Heart of India - Madhya Pradesh

Known as the Heart of India because of its location in central India, Madhya Pradesh has abundance of rich cultural heritage. Three places in this incredible State have been declared by UNESCO as world heritage sites.They are the Buddhist monuments in Sanchi, the Khajuraho group of temples and the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka. Apart from this, Madhya Pradesh has a unique mix of large plateaus, vast dense forest offering a number of National Parks and meandering rivers. Numerous forts, places, exquisite carved temples, and stupas are scattered all over the State.
The unspoilt and the undiscovered natural beauty of Madhya Pradesh varies and spreads across the state. Straddling on the Narmada River, which runs between the Vindhyas and the Satpuras ranges. The State has huge lakes and waterfalls cascading down from the hills. There are indications that Madhya Pradesh may has been inhabited five hundred thousands of years ago. The Hominid fossils found across the land. Madhya Pradesh is very well known for its folk and Hindustani classical music. Singers Tansen and Baiju Bawra of medieval India, were born in Gwalior. Apart from this it also boasts of many forms of Folk dances and music. Till recently, Madhya Pradesh has mainly remained unexplored by tourists. It has opened up to the influx of tourists now and showcases the hidden treasures, giving the travelles an opportunity to discover them.

Madhya Pradesh is home to several National Parks, Following are the most popular ones

FOUR MOST REVERED HINDU DESTINATIONS

Bandhavgarh National Park One of the biggest attractions of this national park is the tiger and its sightings. Since Bandhavgarh has a very thick population of tigers, it is famous for tiger sightings within the dense jungles. It also has more than 30 species of mammals
Bandhavgarh National Park
Kanha National Park This is another famous Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. The Tiger Reserve has a significant number of Royal Bengal Tigers, apart from sloth bears, leopards, horned deer and the Indian wild dogs.
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Pench National Park Yet another Tiger Reserve, in Madhya Pradesh under Project Tiger. It got its name because of the Pench river that flows north to south. The Pench National Forest is known as a tropical moist deciduous tiger habitat.
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Madhya Pradesh boasts of some beautiful cascading waterfalls, the Giant waterfall and the Apsara falls as the well-known ones.The Giant or the Dhuandhar Falls is located on the Narmada River, in Jabalpur. The plunge of the waterfall is so powerful that its roar is heard from a far distance and creates a bouncing mass of mist.The Apsara Fall in Panchmari, is a tiny fall which creates a natural bathing pool. The bathing pool is known as a Fairy Pool and is a highly recommended place for families with children. Many cities in Madhya Pradesh are extraordinary for their architecture and or scenic beauty and the following sites in Madhya Pradesh have been declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO:

World Heritage Sites by UNESCO

Khajuraho – Temples of Love Group of monuments are temples built by the Rajputs that are famous for their architecture and erotic sculptures. The temples which are divided into 2 groups, the western and eastern group of temples. In the beginning there were 85 temples built here, but only 22 have survived.
Khajuraho
World Heritage Sites - Sanchi 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. Of the many stupas in Sanchi, the ‘Great Stupa’, in Sanchi is the most attractive one, commissioned by the Emperor Ashoka The Great.
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Mandu - Symbol of religious unity Mandu known as the original ‘city of joy’, a title given by the Sultan of Malwa, back in the 13th century. 283kms from Bhopal, Mandu, takes you slowly in to the past. Into the world of rulers and kings and queens. And, into the world of jewels and palaces, into the world of royalty
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Orchha - Exploring a chunk of India's forgotten history Orchha town was built the Bundela chief, Rudra Pratap Singh, who became the first King of Orchha, What began as a simple island settlement soon became a fortified area accessible using only an arched bridge.
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Gwalior - the land of great kings, Poets, and Musicians The city of Gwalior was influenced by many warrior kings, poets, musicians, and saints. The most significant monument of the city is the Gwalior fort. The old city of Gwalior houses palaces and monuments.
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