MADHYA PRADESH

CAPITAL-BHOPAL

LIST OF CHEIF MINISTERS OF MADHYA PRADESH

#	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Political Party
01	Pt. Ravishankar Shukla	01 November 1956	31 December 1956	Indian National Congress
02	Bhagwantrao Mandloi	01 January 1957	30 January 1957	Indian National Congress
03	Kailash Nath Katju	31 January 1957	14 March 1957	Indian National Congress
04	Kailash Nath Katju	14 March 1957	11 March 1962	Indian National Congress
05	Bhagwantrao Mandloi	12 March 1962	29 September 1963	Indian National Congress
06	Dwarka Prasad Mishar	30 September 1963	08 March 1967	Indian National Congress
07	Dwarka Prasad Mishar	09 March 1967	29 July 1967	Indian National Congress
08	Govind Narayan Singh	30 July 1967	12 March 1969	Indian National Congress
09	Raja Nareshchandra Singh	13 March 1969	25 March 1969	Indian National Congress
10	Shyama Charan Shukla	26 March 1969	28 January 1972	Indian National Congress
11	Prakash Chandra Sethi	29 January 1972	22 March 1972	Indian National Congress
12	Prakash Chandra Sethi	23 March 1972	22 December 1975	Indian National Congress
13	Shyama Charan Shukla	23 December 1975	29 April 1977	Indian National Congress
	President's rule	29 April 1977	25 January 1977
14	Kailash Chandra Joshi	26 January 1977	17 January 1978	Janata Party
15	Virendra Kumar Saklecha	18 January 1978	19 January 1980	Janata Party
16	Sunderlal Patwa	20 January 1980	17 February 1980	Janata Party
	President's rule	18 February 1980	08 January 1980
17	Arjun Singh	08 January 1980	10 March 1985	Indian National Congress
18	Arjun Singh	11 March 1985	12 March 1985	Indian National Congress
19	Motilal Vora	13 March 1985	13 March 1988	Indian National Congress
20	Arjun Singh	14 February 1988	24 January 1989	Indian National Congress
21	Motilal Vora	25 January 1989	08 December 1989	Indian National Congress
22	Shyama Charan Shukla	09 December 1989	04 March 1990	Indian National Congress
23	Sunderlal Patwa	05 March 1990	15 December 1992	Bharatiya Janata Party
	President's rule	16 December 1992	06 December 1993
24	Digvijay Singh	07 December 1993	01 December 1998	Indian National Congress
25	Digvijay Singh	01 December 1998	08 December 2003	Indian National Congress
26	Uma Bharti	08 December 2003	23 August 2004	Bharatiya Janata Party
27	Babulal Gaur	23 August 2004	29 November 2005	Bharatiya Janata Party
28	Shivraj Singh Chauhan	29 November 2005	Incumbent	Bharatiya Janata Party
29	Shivraj Singh Chauhan	2009	Incumbent	Bharatiya Janata Party

ELECTED POLITICAL OFFICIALS OF MADHYA PRADESH

Lok Sabha members of Madhya Pradesh

#	Name	Constituency	Party
01	Deshmukh, Shri K.D.	Balaghat	BJP
02	Dhurve , Jyoti	Betul	BJP
03	Argal, Shri Ashok	Bhind	BJP
04	Joshi, Shri Kailash	Bhopal	BJP
05	Kamal Nath, Shri	Chhindwara	INC
06	Bhiya, Shri Shivraj	Damoh	BJP
07	Verma, Shri Sajjan Singh	Dewas	INC
08	Rajukadhi, Shri Gajendra Singh	Dhar	INC
09	Scindia, Shri Jyotiraditya Madhvrao	Guna	INC
10	Scindia, Smt. Yashodhara Raje	Gawalior	BJP
11	Singh, Shri Udey Pratap	Hoshangabad	INC
12	Mahajan, Smt. Sumita	Indare	BJP
13	Singh, Shri Rakesh	Jabalpur	BJP
14	Bundela, Shri Jeetendra Singh	Khajuraho	BJP
15	Yadav, Shri Arun Subhashchandra	Khandwa	INC
16	Solanki, Shri Makhansingh	Khargone	BJP
17	Masram, Shri Basori Singh	Mandla	INC
18	Natrajan, Meenakshi	Mandsour	INC
19	Tomar, Shri Narendra Singh	Morena	BJP
20	Amlabe, Shri Narayan Singh	Rajgarh	INC
21	Bhuria, Shri Kantilal	Ratlam	INC
22	Patel, Shri Deoraj Singh	Rewa	BSP
23	Singh, Shri Bhupendra	Sagar	BJP
24	Singh, Shri Ganesh	Satna	BJP
25	Singh, Rajesh Nandini	Shahdol	INC
26	Mishra, Shri Govind Prasad	Sidhi	BJP
27	Virendre Kumar, Shri	Tikamgarh	BJP
28	Guddu, Shri Premchandra	Ujjain	INC
29	Swaraj, Smt. Sushma	Vidisha	BJP

Rajya Sabha Members of Madhya Pradesh

#	Name	Party
01	Jha Shri Prabhat	BJP
02	Kesari Shri Narayan Singh	BJP
03	Khandelwal Shri Pyarelal	BJP
04	Sharma Shri Raghunandan	BJP
05	Singh Shri Arjun	INC
06	Singh Shri Maya	BJP
07	Thirunavkkarsar Shri Su.	BJP
08	Uikey Miss Anusuiya	BJP
09	Verma Shri Vikram	BJP

OCCUPATION

The main occupation of the people of Madhya Pradesh is agriculture. The crops cultivated are jowar (sorghum),rice,wheat and some varieties of coarse millets. Soya bean is also produced on a large scale. Other commercial crops are cotton,sugarcane and some oil seeds like sesame.

FOOD

DRESS

LANGUAGE

Hindi

Urdu

Marathi

Sindhi

Punjabi

Gujrati

IMPORTANT PLACE

Taj-ul-Masjid-

The most important monument in Bhopal is the Taj-ul-Masjid, built by Sultan Jehan Begum in 1878 but was left unfinished for 100 years before being completed in 1971. This large, pink coloured structure has an imposing double storeyed gate-way with 4 recessed archways and 9 imposing cusped multi-foiled openings in the main prayer hall. The enormous courtyard of the mosque has a dukka (water tank) for ritual ablutions. The general ambience of the mosque is majestic.

Jami Masjid-

Dominating the centre of the old quarter is a beautiful mosque – the Jami Masjid. Built in 1837 by Qudsia Begum, the mosque is adorned with gold finals. It is surrounded by shops selling silver ornaments which are quite attractive.

Moti masjid-

Moti Masjid, built in 1860 by Sikander Jehan, daughter of Kudsia Begum, is a replica of Delhi’s Jami Masjid (Jami or Jama..pls chk). Its stripped dome and tapering sandstone minarets are eye-catching.

Laxminarayan Temple-

Laxminarayn Temple on the Arera Hills is a large, recently built and brightly painted temple overlooking the Lower Lake.

Mahavirgiri-

Mahavirgiri, the highest point in Bhopal, has a recently built temple. The site offers a great panoramic view of the city. You can use the ropeway or drive up to reach the top.

Monuments

Shaukat Mahal-

Shaukat Mahal, situated at the entrance to the Chowk area is a fine example of Indo-Saracenic architecture. Built by a French mercenary, this 19th century palace is a blend of modern and Islamic architecture. Several government offices are housed here.

Bharat Bhavan-

A large cultural complex, Bharat Bhavan was built in 1982 to promote India’s tribal and folk art heritages. The complex has a museum of arts, an art gallery, a workshop for fine arts, a repertory theater, indoor and outdoor auditoria, a rehearsal room and libraries of Indian poetry, classical and folk music.

Bharat Bhavan is also the venue for regular performances of theatre, music and dance in the evenings. The complex is open from 2 pm to 8 pm everyday except Mondays.

State Archeological Museum

The Madhya Pradesh State Archeological Museum, located near Banganga Road has a good collection of 12th century Jain bronzes, found in Dhar district in the western MP. It has also a series of stone sculptures mostly from the 6th to 10th centuries. There is also a black granite image of standing Buddha preserved in the museum.

The shop inside the museum sells good plaster replicas of some sculptures.

Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya-

The Indira Gandhi National Museum of Mankind is a unique museum spread over an area of 200 acres of undulating land on the Shamla Hills overlooking the Upper Lake. It has authentic replicas of Indian tribal dwellings, built by the tribal people themselves.

The museum represents tribal cultures of the whole country through a comprehensive display of utensils, ritual objects, musical instruments, tools, murals, carvings, jewellery and costumes.

Birla Museum-

The Birla museum, located near the Laxminarayan temple has fine collection of stone sculptures dating from the 7th and 12th centuries. Hindu Gods like Shiva, Vishnu and various goddesses are shown in their different incarnations. The museum also has excellent collection of sculptures from Raisen, Sehore, Mandsaur and Shahdol districts of Madhya Pradesh.

Parks & Gardens

Van Vihar National Park-

One of the most enchanting sites to visit in Madhya Pradesh is the Van Vihar National Park, a safe habitat for white tigers. Visitors can go for a safari sometime during the afternoon when these rare creatures come to the edge for evening meal. The zoo is also home to tigers, lions, leopards and Himalayan bears.

Beaches & Lakes

Upper and Lower lakes-

Bhopal city stretches along the shores of two artificial lakes – the Upper Lake and Lower Lake. The Upper Lake is separated from the Lower Lake by an over bridge. M. P. Tourism's Boat Club on the Upper Lake provides facilities for exciting trips by sail, paddle and motor boats.

FESTIVALS

Madai Fair-

In the tribal villages of Bastar the Madai fairs record their social consideration as of vital importance to all the ethnic groups of the area. The Madai fairs of Narayanpur, Kondagaon, Dantewara and Dhanara, falls within February, March and April every year.

Khajuraho Festival of Dances-

Every ancient monument has a fascinating story to tell. But few match the mystery wrapped around the temples of Khajuraho in central India. Once the capital of the great Chandela Kings, Khajuraho today is a quiet village of a few thousand people. It is also the setting of the Khajuraho Festival of Dances which draws the best classical dancers in the country every year, who perform against the spectacular backdrop of the floodlit temples. With international status under the Government of India programme categories, this seven-day extravaganza is a unique treat for connoisseurs from all over the world.

Tansen Music Festival, Gwalior-

Madhya Pradesh occupies a special position in the history of Indian music. The Gwalior gharana is among the most prominent arbiters of the classical style. Raja Mansingh's patronage of Dhrupad singers is well known. A pillar of Hindustani classical music, the great Tansen, one of the 'nine jewels' of Akbar's court, lies buried in Gwalior. The memorial to this great musician has a pristine simplicity, and is built in the early Mughal architectural style. More than a monument, the Tansen Tomb is a part of Gwalior's living cultural heritage. It is the venue of the annual Indian classical festival held here in November-December. Renowned classical singers of the land regale audiences through five mesmerizing night-long sessions of the much-loved classical ragas.

The Fair of Nagaji-

This fair or mela is a way of remembering and paying respect to Saint Nagaji who lived at the time of Emperor Akbar, nearly 400 years ago. Tribals flock to Porsa village in Murena district every winter and make merry for as long as a month. Earlier monkeys were sold at this fair, but now domestic animals top the charts.

Karam-

Karam or Karma is the festival of the Oraon, Baiga, Binjhawar and Majhwar tribes. It occurs in the month of Bhadra. The centre of the ritual consists in the cutting of three branches of Karam tree (Gonds fetch branches of Kalmi or galdu tree) and their installation in the 'akhara' or dancing ground. The branches are called the 'Karam Raja'. The entry of the branches into the village is accompanied by dancing and after the installation Karam dancers revolve round the Raja through the night. The following morning the branches are garlanded and the Karam legend is recited. Flowers are then thrown over the Raja and offerings of curd and rice are made. Red karan baskets full of grain are also put before the branches and some ceremonially nurtured barley seedlings are distributed among the boys and girls who put the yellow blades in their hair. The blessing of Karam Raja is then sought and the branches are taken up and carried by women through the village.

Laru Kaj-

Laru Kaj is the festival of Gonds which is associated with the pig sacrifice. The ceremony is considered the pig's wedding in honour of Narayan Dev. This sacrifice is supposed to be done by every family once in nine or twelve years for prosperity, health and happiness. All the relatives come and stay at the host's house for several days. Invitation is sent to many persons in the village to join the ceremony. 'Laru' means bridegroom and 'Kaj' refers to a 'Solemn occasion'. It also means ceremony or marriage.

Bhagoria Festival-

Held in the Jhabua district, the Bhagoriya is to the Bhils what the Madai is to the Gonds – a festival of fun and joy. It is held a week before the Hindu festival of colors, Holi. Men and women celebrate it with ritual dancing to the beat of drums and thalis and the sweet melody of shehnai and bansuri (flutes). Bhagoradev or the god of dance is worshipped on this occasion. The most respected village elder presides over the ceremony and offers sweetmeats to the god. The festival is special foSr Bhils because it could well mean love, romance and even marriage. Young men go around applying gulal (red colored powder used to play Holi with) to the girls they like. If a girl reciprocates the sentiment then she too applies gulal in return and that is all the permission a young man needs to marry her. Even the mutual exchange of pan or betel leaf is a declaration of love.

Chethiyagiri Vihara Festival-

A Buddhist festival held at Sanchi at the end of November, Chethiyagiri Vihara Festival in Madhya Pradesh is attended by thousands of Buddhists monks and pilgrims. They attend the festival to view the relics of Buddha's two initial disciples whose remains were discovered in Stupa 3 (as listed at Sanchi) in 1853. The two disciples, whose relics are the center of this festival, were Sari Puttha and Maha Moggallana. The adivasis of MP have a zest for life that can be observed from the countless tribal fairs and festivals celebrated every year. Clad in their colorful best with loads of jewellery, flowers and fancy headgear, men and women set out days in advance to reach the site of the fair or festival. Let’s check out some of them.

Shivratri Mela in Madhya Pradesh-

Though celebrated throughout India, Shivratri Mela at Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh, is a unique experience. Held in February or March, depending on whether the last day of phalgun falls in which month, the festival is attended by lakhs of devotees of Lord Shiva who rests in a shrine on the Satpura Range. The Mahadeo Temple is decked up with tridents that the devotees bring along and plant them on Chauragarh Hill that is nearby.