Visit Madhya Pradesh

Known as the Heart of India because of its location in the centre of the country, Madhya Pradesh has been home to the cultural heritage of Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism and Jainism. Innumerable monuments, exquisitely carved temples, stupas, forts & palaces are dotted all over the State.

The unspoilt and the undiscovered natural beauty of Madhya Pradesh is varied. Consisting largely of a plateau streaked with the hill ranges of the Vindhyas and the Satpuras, the State has everything. Rising from the hills are the main river system - Narmada and the Tapti, running from east to west and the Chambal, Sone, Betwa ,Mahanadi from west to east. Spectacular mountain ranges, meandering rivers dotted with hills and lakes and miles and miles of dense forests offering a unique and exciting panorama of wildlife in sylvan surroundings.

One third of the state is forested and offers a unique and exciting panorama of wildlife. One has the rare opportunity to spot the tiger, the bison and a wide variety of deer and antelope in the National Parks of of Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Shivpuriand many others. Its cultural heritage is ancient and diversified. Exquisite carved temples, innumerable monuments, stupas, forts and palaces brings to the minds of visitors, the visions of empires and kingdoms, saints and philosophers, poets and musicians of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Islam. The famous poet, Kalidas and the famous musician, Tansen of the Mughal era, were from Madhya Pradesh..

Many cities in Madhya Pradesh are extraordinary for their architecture and or scenic beauty.

The following sites in Madhya Pradesh have been declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO :

The Khajuraho Group of Monuments (1986)

The Devi Jagadambi temple (1986)

Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (1989)

The Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (2003)

Madhya Pradesh is home to several National Parks, including:

Bandhavgarh National Park

Kanha National Park

Satpura National Park

Sanjay National Park

Madhav National Park

Van Vihar National Park

Mandla Plant Fossils National Park

Panna National Park

Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh.

Other interesting places to visit in Madhya Pradesh are :

Amarkantak, located at an altitude of 1065 mts at the meeting point of the Vindhya and the Satpura mountain ranges.

Sanchi, a small village in the Raisen District of the state, is the location of several Buddhist monuments, dating back to the 3rd century BC. It is one of the important places of Buddhist pilgrimage and is right in the middle of the state. Of the many stupas in Sanchi, the ‘Great Stupa’, in Sanchi is the most attractive one, commissioned by the emperor Ashoka The Great.

The Ahilya Fort at Maheswar is an experience straight out of the 18th Century. The Fort has temples dedicated to various avatars of Lord Shiva, as well as crematory cenotaphs of the rulers of Indore. Ahilya Fort was the capital of one of India's celebrated women rulers-Ahilya Bai Holkar.