanti
Kingdom and mahajanapada. The area covered by
several other ancient kingdoms such as Chedi, Malava,
Karusha, Dasarna and Nishada has also been identified
with parts of Madhya Pradesh.
Chandragupta Maurya united northern India around
320 BCE, establishing the Maurya empire, which
included all of modern-day Madhya Pradesh. After the
decline of the Maurya empire, the region was contested
among the Sakas, the Kushanas, the Satavahanas, and
several local dynasties during the 1st to 3rd centuries
CE.
The south Indian king Gautamiputra Satakarni of
the Satavahana dynasty inflicted a crushing defeat
upon the Saka rulers and conquered parts of Malwa
and Gujarat in the 2nd century CE.

6. ATTRACTIONS
OF

7. Khajuraho Dance Festival
Khajuraho dance festival,
organised by the Madhya
Pradesh Kala Parishad, is a one
week long festival of classical
dances held annually against
the spectacular backdrop of the
magnificently lit Khajuraho
temples in Chhatarpur district
of Madhya Pradesh state in
central India. From 2010 The
Khajuraho Festival of Dance is
conducted every year the first
week of February from the 1st
to the 7th.

9. The Rajat Prapat is a
waterfall in Hoshangabad
district in the Indian state
of Madhya Pradesh. It is
the 30th highest waterfall
in India
It is a horsetail type
waterfall with a single
drop of 107 metres
(351 ft)
When sunlight falls on it, it
shines as silver, that is why
it is known as Rajat Prapat
or Silver Fall.[3] In Hindi,
‘rajat’ means silver and
‘prapat’ means falls

10. Christ Church is one of the religious places in
Pachmarhi, which was built by Britishers in 1875. The
glass panes adorning the walls and rear of the altar were
imported from Europe. This church has a hemispherical
dome on top with its ribs ending in faces of angels.
Moreover, the Nave of the church is not supported by
any pillar.

11. Bandhavgarh National Park is one of the popular
national parks in India located in the Umaria district of
Madhya Pradesh. Bandhavgarh was declared a national
park in 1968, with an area of 105 km. The buffer is
spread over the forest divisions of Umaria and Katni
and totals 437 km. The park derives its name from the
most prominent hillock of the area, which is said to be
given by Hindu Lord Rama to his brother Lakshmana to
keep a watch on Lanka (Ceylon). Hence the name
Bandhavgarh (Sanskrit: Brother's Fort).

12. Omkareshwar is a Hindu temple dedicated to God Shiva. It is one of the 12
revered Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. It is on an island called Mandhata or
Shivapuri in the Narmada river; the shape of the island is said to be like the
Hindu symbol. There are two temples here, one to Omkareshwar (whose
name means "Lord of Omkaara or the Lord of the Om Sound") and one to
Amareshwar (whose name means "Immortal lord" or "lord of the Immortals or
Devas"). But as per the sloka on dwadash jyotirligam, Mamleshwar is the
jyotirling, which is on other side of Narmada river.

13. The 'Great Stupa' at Sanchi is the oldest stone structure in India[1] and was
originally commissioned by the emperor Ashoka the Great in the 3rd century BCE.
Its nucleus was a simple hemispherical brick structure built over the relics of the
Buddha. It was crowned by the chatra, a parasol-like structure symbolising high
rank, which was intended to honour and shelter the relics. The construction work
of this stupa was overseen by Ashoka's wife, Devi herself, who was the daughter
of a merchant of Vidisha.

14. Amarkantak is a pilgrim town and a nagar panchayat in Anuppur District in
the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. Also called "Teerthraj" (the king of
pilgrimages), Amarkantak region is a unique natural heritage area and is the
meeting point of the Vindhyas and the Satpuras, with the Maikal Hills being
the fulcrum. This is where the Narmada River, the Son River and Johila River
emerge.

15. Cuisine Of Madhya Pradesh

16. The cuisine in Madhya Pradesh varies regionally. Wheat and
meat are common in the North and West of the state, while the
wetter South and East are dominated by rice and fish. Milk is a
common ingredient in Gwalior and Indore.

17. There is street named "Chatori Gali" in old Bhopal where one can find
traditional Muslim non-veg fare like Paya Soup, Bun Kabab, NalliNihari as some of the specialties

19. Three sites in Madhya Pradesh have been declared World Heritage
Sites by UNESCO: the Khajuraho Group of Monuments (1986)
including Devi Jagadambi temple, Rewa, Buddhist Monuments at
Sanchi (1989) and the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (2003). Other
architecturally significant or scenic sites include Ajaigarh,
Amarkantak, Asirgarh, Bandhavgarh, Bawangaja, Bhopal, Vidisha,
Chanderi, Chitrakuta, Dhar, Gwalior, Indore, Burhanpur, Maheshwar,
Mandleshwar, Mandu, Omkareshwar, Orchha, Pachmarhi, Shivpuri,
Sonagiri, Mandla and Ujjain.

20. Religions In Madhya Pradesh
According to census of 2011, 92% of the MP
residents followed Hinduism, while others
are Muslim (6%), Jain (0.9%), Christians
(0.3%), Buddhists (0.3%), and Sikhs (0.2%).
The modern-day gurus Maharishi Mahesh
Yogi (founder of Transcendental Meditation),
Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Osho) and Nirmala
Srivastava (founder of Sahaja Yoga) were
born in the present-day Madhya Pradesh.

21. The official language of the state is Hindi. In addition
to standard Hindi, several regional variants are
spoken, which are considered by some to be dialects of
Hindi, and by others to be distinct but related
languages. Among these languages are Malvi in Malwa,
Nimadi in Nimar, Bundeli in Bundelkhand, and Bagheli
in Bagelkhand and the southeast. Each of these
languages or dialects has dialects of its own. Other
languages include Telugu, Bhilodi (Bhili), Gondi,
Korku, Kalto (Nahali), and Nihali (Nahali), all spoken
by tribal groups. Due to the historical rule of the
Marathas, Marathi is spoken by a substantial number
of people. Gujarati is spoken by a large number of
people due to the state's proximity to Gujarat.