State of India - Madhya Pradesh

Area: 310,313 sq km

Population: 49,181,000

Capital Of City: Bhopal

Languages: Hindi

Crops:

How You Know: Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh was the scene of the world's worst air pollution disaster. In 1984, over 40 tons of Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) and other deadly gases leaked from Union Carbide's factory in the northern end of the city. More than 7000 people were killed in a couple of hours and over 500,000 people were affected by the poisonous gas.

History: The state of Madhya Pradesh is located in the heart of India. It is India's largest state, bigger than most countries of the world! But Madhya Pradesh or MP as it is often called is not just known for its size. It's also known as a center of culture and history, a place where you can find great natural beauty along with man-made wonders. Madhya Pradesh has the highest percent of tribal population in the country - 23%. The tribes of Bastar are well known for their celebration of Dusshera. Madhya Pradesh is often referred to as the 'Tiger state of India' because of its famous tiger reserves like Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Panna, and Shivpuri. The Kanha National Park is the only place where you can find the rare hardground Barasingha. Kanha was also the setting for Kipling's Jungle Book with such unforgettable characters like Mowgli, Bagheera and Sher Khan! Sanchi is a religious site with many temples, stupas and monasteries, some as old as the 3rd century B.C.Bhagoria is a famous festival of the Bhil tribals of Madhya Pradesh. The festival is a mass svayamvara or marriage by choice usually held before the festival of Holi. The tradition is that the boy applies gulal on the face of the girl whom he wants to get married to. If she applies gulal on him as well, it means she is willing to get married and the two elope and return as husband and wife! The most famous of these is the Sanchi Stupa, which was originally built by the Mauryan king Ashoka. It is said that the ivory workers of Vidisha, who sculpted the stone, worked with the skill of jewellers. A famous Ashokan Pillar and a Buddhist vihara are some of the attractions here. The temples of Khajuraho are famous all over the world. Built during the 9th - 13th centuries the temples are filled with sculptures depicting life and love from over a 1000 years ago. The Tansen Music Festival, which honours the legendary Tansen (buried in Gwalior) and the Khajuraho music festival draw some of the best classical singers and dancers from around the country.