Tourism in Madhya Pradesh

Tourism in Madhya Pradesh has been an attraction of India because of its location in the centre of the country. It has been home to the cultural heritage of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism etc. Innumerable monuments, but exquisitely carved temples, stupas, forts & palaces are dotted all over the state. Madhya Pradesh has won Best Tourism State National award for 3 consecutive years i.e. 2017, 2016 and 2015.[1]

The Sanchi stupa
Kundalpur Jain temples

Natural environment
Bhedaghat Dhuandhar Falls, Jabalpur

The natural environment of Madhya Pradesh is varied. Consisting largely of a plateau streaked with the mountain ranges of the Vindhyas and the Satpuras, the hills give rise to the main river system - Narmada and the Tapti, running from east to west, and the Chambal, Sone, Betwa, Mahanadi west to east.

One half of the state is forested and offers a unique panorama of wildlife. In the National Parks of Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Shivpuri and many others visitors have the opportunity to see the tiger, the bison and a wide variety of deer and antelope in natural surroundings.

World heritage sites
Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, largest temple in Khajuraho

Although the modern state of Madhya Pradesh came into being in 1956, its cultural heritage is ancient and chequered. Innumerable monuments, exquisitely carved temples, stupas, forts and palaces on hilltops, raise in the visitors mind visions of empires and kingdoms, of the great warriors and builders, poets and musicians, saints and philosophers; of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. The famous Sanskrit poet-dramatist Kalidasa and the great musician of the Mughal court, Tansen, were from Madhya Pradesh. They are known all over the world.

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

Significant sites
Sonagiri
Amarkantak, a Hindu Tirtha place, a site where three rivers

Other architecturally significant or scenic sites include:

Madhya Pradesh being very large geographically, and the history being spread over several millennia, a developing a comprehensive picture of heritage and architecture is a monumental task.

National Parks
Bandhavgarh National Park

Madhya Pradesh is home to several National Parks, including:

There are 10 national parks and 25 wildlife sanctuaries in Madhya Pradesh. Apart from tiger, the national parks in Madhya Pradesh have animals like Leopard, Gaur, Chital, Sambar, Nilgai, Chinkara, Barking Deer, Barasingha, Samber Deer, Wild Boar, Monkey, Peacock, etc.[2]

Nature reserves
Bagh Caves

There are also a number of nature preserves, including:

Fairs and festivals
Dance Festivals in Madhya Pradesh

Customs and beliefs in each area in Madhya Pradesh have added colours to the fairs and festivals. Shivratri in Khajuraho, Bhojpur, Pachmarhi and Ujjain; Dusshera in Jabalpur, Ramanavami in Chitrakoot and Orchha, Bhagoriya dance in Jhabua and the annual festival of dances at Khajuraho are events for the tourists to remember. The Malwa festival in Indore, Mandu and Ujjain, and the Pachmarhi festival bring alive the rich folk and tribal culture of the state in colourful celebrations. Gwalior trade fair is India's second largest trade fair. It is organised in various sectors which includes electronic sector, automobile sector, food sector, fun (jhula) sector etc. Gwalior carnival is a newly introduced festival in 2012. It was organised for 22 days in December. It is planned to organise carnival every year. Nimar Utsav takes place every year in the holy city of Maheshwar in the Hindu month of Kartika on the occasion of Kartika Purnima. The festival lasts for 3 days with a cultural programme at Ahilya Ghat in Maheshwar.

Hill stations
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See also
  • Tourism in North East India

References
  1. site admin (2017-09-28). "MP bags Best Tourism State award for 3rd time in a row - PTI feed News". Indiatoday.intoday.in. Retrieved 2018-08-14.
  2. "wildlife in madhya pradesh, national parks in Madhya Pradesh, nature parks in Madhya Pradesh, tiger reserves in madhya pradesh, madhya pradesh wild life". www.travelcentralindia.com. Retrieved 2018-04-29.
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