Bandhavgarh
Bandhavgarh, in today’s Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh, takes its name from the dramatic Bandhavgarh Fort that rises…
State
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh, the “heart of India,” has a long history shaped by its central location on the subcontinent. In ancient times, much of the region formed part of Avanti and Mahakoshal, with important centres like Ujjain and Vidisha flourishing as trade and cultural hubs. Under the Mauryas, including Ashoka (who is traditionally said to have governed at Ujjain), it was integrated into a vast imperial network, and later passed through the hands of the Shungas, Satavahanas, Kushans and Guptas.
From roughly the 9th to 12th centuries, powerful regional dynasties such as the Paramaras of Malwa (with their capital at Dhar), the Chandelas of Bundelkhand (builders of Khajuraho), and the Kalachuris of Tripuri (near Jabalpur) shaped much of the area’s political and cultural landscape. Medieval Madhya Pradesh then saw the expansion of the Delhi Sultanate, Malwa Sultanate, and later the Mughals, followed by the rise of Maratha powers like the Holkars of Indore and Scindias of Gwalior.
After the Anglo–Maratha wars, the British organised this core region mainly as the Central Provinces and Berar and a group of princely states. In 1956, these territories were reorganised into the modern state of Madhya Pradesh, which later split with the creation of Chhattisgarh in 2000.
Cities in Madhya Pradesh
Bhimbetka
Bhimbetka, near Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, is one of the most important prehistoric sites in India and the…
Bhopal
Bhopal’s history weaves together medieval legend, Afghan chieftains, powerful queens and modern state-building. The area’s older identity is…
Burhanpur
Burhanpur, on the banks of the Tapti (Tapi) River in southern Madhya Pradesh, has a long and important…
Chanderi (Ashoknagar district)
Chanderi, in today’s Ashoknagar district of Madhya Pradesh, has been an important town for over a thousand years…
Chhindwara
Chhindwara, located in the Satpura region of southern Madhya Pradesh, has a history shaped by forests, tribal culture…
Gwalior
Gwalior’s history is closely tied to its dramatic hilltop fort, often called the “Gibraltar of India.” According to…
Indore
Indore, today the largest city of Madhya Pradesh, began as a small trading village on the banks of…
Jabalpur
Jabalpur, in eastern Madhya Pradesh, has a layered history shaped by river trade, forts and changing empires. The…
Khajuraho (Chhatarpur)
Khajuraho, in today’s Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, was once a flourishing capital-region of the Chandela Rajput dynasty.…
Mandla
Mandla district lies in the Maikal–Satpura region of eastern Madhya Pradesh, in a landscape of dense forests, rolling…
Mandu (Dhar district)
Mandu, in present-day Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh, is one of central India’s most important medieval hill capitals.…
Narmadapuram
Narmadapuram, earlier known as Hoshangabad, has grown for centuries along the southern bank of the sacred Narmada River.…
Omkareshwar
Omkareshwar is one of the most sacred towns of Madhya Pradesh, built on and around a small island…
Orchha (Niwari district)
Orchha, in today’s Niwari district of Madhya Pradesh, was founded in the early 16th century by Rudra Pratap…
Rewa
Rewa, in the Baghelkhand region of north-eastern Madhya Pradesh, has a history closely tied to the rise of…
Sagar
Sagar, in central Madhya Pradesh, takes its name from the large lake (sagar) around which the town first…
Sanchi
Sanchi, in present-day Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh, is one of the oldest and best-preserved Buddhist sites in…
Satna / Maihar
Satna, in eastern Madhya Pradesh, lies in the historic Baghelkhand region and has long been linked to the…
Seoni
Seoni district lies in the south of Madhya Pradesh, on the Satpura plateau, and has long been a…
Ujjain
Ujjain, on the banks of the Shipra River, is one of India’s oldest continuously inhabited cities and one…