Facts About Madhya Pradesh, The Heart Of India

India is a country that has a rich history of culture and traditions. For its geographical location in the center of India, it is also fondly called the ‘Heart of India’. With so much to explore and experience, the state attracts millions of visitors every year. Endowed with rich natural resources, rare flora and fauna, and breath-taking natural splendors, Madhya Pradesh has preserved its ancient heritage and inheritance.

Here are 23 interesting facts about Madhya Pradesh that would make you appreciate it even more:

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1. It is the second largest state in India after Rajasthan

It was the largest state till October 2000, when Chhattisgarh was part of it. With an area of 308,252 sq. km. It is also the fifth largest in terms of population.

Madhya Pradesh
India Map

2. First capital of Madhya Pradesh was Nagpur

After Independence Madhya Pradesh constituted only of southern parts of today’s Madhya Pradesh and north-eastern parts of today’s Maharashtra. Nagpur was its capital city.

madhya pradesh capital nagpur
India Rail Info

3. The shift of the capital city

In 1956, the new Madhya Pradesh was created by combining the states of Madhya Bharat, Vindhya Pradesh, and Bhopal and removing the Marathi-speaking Vidarbha region. Bhopal was made the capital city.

new Madhya Pradesh 1956
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4. Chanderi sarees adorn the historic town of Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh

The Chanderi Sarees are also adorned around the globe for the artistry behind their creation.

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chanderi sarees of madhya pradesh
Utsavpedia

5. One of the oldest cave collections in India

Touted as one of the oldest cave collections in India, some of the rock shelters were inhabited more than 100,000 years ago. Bhimbetka site has the oldest known rock art in the Indian sub-continent, dating back more than 30,000 years.

Bhimbetka Rock Shelter
The History Hub

6. The amazing Khajuraho Temples

These ancient and one-of-a-kind temples in the world are adorned with intricate erotic and sensuous carvings. The sculptures showcase the open, progressive and artistic heritage of the time. These monuments are the epitome of architectural marvel and elegance.

Khajuraho Temple, Madhya Pradesh
Enric Auladell/Instagram

7. Wildlife at Bandhavgarh

‘Land of the Tigers’, Bandhavgarh National Park is the place with the highest density of Royal Bengal tigers in the world and is home to some of the most exotic wildlife, which is difficult to spot in other parts of India. There is a saying about the park, that goes “In any other park, you are lucky to spot a tiger, in Bandhavgarh you are unlucky if you don’t spot (at least) once”.

Tiger at Bandhavgarh
Ravi Pathak/Instagram

8. Birthplace of legendary people

Madhya Pradesh has been the birthplace of many legends of India, the likes of Chandra Shekhar Azad, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar, Kailash Satyarthi, Jaya Bachchan, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, and many others.

famous people from madhya pradesh - Kailash Satyarthi
Nobel Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi. Financial Times

9. The inspiration for “Jungle Book”

Rudyard Kipling was inspired by the forests of Kanha National Park to write the famous children’s novel “Jungle Book”.

Jungle Book inspired from Kanha National Park
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10. Marble rocks of Bhedaghat

Situated at Bhedaghat by the side of river Narmada, the Marble Rocks present picturesque scenery. The river was carved out of an eight-kilometer beautiful gorge through these soft marble rocks and is a popular tourist spot. It is also famous for the beautiful “Dhuadhar” waterfalls.

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Bhedaghat Marble Rocks Madhya Pradesh
Raunak Chhabra/YouTube

11. A mineral rich state

Madhya Pradesh has the largest reserves of diamond and copper in India. It is also rich in coal, manganese bauxite, and dolomite.

minerals in Madhya Pradesh
ENVIS

12. Rich history of Indian classical music

For centuries, Madhya Pradesh has been famous for its classical and folk music. In fact, India’s two medieval legendary singers, Tansen and Baiju Bawra were born near Gwalior.

Amazing facts about Madhya Pradesh
Swami Haridasa with Tansen and Akbar at Vrindavana. wikimedia

13. Sandipani Ashram – The school of Lord Krishna

As per the Bhagavata Purana, it was at the Sandipani Ashram in Ujjain, that Lord Krishna, his brother Balrama and their friend Sudama completed their education and mastered every single lesson taught by Guru Sandipani, who was a Rishi (Sage) in Ujjain.

Sandipani Ashram
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14. Largest number of tribal groups in India

Madhya Pradesh is home to a large number of ethnic groups and tribes namely Gond, Bhil, Bagia, Korku, Bhadia, Malto, Kaul, Dhar, and many more. As per the 2011 census, the tribal/Adivasi population is 21.1% of the total population of the state.

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Major Tribes Of Madhya Pradesh
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15. The city of temples – Ujjain

Being one of the four places in India where Kumbh Mela is hosted, Ujjain is often referred to as the “City of Temples”, as it houses some of India’s most popular temples.

Facts about Madhya Pradesh- Ujjain Temples
(MP) Tourism

16. Massive road and rail network

Being a landlocked state with no coastline, bus and train services cover most of Madhya Pradesh. It has a humongous 99,043 km of road network, including 20 National Highways and a 4948 km long rail network that crisscrosses the state.

About Madhya Pradesh
The Financial Express

17. Low literacy rate of Madhya Pradesh

As per the census of 2001, the literacy rate in the state is about 70.6%, which is lower than the national average of 74.04%.

Madhya Pradesh, The Heart Of India
Hindustan Times

18. The historic city of Gwalior

Gwalior is Madhya Pradesh’s tourist capital. This historic city is replete with forts, museums, and other historic monuments, which gives a glimpse of the bygone era. Patankar bazaar, is a popular market, offering the tourist a great selection of handicrafts, wall hangings, dolls, artificial jewelry, etc.

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Gwalior-Fort
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19. Rivers of Madhya Pradesh

Narmada is the longest river in Madhya Pradesh and has many tributaries. Tapti river runs parallel to the Narmada and the two rivers together, provide drainage to almost a quarter of the land area of the state. Surprisingly, all the rivers which drain in the Ganges, flow from South to North!

Rivers of Madhya Pradesh
Narmada River, Madhya Pradesh. Pinterest

20. The beautiful hills of Pachmarhi

Situated at an altitude of 1,352 meters above sea level, Pachmarhi is a very popular tourist hill station located in the Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh. It is also widely known as “Satpura ki Rani” (Queen of Satpura). The name Pachmarhi is derived from the Hindi words ‘Panch’ (Five) and ‘Marhi’ (Caves), believed to have been carved out by the Pandava brothers of the Mahabharata era, during their thirteen years of exile.

Hills of Pachmarhi Madhya Pradesh
Apna Katta

21. The Great Stupa at Sanchi

Commissioned in the 2nd century BCE by the Mauryan Emperor ‘Ashoka’, the Great Stupa at Sanchi is one of the oldest stone structures in India built over the relics of Buddha. The town of Sanchi is central to many Buddhist Stupas, all within a few miles of it.

Sanchi stupa, Madhya pradesh - UNESCO sites in Madhya Pradesh
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22. Has the largest reserve of Diamond in India

Madhya Pradesh has 11 metric tonnes of graphite deposits which were discovered in the Betul district.

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largest diamond reserve in Madhya pradesh
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23. Bhopal’s old newspapers

Farz is the only Sindhi newspaper in Bhopal and Nadeem is the oldest Urdu daily.

dainik-farz-bhopal
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With such a rich history and beautiful places to see, Madhya Pradesh is truly a spectacular place.

Also read- 25 Incredible Places To Visit In Madhya Pradesh Which Makes It Your Next Traveling Destination

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Meet a dynamic writer who’s also a marketing manager, adept at weaving compelling narratives not only in the digital realm but also in the pages of life as a devoted mother to two children and a proud pup parent. She's a post graduate from Symbiosis and also a skilled wordsmith who runs a successful Instagram handle. Her alphabets flow seamlessly across the digital pages, capturing the essence of journeys untold, the magic of entertainment, the intricacies of love, and the tapestry of life itself. With a passion for music, a penchant for exploring new places, and a fascination for the theories of parallel worlds, she seamlessly weaves creativity into both her professional and personal adventures.