Itarsi

Located almost in the middle of India, Itarsi is a city that is found just south of Hoshangabad city in the Hoshangabad district, in Madhya Pradesh. The city has long been well-known as an important agricultural hub and exchange, and it is also famous for being an equally important important railroad junction.

The area has an average elevation of about 305 meters. The 2001 Indian census states that it has a population of 93,783 people, with the males making up 52% of it. The majority of the people in the city are quite literate and this is reflected by Itarsi’s literacy rate of 75% which, when compared to the national average of 59.5%, is high indeed. While the city used to be agricultural, it has caught up with modernization and is now a good amalgamation of agriculture and technology.

The name Itarsi comes from the words Intt which means brick and Rassi, or rope. Both these products used to be traded around the town and as such, became the basis of how old Itarsi came to be known. Across the years, the town steadily attracted immigrants and traders, and pretty soon, Itarsi became one of Hoshangabad district’s more developed cities.

There are a wide range of activities that are economically viable, which means that there are more chances for the average person to land a job. Itarsi is an area that is rich in minerals, and creates popular handcrafted clothes and wears, as well as many traditional handmade crafts. To say that the traditional methods of earning a living is living side by side with modern amenities and jobs is not a stretch of expression: Itarsi is a melding of both the old and the new.

Industries in the city include the ordnance factory and some soya mills. Another thing that is of economic interest in Itarsi is the large agricultural market center (known as a mandi) which is the agricultural hub of the district.. The economy is also strongly connected to the banking sector, which has witnessed a boom in recent years. As a result, there have been many bank-related jobs such as tellers, managers and couriers.

Itarsi is most famous, however, as being one of the central railway points of India; it is the biggest and one of the oldest railway junctions in Madhya Pradesh. Important east-west and north-south routes cross it, and it comes under the West Central Railway zone which is headquartered in Jabalpur. Itarsi is also connected via the newer broad gauge lines to Delhi and Bhopal to the north and Mumbai and Bhusawal to the west, while the east and south are connected by railway junctions, via Jabalpur and Nagpur, respectively. The rail services from Mumbai to Calcutta and Delhi to Chennai also pass through Itarsi.

Alirajpur District

Alirajpur is a district of Madhya Pradesh. It has a total area of 2165.24 square kilometers. As of the census taken in 2001, the district has a total population of 2,488,003 people spread in around 551 villages. The district’s boundaries include the neighboring states of Maharashtra and Gujarat; it is situated in the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh. Many of the inhabitants are aboriginal. At least 55% of the total population of the district is Bhilala, 21% is Patlya, 15% is Bhil with the remaining 9% is made up by diverse groups. The town of Alirajpur serves as the district’s administrative headquarters.

The district is the most recent addition to Madhya Pradesh, being less than a year old as of this writing. It is named after its headquarter town Alirajpur, which was formerly the capital of a princely state of India, under the Central India Agency’s Bhopar Agency subdivision. In 1901, the state’s population was listed as 50,185. The rulers were entitled to an 11-gun salute and were styled as Rajas.

According to historical records, the principality was founded by the Rajput Rathore dynasty in 1437. The state’s last ruler was Surendra Singh, who also served as India’s ambassador to Spain in the 1980s. When India gained its independence in 1947, the rulers of Alirajpur acceded to the Union of India, which eventually became part of the district of Jhabua, under the new state of Madhya Bharat.

When the states were reorganized on November 1, 1956, Alirajpur, under Jhabua, became a district of the newly established Madhya Pradesh which was formed from the merging of Madhya Bharat and several other states. On May 17, 2008, Alirajpur, together with the tehsils Jobat and Bhavra, was split off from its parent district of Jhabua and became its own district.

Alirajpur’s topography is predominantly hilly. Its economy depends primarily on agricultural endeavours, especially farming, especially mangoes. The agricultural trading yard in Alirajpur is the biggest in all the state when it comes to mango trading. Also, the Noor Jahan, a very rare variety of mango of which only four trees are currently surviving, can only be found in the district, specifically in the town of Katthiwara.

The district is also famous for wood carvings which display exquisite and beautiful craftsmanship. Owing to the fact that there is a significant population of the Bhils tribe in the region, the district has also become the hub for Bhils for different kinds of trading and businesses.

While tourism isn’t a major industry, there are several Jain temples located in Alirajpur that are worth seeing. The Laxmaniji Teerth, for example, houses the idol of Padma Prabhu Swami as its main deity. Another temple worth seeing is the Shri Laksamani Teerth located some 8 kilometers from the main headquarter town. This 2000-year old temple sports a large main hall, with 140 colorful and artistic stone archives hidden away in the inner halls. The temple’s main deity is Shri Padmaprabh Bhagvan, in a white stone idol in the padmasana posture.

The nearest railway station in Alirajpur is the Dahod Railway station in Gujarat. However, on February 8, 2008, the foundation for the Badodara-Dhar broad-gauge rail line was laid, promising complete rail connectivity of the district to the others. The nearest airport is found in Indore, the Devi Ahilya Bai Holeker airport.

Jaora

Jaora is a municipality of Ratlam, one of the districts in Madhya Pradesh. It is located between the towns of Ratlam and Neemuch, in what is known as the Malwa region. As of the 2001 Indian census, the town has a population of 63,736 and a literacy rate of 62%, which is higher than the national average of 59.5%.

Before India gained its independence in 1947, Jaora was the capital of the princely state of Jaora. The princely state of Jaora was founded by Abdul Ghafur Muhammad Khan, a Muslim who was of Afghan descent. Abdul Khan was a cavalry officer under Amir Khan, the Pindari leader and future prince of the princely state of Tonk. After that, he later served the maharaja of Indore, tasked primarily with subduing the Rajput territories in northern Malwa and annexing their lands to the Holkar ruler. As a token of gratitude for the services he rendered, he was granted the title of Nawab (a high title for Muslim nobles) in 1808. He founded Jaora, which was later confirmed by the British government in 1818, after the British defeated the Holkars, resulting in the ratification of the Treaty of Mandsaur.

Back then, the princely state’s total area was 1,471 square kilometers, including the dependencies of Piploda and Panth-Piploda. Jaora was divided into four administrative divisions: Jaora, Tal, Barauda and Barkhera. Jaora was a largely agricultural princely state, with the major crops being cotton, maize, millet and opium.

During the reign of Nawab Muhammad Iftikhar Ali Khan (who ruled from 1895 to 1947), Piploda and Panth-Piploda separated, with the former becoming a separate state in 1924 and the latter becoming a province of British India in 1942. Finally, it was during the rule of Nawab Muhammad Usman Ali Khan in June 15, 1948 that the princely state acceded to the Government of India, eventually becoming a part of the district of Ratlam.

The world famous Hussain Tekri attracts the attention of millions of people every year and is popular with many people, regardless of religion. This happens during the month of Moharram and the shrine of Hazrat Imam Hussain, which is said to be a replica of the one found in Iraq, receives particular attention. The ritual of Hajri, which is said to cure incurable mental illnesses, makes the place more famous.

Other notable temples in the town include the 200-year old Radhakrishna temple, the Jain temple, the Manchapuran Hanuman temple and Jain Dadawadi temple. The last one is what made Jaora famous among the Jain community because it is supposedly the place where the Jain saint Rajendra Suri performed his “Kriyoddhar” activity, under a tree at Khachrod Road.

Recently, Jaora’s railways have been upgraded under the Project Unigauge program, which aims to standardize most of the rail gauge in India towards a single, wide broad gauge network. As a result, new sets of trains are expected to be operational, pushing Jaora that much closer to modernization.

Mhow

Mhow is located in the Indore district of Madhya Pradesh. It is a small cantonment town, that is, for the most of its existence, it has served as the headquarters of a military unit. The town is located some 23 kilometers south of the administrative headquarters city of Indore, towards Mumbai right on the Mumbai-Agra road.

As of the Indian Census of 2001, there are some 85,023 people living in the cantonment town, with the males constituting about 54% of the total population. Even though it has a military background, Mhow is one of the most beautiful towns of central India and it holds the distinction of being one of the country’s most prestigious military training establishments. The place is also considered as the birthplace of Lord Parashuram, the sixth incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu.

The town’s original name itself has no definite etymology. There are several theories as to how Mhow got its present name. The most likely is that it is an acronym of Military Headquarters Of Western India, given its background. Another theory states that the name came from the village near the present-day Mhow, which has reportedly been called Mhow Gaon since the olden times. Still, another says that the name was taken from the tree Mahua, which grown in abundance in the forests around Mhow.

Mhow was founded in 1818 by Sir John Malcolm, who led the force that defeated the Holkars at the Battle of Mahidpur that same year. The result was the signing of the Treaty of Mandsaur between the British and the Holkars,which led to the founding of the cantonment town, as well as the shifting of the Holkar Kingdom from the town of Maheshwar to Indore. Mhow became the headquarters of the 5th Division of the British Raj Southern Army, and was a major railway division during that time until a few years after India’s independence. Ironically, the town now still has no broad gauge railway.

Even now, Mhow has been synonymous with the Indian Army, having been the latter’s training facility since the British occupation days. There are three premier training institutions in the cantonment. They are:

1. The Infantry School, which is the alma mater of the Indian Infantry, spearheaded by the Indian Army. The school conducts courses related to infantry for officers and soldiers of the various regiments of the Indian Army. Its Commando Wing is located in Karnataka. The Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU) is a part of this school.

2. The Military College of Telecommunication Engineering (MCTE), which is the alma mater of the Corps Signal. The Corps Signal is responsible for the integrity and continual functioning of the Indian Army communications. It also trains cadets for a Bachelor’s degree in engineering.

3. The Army War College, which was known as the College of Combat until a few years ago. The institution conducts three courses: the Junior Command (JC) course, the Senior Command (SC) course and the Higher Command (HC) course.

In 2003, the town was renamed as Dr. Ambedkar Nagar amidst some controversies, in honor of the father of the Indian Constitution who was born there.

Murwara

Murwara is the other name of the city of Katni, located on the banks of the Katni River, and the administrative headquarters of the Katni district, in Madhya Pradesh. Murwara is one of the largest railway junctions in the country. India’s largest rail yard and its biggest diesel loco shed is also found there. As of the 2001 Indian Census, the city has a population of around 93,783 people. Murwara is sometimes referred to as Mudwara.

There are several stories as to how Murwara got its name. One states that the name is derived from the fact that the junction has a half-circular Mode (or turn) from the wagon yard. Another states the name comes from the word “mund” which means head, to commemorate the fact that an ancestor of the family who founded the town lost his head in an epic battle. Still another enduring legend says that the British government, when the region was still under their control, used to cut the heads of criminals and plunderers and hang them in the town square as a warning to others, and to curb crime. There is no exact indication which one is right. However, it is a fact that Murwara came about as a conjugation of three cultural states, namely Bundelkhand, Mahakausal and Baghelkhand. Murwara was also the property of a wealthy Brahman family, and in 1874, was constituted as a municipality.

Murwara is among the front runners of education in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Currently, there are more than 12 higher secondary schools in the city. From that number, more than five are affiliated by the CBSE board and thus sanctioned to give upper higher secondary level teachings like the other main cities of the state. Support from the state government has also bolstered the quality of education, as evidence by the opening of a new professional college that provides masters degrees in technical fields, well beyond the confines of basic colleges. Among Murwara’s most reputable schools is the Bardsley English Medium Senior Secondary School located at Mission Chowk, which is one of the oldest and English schools affiliated by the CBSE, having been established since the British rule of India. Another reputable college is the SYNA International School, located at Jhinjhri.

Economy-wise, Murwara is one of Katni’s fastest growing cities, with huge job opportunities for several sectors and industries, including finance, banking and IT. Since the city is also famous for its abundance in several minerals, chief of which are lime and bauxite, mining and processing of such minerals also add to the economy of the city and the state. In recent years, marble mining, which used to be done illegally by the local mafia, got recognition and support from the government. As a result, marble mining has opened a new revenue area for the city’s economy.

The junction in Murwara is a very important part of the city’s structure. One can go to virtually any location from the Murwara junction. This junction serves as a link to several important cities in the country such as Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai. At any given day, as many as 115 trains ply the rails. Increased infrastructure facilities with the addition of other junctions have made Murwara an important part of travel in the Indian subcontinent.

Orchha

Situated in the rough terrains of the Bundelkhand region, Orchha is one of the more historic towns of the Tikamgarh district, in Madhya Pradesh. It is located in the northwestern part of the district, beside the Betwa River, some 15 kilometers from Jhansi.

As of the Indian census taken in 2001, the town has a population of 8,499 people with the males making up 53% of it. Literacy rate is lower than the national average, at 54%. The town has a mean elevation of 231 meters above sea level. The name of the town is a local word that means “hidden.”

Orchha was founded in 1501 by Rudra Pratap Singh, a Bundela chief who became the first ruler of the town from 1501 to 1531, when he died in an attempt to save a cow from a lion. Rudra Pratap Singh built the Fort of Orchha. In the early 17th century, Raja Jujhar Singh rebelled against the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan. This decision ended in disaster as, between 1635 to 1641, the Mughal army took over the princely state and brought destruction and carnage to Orchha.

However, Orchha rose from this defeat and eventually grew to be a powerful empire. Together with Datia, the two were the only Bundela states that did not succumb to the rule of the Marahas in the 18th century. In 1783, the town of Tehri (which eventually became the present-day Tikamgarh town) became the capital of Orchha state.

Orchha has had many illustrious rulers across the centuries. Among them was Hamir Singh, who was granted Maharaja status in 1865. He ruled Orchha between 1848 to 1874 and was succeeded by Maharaja Pratap Singh, who devoted himself entirely to the development of the princely state. He designed most of the engineering and irrigation works that were used during his reign. It is widely acknowledged that Orchha was at the zenith of its prosperity during his rule.

In 1901, Orchha has become the oldest and highest in rank of all the Bundela states, encompassing an area of 2,000 square miles and a population of 52,634. Its Maharajas bore the title of First of the Prince of Bundelkhand, which are passed down from ruler to ruler. After India’s independence, the Maharaja of Orchha that time, Maharaja Vir Singh, acceded to the Union of India on January 1, 1950. This led to the state becoming a district of Vindhya Pradesh, which was later merged into Madhya Pradesh. Today, the town of Orchha is practically nondescript with a population that does not even compare to half of what it used to have. However, its rich and varied history still marks it as one of the district’s most important towns.

Arguably, the most famous tourists attractions in Orchha are the chattris or cenotaphs that are laid along the banks of the the Betwa River, which are erected at different times of the town’s history. There are 14 buildings all in all, serving as memoirs of the Bundela kings. The most famous of these are Rajmandir and the Jahangir Mahal, with the latter being considered as a singularly beautiful specimen of domestic Hindu architecture.

Pachmarhi

Widely known as the “Satpura ki Rani” or Queen of Satpura, Pachmarhi is a hill station located in Madhya Pradesh, in the Hoshangabad district. It was one of the towns that was founded by the British Raj during their occupation of the Indian subcontinent. It is a saucer-shaped hill resort some 210 kilometers from Bhopal, situated at a height of 1000 meters above sea level.

While Pachmarhi is a popular tourist retreat, the town itself is not very large, having only a population of about 10,000 people, most of them being in the Army since the place lies in the Pachmarhi Cantonment and under Indian Army control. The civilian part of the town is found towards the tip of a lake, with some hotels, a movie hall and a bazaar.

Pachmarhi got its name from Panch-Marhi, which literally means “five caves.” It is often thought that Pachmarhi was the abode of the Pandava brothers in the Hindu epic the Mahabharata.

The place was introduced to the rest of the world in 1857, when Captain James Forsyth of the British Army discovered it while checking the region; the first point he saw was what is known now as Priyadarshini Point. Forsyth recommended that the area be developed into a sanatorium for the British forces that were stationed in the Central Provinces  area. In 1901, the population was only 3020, but across the years, that number doubled, especially during the hot summer months, when the place served as the summer capital for the Central Provinces.

Pachmarhi is primarily a tourist retreat, and there are very few places in central India that are worthy of the recognition. The hill town’s elevation and the forests of the Satpura Range complete with waterfalls and streams all combine to create a place that is both picturesque and serene, and has served as home for varied wildlife.

The nearby Satpura National Park houses rare species such as bisons and sambhars. Several rare plants including orchids that are uncommon thrive in the unique topography of the place that contains rocky and treacherous ravines and thick forests. All these are surrounded by low-lying rugged hills, 12 beautiful waterfalls and quiet glades.

The unique rocks and ravines are also steeped in ancient history; they once served as shelters for hunters back in the Stone Age. There are a number of significant paintings and cave men drawings that are left on these rocks, some of which depict hunting scenes and warriors riding horses. The different styles and the materials used in coloring these works have enabled experts to classify the time period which they have been made. The earliest works dated back 10,000 BC. Jata Shankar and Handi Khoh are among the principal ravines and caves that show these historical paintings.

Due to the influx of tourists and Pachmarhi’s reputation as a wonderful tourist spot, the town has many tourist hotels and accommodations, one of which is run by Madhya Pradesh’s Department of Tourism. A Bharath Scouts and Guides camping site can also be found some 4 kilometers away from the main town, for those who want to engage in picnics and leisure. The weather in Pachmarhi is favorable most of the time, making it a wonderful destination to relax and unwind.

Amarkantak

Amarkantak is one of the towns of Annupur district, in Madhya Pradesh. It is notable for being a pilgrim town, owing much to its religious identity; in fact, it is sometimes called “Teerthraj”, which means “the king of pilgrimages”. The region around Amarkantak is considered a natural heritage, and it is where several important geographical features of India meet, such as the Vindhyas and the Satpuras, with the fulcrum being the Maikal Hills. Amarkantak is also where the Narmada River, one of India’s most sacred rivers, originate. According to the Indian census taken in 2001, Amarkantak has a population of 7,074, majority of which are men, at 54%. The town has a mean elevation of 1,048 meters above sea level.

There are several theories about the origin of Amarkantak’s name. One states that Amarkantak is a Sanskrit word which literally means “immortal” (amar) and “obstruction” (kantak). Legends say that the place was the abode of the gods but that it was obstructed by the Rudraganas, hence the name. Another story states that the poet Kalidas named it Amrakoot, by virtue of the dense forests which contained lots of mango (amra) trees. Amratook later became Amarkantak.

Regardless of the etymology, Vedic literature does not mention Amarkantak but the Puranas, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana do. According to history, the Suryavansha emperor Mandhata founded a settlement in the valley of the Riksh mountains and named it Mandhata. He was succeeded by his son, Purukutsa, whose queen gave the Narmada River its name. Legends say that the area once belonged to the ancient city of Ayodhya, which was the birthplace of the Hindu god Shri Ram. In 788, the Hindu philosopher Adi Shankara consecrated the Narmada River and founded the Pataleshwar Mahadev, in what would eventually become Amarkantak.

Somewhere in the 10th and 11th century, the area in and around Amarkantak was given to the Kalachuri King by the Chedi King in dowry. The Maharaja of Kalachuri, Karnadeva then constructed temples at Surajkund. In the early 19th century, Amarkantak came under the rule of the King of Nagpur before it was eventually occupied by the British empire when it claimed India as a colony.

Amarkantak owes much of its religious importance to the fact that it is the source of the Narmada River, which is 150 million years older than the Ganga, and is considered by many Hindu devotees to be the most sacred river in India. Amarkantak itself is considered sacred, and is believed to be one of the doorways to nirvana.

There are many mythological stories that have been told about Lord Shiva and his daughter Narmada that have been attached to Amarkantak. One legend states that when Lord Shiva destroyed Tripura by fire, one of the three ashes fell on Amarkantak, which turned into thousands of shivalingas (symbols of Shiva). One such symbol is still present today at Jwaleshwar. It is also believed that whoever dies at Amarkantak is assured of a place in heaven.

Aside from its historical importance, Amarkantak is also a town rich in biodiversity. Its ecosystem is unique, closely resembling those of isolated valleys. This makes every plant genus in the area important because if one plant dies out, the whole genus does, as well, since it does not live through any of its variant species. As such, Amarkantak is considered a natural heritage area, both in India and in the world.

Betul District

Betul is one of the main districts of Madhya Pradesh. It is bounded on the north by the district of Hoshangabad, the district of Amaroti of the state of Maharashtra on the south, the district of Chhindwara on the east, and the districts of Hoshangabad and East Nimar on the west.

The district covers an area of 10,043 square kilometers and it has a population of 1,395,175 (as per the 2001 census), making for a population density of 138 per square kilometer. Betul district is also particularly rich in tribal population; the main tribes inhabiting the place are the Gonds and the Korkus, although other castes include Kunbis, Kurmis, Chamars, Mehras and Rajputs, among others. As of the 2001 census, the tribal population of the district is 549,907.

There is not much history known about the district except that it is probably the center of the first four Gond kingdoms: Kherla, Garha-Mandla, Chanda-Sirpur, and Deogarh. These kingdoms flourished in 1398 until 1418, when the Sultan of Malwa, Hoshang Shah, invaded Kherla and reduced it to a dependency. Throughout the following centuries, various attempts were made to wrest the kingdom from the rule of Malwa, but they were wholly unsuccessful.

Eventually, the kingdom of Malwa was absorbed into the dominions of the emperor of Delhi. In 1743, the Maratha ruler of Berar annexed them to his dominions. This was eventually ceded to the East India Company as the Marathas payment for a contingent and was formally incorporated with the British possessions as stated in the treaty of 1826. When the territories were merged into the Central Provinces in 1861, Betul district was assigned as a part of the province’s Nerbudda Division.

The district of Betul has a mean elevation of 2000 feet above sea level. It is essentially a highland tract, divided into three distinct sections, differed by the soil characteristics, superficial aspects, and geological formation. The northern part has a distinct sandstorm plain formation. It is well-wooded and is highly reminiscent of charming English glades and parks, but it has very little in terms of population and is not well-cultivated.

The central tract of the plains, on the other hand, possesses a rich soil, with lands that are well watered due to the presence of the two rivers Machna and Sampa. The land is almost entirely populated by villages and is very well-cultivated.

The south is a rolling plateau of basalt formations. It extends over the whole of the district’s southern face, finally merging with the broken and wild lines of the Ghats, which eventually leads down the plain. This area consists mainly of stony trap rock ridges that enclose valleys or spots of fertile soils, where the cultivation, for the most part, is confined to. There are several major rivers flowing through the district. They are the Ganjal River (which is a tributary of the Tapti River), the Morand River, ad the Tawa River (which is a tributary of the Narmada River).

The district’s economy is primarily agragrian, based on forests since the district has a large forest cover. Industry-wise, Betul is well connected to the other districts by way of road and rail; the Delhi-Chennai Railway Line and National Highway 69 pass through the district. The district also has good telecom services.  Due to these, Betul is primed to be a major industrially advanced district.

Balaghat District

Balaghat is one of Madhya Pradesh’s districts, located in the southern part of the Jabalpur Division. It can be found on the upper valley of the Wainganga River, on the southeastern portion of the Satpura Range. The whole district has a total area of 9, 245 square kilometers. Its boundaries are the Mandla district to the north, the districts of Gondiya and Bhandara of Maharashtra to the south, Dindori district to the northwest, Chhatisgarh’s Rajnandgaon district to the east, and Seoni district to the west. As of the 2001 census, the total population of the district is 1,497,968 people. Of these, 1,236,083 live in the rural areas while the rest is urban.

The district was initially divided among two Gond kingdoms back in the 18th century; the district west of the Wainganga portion was part of the kingdom of Deogarh, while the eastern portion was part of the kingdom of Garha-Mandla. In 1743, the Deogarh kingdom was annexed by the Bhonsle Marathas of Nagpur. The northern section of the district, together with the Garha-Mandla kingdom, was annexed in 1781 to the province of Saugor, but in 1798 this was also obtained by the Bhonsles.

Following the conclusion of the Third Anglo-Marathas War in 1818, the Nagpur kingdom became a princely state of British India. It eventually became annexed by the British and became the new province of Nagpur. Balaghat District was included, and was then divided among Seoni and Bhandara. Nagpur Province was eventually reorganized into the Central Provinces.

In 1867, the Bhandara, Mandla, and Seoni districts were joined together to form Balaghat District. The headquarters was originally called “Boora” or “Burha” but disuse eventually turned it back to Balaghat, the district’s original name. It was divided into two administratively: Baihat tehsil to the north, and Balaghat tehsil to the south. After India gained its independence in 1947, the Central Provinces became the state of Madhya Pradesh. Balaghat district became a part of the Jabalpur Division in 1956 when the districts to the south of Balaghat were transferred to the Bombay State.

Geographically, the district can be divided into three distinct parts. The southern lowlands are composed of undulating plains, that are comparatively well-cultivated. They are drained by five rivers: the Wainganga, Bagh, Deo, Ghisri, and Son.

The second part lies between the hills and the Wainganga River, in the long valley that is known as Mau Taluka. The area is comprised of a lowland tract, irregularly-shaped and narrow. There are hill ranges and peaks that are covered with dense jungles that run from north to south.

The third area is the lofty plateau in the Raigarh Bichhia tract that generally runs from east to west. It is broken into numerous valleys and hill ranges that are often irregular.

For land travellers, Balaghat is directly connected by bus to several larger cities such as Nagpur, Raipor, and Bhopal. There is also the Jabalpur-Gondia section of the South East Central Railway of India. It runs north and south through the district, along the Wainganga valley. For those who are thinking of going to Balaghat by plane, the nearest airport is located in Nagpur.

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