Madhya Pradesh , India's second largest state and the geographical heartland of the country, is situated in the centre of the country. Except for the valleys of the Narmada and the Tapi rivers, M.P. consists of a plateau with a mean elevation of 1600 ft. above sea level, interspersed with the mountains of the Vindhyachal and the Satpura ranges.

Some of MP's attractions are remote and isolated Khajuraho, a city of love; Jabalpur, with its marble rocks; Kanha National Park, famous for its tigers.Madhya Pardesh constitutes part of what is known as Hindi belt.

History
The history of Madhya Pardesh goes back to the time of Ashoka, the great Buddhist emperor whose Mauryan Empire was powerful in Malwa. At Sanchi you can see the Buddhist centre founded by Ashoka , the most important reminder of him in India today. The Mauryans were followed by Sungas and then by Gupta ,before the Hun swept across the state. Around 1000 years ago the parmras ruled over in south –west Madhya Pardesh – they re chiefly remembered for Raja Bhoj, who gave his name to city of Bhopal and also ruled over Indore and Mandu From 950to 1050 A.D. the Chandelas constructed the fantastic series of temples in Khajuraho in north of the state .Between the 12th and 16th centuries, the region saw continuing struggled between Hindu and Muslim rulers or invaders .

Capital: Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, is a fascinating amalgam of an old historic city, and modern urban planning. It is situated on the 11th century city, Bhojapal, founded by Raja Bhoja but the present city was established by an Afghan soldier, Dost Mohammed. Today it presents a multi-faceted profile: the old city with its marketplaces and fine old mosques and palaces still bears the aristocratic imprint of its former rulers, among them the succession of powerful Begums who ruled Bhopal from 1819 to 1926. Equally impressive is the new city with its verdant, exquisitely laid out parks and gardens, broad avenues and streamlined modern edifices.

Area: 4,43,446sq.km.

Language: Hindi. Major dialects of Hindi used in the state are Bundelkhandi, Malwi & Chattisgari. Other languages spoken are Urdu, Marathi, Sindhi, Punjabi, Gujrati etc.

Climate: The climate is monsoonal, with much of the rain falling from June to October at averages 60 inches or more, dropping to 40 inches or less in the west and less than 30 inches in the Chambal River valley to the north. The March-to-May season is hot and dry, and temperatures everywhere are higher than 29º C. Winters are usually pleasant and dry. Best time to visit: September to February.

Best Seasons : The best time to visit Madhya Pradesh is during the relatively cool winter months between November and February. In the hot season (April, May and June), the region heats up like a furnace, and daytime temperatures frequently exceed 40°C. If you can stand the heat, this is the best time to catch glimpses of tigers in the parks. The rains finally sweep in from the southeast in late June or early July.

Population
74 million

Airport
Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Khajuraho, Raipur, Gawlior.

Pilgrim Centres
Amarkantak, Bawanganja Chitrakoot, Indore, Maheshwar, Mukagiri, Omkareshwar, Sanchi, Ujjain, Sheorinarayan.

Festivals
Khajuraho dance festival in March; Navaratri in Sept/Oct; The Malwa festival in Indore, Mandu and Ujjain and the Panchmarhi festival.

Major Crop
Wheat, Jowar, Soybean, Rice.