The second largest State of India, Madhya Pradesh is celebrating its 65th foundation day today. Chhattisgarh and four other states, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, and Haryana are also celebrating their foundation day on November 1.
Called as 'the heart of India', Madhya Pradesh was founded on November 1, 1956 and it was reorganised on November 1, 2000, to create a new Chhattisgarh state.
With an area of three lakh eight thousand sq. km, the state boasts of rich heritage, culture and is one of the popular tourist destinations of our country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted and wished the people of Madhya Pradesh on its foundation day.
Bhopal is the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. Indore is its largest city. In terms of population, Madhya Pradesh if the fifth largest state of India. The state is bordered on the west by Gujarat, on the northwest by Rajasthan, on the northeast by Uttar Pradesh, on the east by Chhattisgarh, and on the south by Maharashtra.
As its name implies Madhya means 'central' and Pradesh means region or state. It is situated in the heart of the country.
Chhattisgarh was officially declared as an independent state on November 1, 2000 by the Government of India. This year is the 20th year of its emergence as a separate state.
In ancient times, it was known as Dakshina Kosala. The name Chhattisgarh became popular during the time of the Maratha Empire and was first used in an official document in 1795. The Chhattisgarh region had been part of the Chedi dynasty of Kalinga. In the medieval period up to 1803, a major part of present eastern Chhattisgarh was part of the Sambalpur Kingdom of Odisha.
Madhya Pradesh is home to a varied range of flora and fauna. There are ten national parks, including Bandhavgarh National Park, Kanha National Park and Satpura National Park in the state. There are also a number of nature reserves, including Amarkantak, Bagh Caves, Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh. It is also called 'Tiger State' of India.
Gala event is planned every year to celebrate the state foundation day, . However, in 2020, celebrations will be scaled down due to COVID-19 pandemic.
