Madhya Pradesh is a dream destination for tourists. It is characterised by low hills, extensive plateaus, and river valleys. The capital of Madhya Pradesh is Bhopal. Being at the “heart of India”, Madhya Pradesh attracts millions of domestic and international tourists each year. It is rich both in culture and history. Its cultural heritage is preserved in the ancient and historical monuments. There are temples, national parks, and other leisure destination spots, making it an ideal tourism state. Cities like Indore, Jabalpur, Ujjain, and Gwalior are some of the must-visit cities in Madhya Pradesh.

Below are some interesting facts about the state.

Interesting facts about Madhya Pradesh 

  • Centre of India: Madhya Pradesh is the geographical centre of India. There is a village called Karondhi, near Jabalpur, which is supposedly the exact centre of India.
  • The Great Stupa at Sanchi: This stupa, built by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC, is the oldest stone structure in India. Also, it is counted among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Sanchi is famous for its Buddhist monuments.
  • A shift in Capital: Just after independence, Nagpur was announced as the capital of Madhya Pradesh. The state was reorganised in 1956. The states of Madhya Bharat, Vindhya Pradesh, and Bhopal were combined, and the Vidarbha region was removed. Since then, Bhopal has been the capital of Madhya Pradesh.
  • No beach: Madhya Pradesh is landlocked, with 5 states sharing its borders. These five states are Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. So all the trade takes place through the roadways and railways.
  • Inspiration for Jungle Book: Interestingly, Rudyard Kipling got the idea of “The Jungle Book” from the forests of Kanha National Park. The settings, as well as the surroundings, are from the Pench National Reserve in Bhopal
  • Ujjain: Ujjain is one of the most important cities in Madhya Pradesh. For the Hindu geographers, Ujjain has acted as the Prime Meridian for longitude since the 4th century BC. Also, it is one of the 4 cities in India where the Kumbh Mela is celebrated. It is organised once every 12 years. Ujjain is also called the “City of Temples” since it has some of the most famous temples in India. The Sandipani Ashram in Ujjain is known to be the place where Lord Krishna did his schooling, along with Balram and Sudama.
  • Khajuraho Temples:– These temples are famous for their erotic composition of sculptures. Tourists from all over the world visit these temples. These erotic sculptures are engraved on the exterior walls of these temples.
  • Low literacy rate: There are some negative sides to Madhya Pradesh. The most prominent one is the low literacy rate. The literacy rate in the state is lesser than the average rate of literacy in the country. Alirajpur in Madhya Pradesh has the lowest average literacy rate in India.
  • Gwalior: It is said to be the tourist capital of Madhya Pradesh. It has many forts and monuments of historical significance, which gives an insight into the bygone era. Mughal Emperor Babur had described the Gwalior Fort as the “pearl among the fortresses of Hind”. Patankar Bazaar is a popular market here, which offers a great collection of handicrafts for tourists.
  • Hills of Pachmarhi: Pachmarhi is a very famous hill station located in Madhya Pradesh. It is also known as “Satpura ki Rani”. These mountains are believed to have been carved out by the Pandavas during their exile.
  • The rivers: The Narmada river is the oldest river in India and the longest in Madhya Pradesh. The Tapti river runs parallel to Narmada. Both of them together are responsible for providing drainage to almost a quarter of the whole state. All the rivers here flow from South to North, surprisingly!
  • Tribal groups: Madhya Pradesh has the largest percentage of tribal groups in India. Some of the famous tribes are Gond, Bhil, Bagia, Bhadia, Dhar, Kaul, etc. These tribal groups comprise 21% of the population of Madhya Pradesh. Districts like Dhar, Jhabua and Mandla have more than 50% of these tribal groups.
  • City of Diamonds: Madhya Pradesh has the largest reserve of diamonds in India. 11 metric tonnes of graphite deposits have been found in the Betul district.
  • Bhedaghat: The marble rocks by the side of the Narmada are picturesque scenery. It is a very famous tourist spot. One can go on a boat voyage in between these marble rocks. There is also the Duandhar waterfall, which is very famous because of the smoke.
  • Massive road and rail network: Since Madhya Pradesh is landlocked, the bus and train services provide most of the connectivity. It has 99,043 kilometres of the road network and 4,948 kilometres of the railway network.

Conclusion

Madhya Pradesh is one of the most spectacular states to visit in India. It has a great history and cultural heritage. The palaces, forts, and stupas are proof of how nicely Madhya Pradesh has maintained its heritage. The list above contains all the important facts that one ought to know.