?Bhopal Madhya Pradesh • India
Bhopal
Coordinates: 23°15′N 77°25′E / 23.25, 77.42
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area • Elevation	308.14 km² (119 sq mi) • 427 m (1,401 ft)
District(s)	Bhopal
Population • Density	1,482,718 (2001) • 160 /km² (414 /sq mi)
Mayor	Mr. Madhya Pradesh (abbreviated as MP) ( Hindī: मध्य प्रदेश pronounced, Translation: Middle Province) often India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Indian Standard Time ( IST) is the time observed throughout India and Sri Lanka, with a Time offset of UTC+530. UTC+530 is the Timezone for Indian Standard Time Sri Lanka Time The geography of India is diverse with landscape ranging from snow-capped mountain ranges to deserts plains rainforests hills and plateaus The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here areas between 1000 km2 and 10000 km2 A district is an administrative division of an Indian state or territory. Bhopal District is a district of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Sunil Sood
Codes • Pincode • Telephone • Vehicle	• 462001 • +91 (0)755 • MP-04

Coordinates: 23°15′N 77°25′E / 23.25, 77.42

Bhopāl pronunciation (help·info) (Hindi: भोपाल IPA: [bʰoːpɑːl]) is a city in central India. A Postal Index Number or PIN or Pincode is the post office numbering or Post code system used by India Post the Indian Postal For the past decade or so telecommunication activities have gained momentum in India KA-19-P-8488jpg|thumb|270px|Close up of a licence plate used in Mangalore, Karnataka. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Bhopa is a community in Rajasthan state of India. They are considered to be priest singers who depict the story of folk deities traditionally told by professional Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country It is the capital of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and the administrative headquarters of Bhopal District and Bhopal Division. India is a union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. Madhya Pradesh (abbreviated as MP) ( Hindī: मध्य प्रदेश pronounced, Translation: Middle Province) often Bhopal District is a district of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. Bhopal Division is an administrative geographical unit of Madhya Pradesh state of central India. Bhopal is the second largest city in Madhya Pradesh after Indore. Indore ( Hindi: इंदौर/इन्दोर, Marathi - इंदूर, the largest city and the commercial capital of the central Indian state of Bhopal is known as the City of Lakes as its landscape is dotted with a number of natural as well as man made lakes. ^[1]

Historically, Bhopal was also the capital of the Bhopal state. Bhopal state ( Hindi: भोपाल Urdu: بھوپال bʰoːpɑːl was an independent state of 18th century India, a Princely state of The city attracted international attention as a consequence of the Bhopal disaster, when the Union Carbide plant (now a part of Dow Chemical Company) leaked deadly methyl isocyanate gas during the night of December 3, 1984. The Bhopal disaster was an Industrial disaster that occurred in the city of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India, resulting in the immediate deaths Union Carbide Corporation ( Union Carbide) is one of the oldest chemical and polymers companies in the United States, currently employing more than 3800 people The Dow Chemical Company () is an American Multinational corporation headquartered in Midland Michigan. Methyl isocyanate (MIC is an organic compound with the molecular formula C2H3NO arranged as H3C-N=C=O Events 1800 - War of the Second Coalition: Battle of Hohenlinden, French Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) The poisonous gas killed thousands of people in the city and its neighbouring areas, and thousands of others still suffer from its effects even two decades later. Since then, Bhopal has been a center of protests and campaigns which have been joined by many people across the globe.

On 11 April 2005, the Indian Space Research Organisation established a Master Control Facility in Ayodhya Nagar, to control the movements of satellites. Events 491 - Flavius Anastasius becomes Byzantine Emperor, with the name of Anastasius I. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. INSAT Master Control Facility is one of the centers of Indian Space Research Organisation, which is responsible for post-launch operations on INSAT satellites including ^[2] It is the second of its kind in the country (the first being at Hassan ^[3]). Bhopal is one of the six cities chosen to have a All India Institute of Medical Sciences campus apart from Delhi. All India Institute of Medical Sciences ( AIIMS) (created 1956 is a Medical college and hospital in India, and is an autonomous institution ^[4] The land has been allotted by the government and construction work has been started for the same.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Bhopal disaster 2 Geography and Climate 3 Economy 4 Government and Politics 5 Transport 6 Demographics 7 Culture 8 Sports 9 Education 10 Road trip - Stunning sights 11 Fiction and popular culture 12 Further reading 13 References 14 External links

History

See also: Bhopal (state)

Bhopal is said to have been founded by the Parmara King Bhoj (1000–1055), who had his capital at Dhar. Bhopal state ( Hindi: भोपाल Urdu: بھوپال bʰoːpɑːl was an independent state of 18th century India, a Princely state of Paramara (also known as Parmara and Parmar) is the name of a prominent Arya Agnivanshi Rajput clan of medieval India, which ruled Bhoja was a Philosopher king and Polymath of medieval India. He ruled the kingdom of Malwa in Central India from about 1010 WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Dhar or the medieval historical town of Dhara Nagari is located in the Malwa region of The city was originally known as Bhojpal named after Bhoj and the dam ('pal') that he is said to have constructed to form the lakes surrounding Bhopal. The fortunes of Bhopal rose and fell with that of its reigning dynasty. As the Parmaras declined in power, the city was ransacked several times and finally faded away into obscurity.

An Afghan soldier called Dost Mohammad Khan (not to be confused with the later Afghan King carrying the same name) laid out the present city at the same site following the death of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1707. The Demographics of Afghanistan are ethnically and linguistically mixed Dost Mohammad Khan ( Pashto / Persian: دوست محمد خان) ( December 23, 1793 - June 9, 1863) son of Sardār Aurangzeb ( (full title Al-Sultan al-Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram Abul Muzaffar Muhiuddin Muhammad Aurangzeb Bahadur Alamgir I Padshah Ghazi) ( November 4, He brought with himself the Islamic influence on the culture and architecture of Bhopal, the ruins of which can be found at Islam Nagar. Bhopal, the second largest Muslim state in pre-independence India^[5] was ruled by four Begums from 1819 to 1926. The term Begum of Bhopal may refer to any of several ladies who ruled the Princely state of Bhopal in Central India in the 19th and 20th centuries Qudisa Begum was the first female ruler of Bhopal, who was succeeded by her only daughter Sikandar, who in turn was succeeded by her only daughter, Shahjehan. Sultan Shahjahan Begum, GCSI, CI, Kaiser-i-Hind ( July 29 1838 - June 16 1901) was the Begum of Bhopal Kaikhusrau Jahan Begum was the last female ruler, and stepped down to her son. The succession of the ‘Begums’ gave the city such innovations as waterworks, railways and a postal system. Several monuments still stand in the city as reminders of this glorious period in its history. A municipality was constituted in 1907. ^[6]

It was one of the last princely states to sign the 'Instrument of Accession' 1947. For other uses see Principality, Other princely states A Princely State (also called Native State or Indian State) was a Various Princely states existed in India during the period of the British Raj. Though India achieved Independence in August 1947, the ruler of Bhopal acceded to the Indian government only on 1 May 1949. Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Sindhi refugees from Pakistan were accommodated in Bairagarh, a western suburb of Bhopal. Sindhis ( Sindhi: سنڌي) are a Sindhi speaking socio-ethnic group of people originating in Sindh in Pakistan. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and According to the States Reorganization Act of 1956, Bhopal state was integrated into the state of Madhya Pradesh, and Bhopal was declared as its capital. The States Reorganization Act of 1956 was a major reform of the boundaries and governance of India 's states and territories. Madhya Pradesh (abbreviated as MP) ( Hindī: मध्य प्रदेश pronounced, Translation: Middle Province) often The population of the city rose rapidly henceforth.

Bhopal disaster

Main article: Bhopal disaster

On December 3, 1984, a Union Carbide plant in Bhopal leaked 40 tons of toxic methyl isocyanate gas, leading to the Bhopal disaster. The Bhopal disaster was an Industrial disaster that occurred in the city of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India, resulting in the immediate deaths Events 1800 - War of the Second Coalition: Battle of Hohenlinden, French Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) Union Carbide Corporation ( Union Carbide) is one of the oldest chemical and polymers companies in the United States, currently employing more than 3800 people Methyl isocyanate (MIC is an organic compound with the molecular formula C2H3NO arranged as H3C-N=C=O The Bhopal disaster was an Industrial disaster that occurred in the city of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India, resulting in the immediate deaths According to BBC, the death toll of the disaster was about 3,000 initially, with at least 20,000 additional deaths from related illnesses in the years following the disaster. This is a list of wars and human-made disasters by death toll. ^[7] Greenpeace cites a total casualty figure of 20,000 as its conservative estimate. Greenpeace, originally known as the Greenpeace Foundation, was founded in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1972 ^[8] The Bhopal disaster is often cited as the world's worst industrial disaster. Industrial disasters are mass Disasters caused by industrial companies either by accident Negligence or incompetence ^[9][10]

Geography and Climate

Climate chart for Bhopal
J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
4   23 12	3   26 14	1   32 19	3   37 23	11   38 27	136   35 26	279   29 23	360   27 23	185   30 22	52   31 20	21   27 16	7   24 13
temperatures in °C • precipitation totals in mm source: Weatherbase
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     0. 2   73 54     0. 1   79 57     0   90 66     0. 1   99 73     0. 4   100 81     5. 4   95 79     11   84 73     14. 2   81 73     7. 3   86 72     2   88 68     0. 8   81 61     0. 3   75 55 temperatures in °F • precipitation totals in inches

Bhopal has an average elevation of 499 metres (1637 feet). Bhopal is located in the central part of India, and is just north of the upper limit of the Vindhya mountain ranges. The Vindhya Range ( Sanskrit: विन्‍ध्य is a range of older rounded mountains and hills in the west-central Indian subcontinent which geographically Located on the Malwa plateau, it is higher than the north Indian plains and the land rises towards the Vindhya Range to the south. The Vindhya Range ( Sanskrit: विन्‍ध्य is a range of older rounded mountains and hills in the west-central Indian subcontinent which geographically The city has uneven elevation and has small hills within its boundaries. The major hills in Bhopal comprise of Idgah hills and Shyamala hills in the northern region and Arera hills in the central region. Bhopal has a sub-tropical climate with hot summers from April to June, the wet monsoon season from July to September and a cool winter from November to February.

The municipality covers 286 square kilometres. It has two very beautiful lakes, collectively known as the Bhoj Wetland. The Bhoj Wetland consists of two Lakes located in the city of Bhopal, the capital of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. These lakes are the Upper Lake (built by King Bhoj) and the Lower Lake. Upper Lake, also known as Bada Talaab ("Big Lake" in Hindustani, is a large artificial lake which lies on the Western side of the capital city of Madhya Locally these are known as the Bada Talab and Chota Talab respectively. The catchment area of the Upper Lake is 361 km² while that of the Lower Lake is 9. 6 km². The Upper Lake drains into the Kolans River. The Van Vihar National Park is a national park situated beside the Upper Lake. Van Vihar National Park is a National park in India located a the heart of Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. The national park also has a museum in its premises. Kheoni Wild Life Sanctuary is situated 125 km from Bhopal.

Economy

The city is divided into two major areas, the old city and the new city. The major industries in the old city are electrical goods, cotton, chemicals and jewellery. Other industries include cotton and flour milling, cloth weaving and painting, as well as matches, sealing wax, and sporting equipment. ^[11] The residents here also engage in small retail businesses. Handicraft is a major product of the old city. There is a huge demand for its very famous zardozi work, which is a kind of embroidery done on bridal dresses, sherwanis, and purses. Zardozi ( Hindi: ज़रदोज़ी Persian and Urdu: زردوزی work is a type of Embroidery in India. Another famous handicraft of Bhopal is 'Batua', a small string purse, usually used with Indian traditional dresses. ^[12] There are a large number of garages in the older city which specialise in automobile conversion. These garages produce custom-modified and tuned cars, SUVs and motorbikes. A sport utility vehicle ( SUV) is a generic marketing description for a rugged automotive vehicle similar to a Station wagon but built on a light-truck chassis

Being a state capital, the new city has a majority of residents working for the State and Central Government Departments. There are two major office complexes on Arera Hills named Satpura and Vindhyachal, which house a number of State Government offices and projects. Adjacent to them is the State Secretariat, Vallabh Bhavan. In their vicinity are other State and Central Government offices which include major national banks and insurance companies. Bhopal's major commercial area is Maharana Pratap Nagar, which accommodates many business houses. There are a number of hardware as well as software vendors in this part of the city. Other businesses include daily newsletter offices and press, hotels and restaurants, coaching and tuition centers and entertainment.

Bhopal has a cantonment in the old city as well as military presence near Bairagarh and the airport. The cantonment houses one of the Services Selection board centers that recruits troops and officers for the armed forces.

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, the largest engineering and manufacturing enterprise in India, has a unit in Bhopal. Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited ( BHEL) is the largest engineering and manufacturing enterprise in India in the energy-related and infrastructure sector It occupies a large area on the eastern side of the city and maintains a suburb named after it. A majority of the residents of the suburb are employed by the unit. Mandideep is an industrial suburb of Bhopal. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Mandideep is a city and a Municipality in Raisen district in the Indian state It is located to the South of Bhopal on the Bhopal-Itarsi highway and houses a number of plants belonging to some of the reputed companies of India like Procter & Gamble, Fujitsu, Eicher, L&T, HEG and VA Tech Hydro. Procter & Gamble Co ( P&G,) is a Fortune 500, American global corporation based in Cincinnati Ohio, that manufactures a wide Eicher Group is a conglomerate of the firms Eicher Goodearth Ltd A North Western suburb of Bhopal called Bairagarh, which was earlier a camp for Sindhi refugees from Pakistan, has developed into market for textiles.

Bhopal is also home to the Bhaskar Group which is a Rs. 1700 crore (Rs. Bhaskar Group is a 1700 crore business conglomerate with strong presence in newspapers television entertainment printing textiles fast moving consumer goods oils solvents and internet  17 billion) business conglomerate with strong presence in newspapers, television, entertainment, printing, textiles, fast moving consumer goods, oils, solvents and internet services. Its head office is located in Maharana Pratap Nagar. Manjul Publishing House, located in the old city, is a major publishing house made famous by the translation of the Harry Potter series of novels into Hindi. Manjul Publishing House Pvt Ltd (also known as Manjul Publications) is a publishing house in Bhopal, India. Harry Potter is a series of seven Fantasy novels written by British author J Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is ^[13]

The Madhya Pradesh State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd. is going to develop a Software & Hardware Technology Park in Bhopal. ^[14] Multinational companies like Genpact,^[15] Fujitsu and Taurus Microsystems are expected to open their centers in the Technology Park. Genpact ( NYSE G is a Business process outsourcing (BPO company in India aditya vikram

Government and Politics

Bhopal is the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh (abbreviated as MP) ( Hindī: मध्य प्रदेश pronounced, Translation: Middle Province) often It houses the State Legislative Assembly, or the Vidhan Sabha, which seats 230 members of Legislative Assembly. The Vidhan Sabha also known as Legislative Assembly is the lower house of state legislature in India. The twelfth (and current) Vidhan Sabha was elected in May, 2003. ^[16] Currently, the party in the majority in Vidhan Sabha is Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is led by Shivraj Singh Chauhan. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP (भारतीय जनता पार्टी, Translation: Indian People's Party) founded in 1980 is a major Political Shivraj Singh Chauhan (शिवराज सिंह चौहान (born 5 March, 1959)is the current Chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. Bhopal district elects four seats to the Assembly.

The administration of Bhopal city is handled by Bhopal Municipal Corporation, also known as BMC. The total area under BMC is 285 km². The city is divided into 66 wards. Each ward elects a corporator. The winning party elects a council of members, who are responsible for various departments. The council members chose the Mayor among themselves. At present, there are ten members in the council. The Commissioner of Bhopal is the highest officer of Municipal Corporate Office, which is responsible for the departments of public works, revenue and tax, water supply, planning and development, fire brigade, health and sanitation, finance & accounts etc. The Commissioner of Bhopal currently is nikunj shrivastava. ^[17]

Transport

Within Bhopal, city buses — known as 'mini bus', due to their size — are the most common means of transport. Most of these are in a dilapidated condition, but their reach is comprehensive and fare, reasonable. Recently 'Starbuses' have been plying on the roads. These are bigger and more comfortable buses and charge nominally more than their smaller counterparts. Autorickshaws are another major means of transport. An auto rickshaw or tuk tuk ( auto autorick or rickshaw in popular parlance is a Motor vehicle that is one of the chief They are particularly known for their ornate make-up and blaring sound systems. In some routes in the older city, bigger diesel-rickshaws - known as 'bhat', the shortened name for 'bhat-suar' - are used as shared means of transport.

Road conditions have been improving over the years and are becoming wider. Lot of hard work and money is being spent both by government and industrial giants for developing and maintaining huge infrastructures in Bhopal. The personal transport of the locals is mainly two-wheeler, but the number of four-wheelers is growing at an amazing rate. National Highway 12 passes through Bhopal which connects it to Jabalpur in the East and Jaipur in the West. National Highway 86 connects Bhopal to Sagar in the East to Indore in the West. There are numerous daily buses to Indore (186 km), Ujjain (188 km), Gwalior (423 km), Jabalpur (295 km), Khajuraho (383 km), Sanchi (46 km), Pachmarhi (195 km) and Vidisha (65 km). Indore ( Hindi: इंदौर/इन्दोर, Marathi - इंदूर, the largest city and the commercial capital of the central Indian state of WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Ujjain ( Hindi:उज्जैन (also known as Ujain, Ujjayini, Avanti WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Gwalior ( Hindi: ग्वालियर) is a city in Madhya Pradesh in India WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Jabalpur (lang-hi|जबलपुर}} is a city in the state of Madhya Pradesh in India Khajuraho (खजुराहो is a village in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, located in Chhatarpur District, about 385 miles (620 kilometres Sanchi is a small Village in Raisen District of India, it is located 46 km north east of Bhopal, and 10 km from Besnagar and Pachmarhi is a Hill station in Madhya Pradesh state of central India. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Vidisha or Besnagar or old name Bhelsa is a city in the central Indian state A state-of-the-art Interstate Bus Terminus is coming up near the Habibganj station. ^[18]

Bhopal is a major railway station and a small junction. It is well connected by rail to all parts of the country being on the main North-South line of the country. A list of all major trains passing through Bhopal can be found here. Bhopal Central is one of the train hubs in the Central India with many trains in all the 4 directions passing through it It is also close to the main East-West junction, Itarsi. Habibganj is the other major station of Bhopal which has a state-of-the-art building and also boasts of being the first ISO 9000:2001 certified station in India. ^[19] Bhopal Express : Shaan - E - Bhopal, with its headquarter at Habibganj station, is also the first train in India to obtain an ISO 9001:2000 certificate. Bhopal Express is the daily superfast Train connecting Hazrat Nizamuddin station in New Delhi to Bhopal Habibganj station in South Bhopal. ^[20] Bhopal has an International airport with very basic amenities that connects it to Delhi, Mumbai, Indore, Gwalior and Jabalpur and many major cities of India. The Raja Bhoj International airport is located near the satellite town Bairagarh ^[21]. Bhopal Airport is a public domestic Airport serving Bhopal in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India.

Demographics

Bhopal has a population of 1,482,718, which is divided into 781,282 men and 701,436 women, according to the census of 2001. ^[22] This results in a sex ratio of 898 women for every 1000 men. The population consists of 56% Hindus and 38% Muslims, with the rest of the population including Christians, Sikhs, Jains, and, Buddhists. The Old City of Bhopal is a predominantly Muslim area with large Pathan population but New Bhopal is a demographically cosmopolitan area. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion

The chief languages are Hindi, Urdu and English, but there are a substantial number of Marathi speakers as well. Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Marathi (mr मराठी Marāṭhī) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of what is considered western India. In the princely state of Bhopal, Persian was the court language until nineteenth century. Bhopal state ( Hindi: भोपाल Urdu: بھوپال bʰoːpɑːl was an independent state of 18th century India, a Princely state of The common street Hindi spoken in Bhopal is termed as Bhopali and is the subject of comedy in Bollywood movies. Bollywood (बॉलीवूड بالی وڈ is the informal term popularly used for the Mumbai -based Hindi-language Film industry in India An example of the language is used by actor Jagdeep in the film Sholay. Syed Jawaher Ali Jaffry better known as Jagdeep is an Indian film actor known for his comic roles Sholay ( Hindi: शोले Urdu: شعلے ( English: Embers or Flames) is an Indian Hindi film by

Bhopal is known to its residents and visitors as a calm and peaceful city. Except for the 1992 riots as an aftermath of felling of Babri Masjid, the city has remained comparatively unperturbed by the recent spate in communalist activities. The city, specially the new city, is quite clean and green. It has always been a favourite among the retirees who want to settle down, which has resulted in a sudden interest in the development of new areas outside the city outskirts.

• Population: 1. 5 million
• Total waste generation: 600 ton/day
• Waste generation per capita: 0. 43 kg/person per day

Culture

Bhopal is known for its exquisite manners and high culture. To this day, shairis and poetry recitals are as popular in Bhopal as in movies. Typical Bhopalis, residing in the old city, are known for their nafasat, or sophistication. Bhopal is famous for its culture of parda, zarda, garda aur namarda. Parda is a curtain, which was used to veil the women of the house from outsiders, zarda is a kind of tobacco product which is quite famous with Bhopalis, garda is loose dirt that used to blow around specially during hot summer days, and namarda meaning a eunuch. Basically found in the old city areas of Itwara, Mangalwara, Budhwara etc. , they roam around the city and collect chanda, or donation, for every big festival such as Diwali, Holi, Eid etc. Diwali, or Deepavali, (also called Tihar and Swanti in Nepal (Markiscarali is a major Indian and Nepalese festival and a significant Holi ( or language|Bhojpuri]] also called the Festival of Colours, is a popular Hindu spring Festival observed in India, At special occasions like marriage or a child birth, they visit the families and demand huge sums for donations. At this moment they showcase their talent, which is singing and dancing. They have also started to contest elections at local and state levels^[23]

Bhopal has an extensive culture of paan eating. Paan is a preparation with a betel leaf topped with variety of seasonings, the most common being chuna, kattha and supari. Bhopali people treat paan preparation as a science and an art, which is perfected among the streets of Bhopal, a tradition passed down generations. The paans in Bhopal are wide in variety and innovations^[24]

Bhopalis celebrate all festivals with equal fervor. Diwali is celebrated with equal pomp and glory as Eid. People still visit each others houses and greet each other on various occasions. Gifts and sweets are exchanged and donations made to the poor. Diwali is celebrated by performing puja of the wealth goddess Lakshmi. Later in the night, fire-crackers are burst in the open by young and old with equal enthusiasm. Eid is special to the city as all the Hindus take time out to visit their Muslim friends and greet them and get treated with delicacies, the specialty of the day being sweet sewai. Bhopali culture is such that both Hindus and Muslims visit each other on their respective festivals to greet and exchange sweets. During Ganesh puja and Durga Puja (Navratras), idols of Lord Ganesh and Goddess Durga are established in jhankis throughout the city. People throng to offer prayers to their deities. At the end of Navratras, on the day of Vijayadashmi, or Dusshehra, huge effigies of Ravan are burnt in different parts of the city. Some of them are organized by the local administration and stand as tall as 60 feet.

Bharat Bhavan is the main cultural centre of the city and of the most important cultural centers of India. Bharat Bhavan is a multi-arts complex without parallel in Bhopal, India housing a museum of the arts an art gallery a workshop for fine arts a repertory theater It has an art gallery, an open-air amphitheatre facing the Upper Lake, two other theatres and a tribal museum. Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (National Museum of Humans) showcases the various hutments that tribals of across India use for shelter. The popular holiday spots near Bhopal include Bhojpur (famous for a Shiva temple and Jain shrines), Sanchi (notable for ancient Buddhist Stupas built by Ashoka), and the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (a World Heritage Site of archaeological interest). Bhojpur is a town of historical and religious importance in Raisen District of Madhya Pradesh, India. Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. Sanchi is a small Village in Raisen District of India, it is located 46 km north east of Bhopal, and 10 km from Besnagar and Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices A stupa (from Sanskrit and Pāli: m स्तूप stūpa, literally meaning "heap" is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist Ashoka ( Devanāgarī: अशोकः IAST: Aśokaḥ, aɕoːkə(hə Prakrit Imperial title Devanampriya Priyadarsi The Bhimbetka rock shelters compose an archaeological site and World Heritage Site located in Raisen District in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex

Bhopal has many mosques including Taj-ul-Masajid (one of the largest mosques in Asia^[25]), Dhai Seedi ki Masjid (one of the smallest mosques in Asia^[26]), Jama Masjid (built by Qudsia Begum in 1837) and Moti Masjid (built by Sikander Begum in 1860). Taj-ul-Masajid, also spelt as Taj-ul-Masaajid and Taj-ul-Masjid is a Mosque situated in Bhopal, India. Sultan Shahjahan Begum, GCSI, CI, Kaiser-i-Hind ( July 29 1838 - June 16 1901) was the Begum of Bhopal Some of the major historical buildings in Bhopal include Shaukat Mahal (a mixture of Indo-Islamic and European styles of architecture), Gohar Mahal (built by Qudsia Begum, fusion of Hindu and Mughal architecture), Sadar Manzil (used by the Begums for public audience, now used as the head-office of the Municipal Corporation) and Purana Kila (part of the 300-year old fort of Queen Kamalapati, situated in the Kamala Nehru Park). Lakshmi Narayan Temple (or Birla Mandir), situated to the south of Lower Lake, is a temple devoted to Lord Vishnu and his consort Laxmi. For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific Lakshmi or Mahalakshmi (pronunciation; Sanskrit: लक्ष्मी lakṣmī) is the Hindu Goddess of Wealth An annual fare is held on Kartik Purnima at Manua Bhan Ki Tekri (Mahavir Giri), a Jain pilgrimage center located around seven km away from Bhopal. Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India.

The Udaygiri Caves, located near the town of Vidisha, are cut into the side at a sandstone hill, date back from A. Udaygiri caves are situated in Vidisha district of Madhya Pradesh in India. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Vidisha or Besnagar or old name Bhelsa is a city in the central Indian state D. 320 to 606. An inscription in one of these caves states that it was carved out during the reign of Chandragupta II (A. D. 382-401). A three-day Ijtima (religious congregation) used to be held in the precincts of the Taj-ul-Masjid annually. It draws scores at Muslim pilgrims from all parts of India. It has now been shifted outside the city limits. Every year in January/February, the villages of the Manav Sangrahalaya hosts the potters' workshops, folk music and dance, and open-air plays. It showcases the tribals of the region who demonstrate their skills in painting, weaving, and the fashioning of bell metal into exquisite works of art.

Sports

Cricket is popular in Bhopal. Although it does not have any stadium of international level, cricket at various levels is played at the Babe Ali stadium and the Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd. Sports Complex; the latter has even hosted a few matches at the national level. ^[27] At local level, cricket is played at Old Campion ground. Other tennis ball matches also take place in various parts of the city. The youngest captain of the Indian cricket team, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, was born and brought up in Bhopal. This article is about the Indian cricket player For the Tamil film actor click here. The Tatya Tope Stadium, located in the heart of the city, was a cricket stadium and held matches at local and state level. ^[28] But it has lately been converted into a multi-purpose stadium, with facilities for athletics, footbal, tennis, squash, table-tennis, volleball, basketball and a gymnasium.

Bhopal is also known for its hockey lovers. The Aishbagh stadium is synonymous for hockey players. Many players reach different grounds for practice. The city has produced many national and international players for Indian hockey team. The more famous one being Aslam Sher Khan, who represented India in several international games and was a part of the World Cup winning team in 1975. Aslam Sher Khan, a former Indian Hockey player was a member of the Indian team He later joined politics and went on to become a Member of Parliament. He also served the national hockey by being a part of the national selection committee. His father, Ahmed Sher Khan, represented India at the Berlin Olympics in 1936 along with Major Dhyan Chand. Major Dhyan Chand Singh ( August 29, 1905 &ndash December 3, 1979) was a former Indian hockey player ^[29]

Another popular sport of Bhopalis is body building. In the old city, there are a number of gyms where youngsters workout everyday to make their body muscular. Slowly, this trend has caught up even in the new city where more modern equipments are being employed to help their members get into better shape. Body builders from the local gyms participate at national level and have tasted success at the state level. Apart from this, at school and college level, table-tennis, volleyball, basketball, football and swimming are also popular sports. Volleyball is an Olympic team sport in which two teams of 6 active players (5 normal players and one 'libero' are separated by a net that is usually four feet Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Swimming is the movement by humans or animals through Water, usually without artificial assistance Every summer, Sports Authority of India holds camps which provide coaching to students of various ages games and sports of their choices. The Sports Authority of India (SAI is a body set up by the Government of India.

Bhopal is also coming up as a center of adventure sports. Trekking camps are being organised by Youth Hostels and other private clubs^[30] and their destinations are Budhni Ghat, Narsingarh, Ratapani Sanctuary, Delawadi, Bhimbetka, Manuabhan Ki Tekri etc. The Bhimbetka rock shelters compose an archaeological site and World Heritage Site located in Raisen District in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh The government has also established India's first National Sailing Club^[31] at the Boat Club, in the Upper Lake. Upper Lake, also known as Bada Talaab ("Big Lake" in Hindustani, is a large artificial lake which lies on the Western side of the capital city of Madhya This club offers various water sports such as kayaking, canoeing, rafting, water skiing, para-sailing etc. Since its inception, it has hosted Canoeing and Kayaking Championships at national^[32] as well as international^[33] levels. Other adventure sports include parasailing, paragliding, hot air ballooning etc.

Education

Bhopal has a number of state government run schools (affiliated to the Madhya Pradesh Board). There are, also, four center run Central schools(Kendriya Vidyalaya) in the city (affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education). Kendriya Vidyalaya, (Hindi केन्द्रीय विद्यालय ( Hindi for Central School) is a system of Central government schools for children Additionally, there are numerous private schools and a few Convent schools, which are run by the missionaries; these schools are affiliated to either the M. P. Board or C. B. S. E.

Colleges in Bhopal are abundant, including many for technical education( there are 23 engineering colleges in and around Bhopal),^[34] apart from Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, which is one of the eight earliest Regional Engineering College of India. Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology ( MANIT) is a Institute of National Importance under the NIT Act. National Institutes of Technology (NITs are premier colleges of engineering and technology education in India. The Regional Institute of Education (RIE), a premier institution catering to Teacher Education is situated on top of Shyamla Hill. This is a constituent unit of the National Council of Educational Research & Training (NCERT) and is one of four such institutes in the country. Mediacal Education: Gandhi Medical College oldest(1956) of all,offers bachelor's and master's degrees in the field of medicine. Peoples College of Medical Sciences is the recent(2004) addition. All India Institute of Medial Sciences Has already been sanctioned and the construction is in progress,Foundation of Mahavir (Jain) Medical College has recently(2008) been laid by Chief Minister of MP construction in progress. There are five Dental Colleges in the city namely Peoples College of Dental Sciences,Peoples Academy of Dental Sciences,Rishiraj Dental College,RKDF Dental College and Mansarovar Dental College. There are number of nursing colleges mainly Pragyan,Arbindo,Kushbhau Thakre,Kasturba(BHEL) College of Nursing. Two University Institutes of Technology (previously know as Government Engineering College) are affiliated to Rajiv Gandhi Technical University: University of Technology of Madhya Pradesh, which provides degree courses in all the technical fields throughout the state of Madhya Pradesh, and Barkatullah University, which affiliates numerous technical and non-technical colleges in the city. University Rajiv Gandhi Technical University (RGPV Hindi: राजीव गांधी प्रौधौगिकी विशवविधालय also Barkatullah University (BU Hindi: बरकतउल्लाह विशवविधालय is an Indian University located in Bhopal, named Madhya Pradesh Bhoj Open University provides long distance courses to students in all types of fields. Introduction Madhya Pradesh Bhoj Open University, or simply Bhoj University, Hindi: भोज विशवविधालय is a public university Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism runs various courses in the fields of journalism, mass communication, information technology and library sciences. Institution Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism & Communication or simply Makhanlal University, Hindi: माखनलाल विशवविधालय National Law Institute University, which stands 3rd in ranking among Indian law schools and American law school, is also located here. National Law Institute University (NLIU Bhopal was established in 1998 by an enactment of the State Legislature of Madhya Pradesh. Bhopal also houses The National Judicial Academy near Bhabhada,the only of its kind in the country for the training and update of Judges. The academy is run directly under the agies of The Chief Justice,Supreme Court of India. Indian Institute of Forest Management is a management institute located on the south western outskirts of the city which specializes in research and training in the forest and allied sectors. The Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM (founded 1982) is an autonomous institution located at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, India, established It is a CAT allied, autonomous institute set-up with the help of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. Another specialist management institute in Bhopal is the Institute for Hotel Management, which is one of the premier institutes providing such course.

Road trip - Stunning sights

• Hathaikhedi - a beautiful place full with river water, trees of mango, date and scenic fields having wheat, soyabean, sugar cane crops. Specially in rainy season this place become charming. One can visit Hathaikhedi via Phanda which is off Bhopal-Indore highway. Hathikhedi is just 19 kilometer from Bhopal railway station.
  
• Mahavir Tekri - A picturesque temple and a park atop a hill that overlooks the upper lake. A wonderful spot for killing time while watching the sunset or the sunrise.
  
• Kerwa dam - A scenic dam about 15 km from bhopal off kotra. This is an excellent spot to enjoy a nice picnic. The place is best visited in the rains as the water level is low in summers.
  
• Bhojpur - About 35 km from the city lies the town of bhojpur which has a huge temple dedicated to lord shiva. But the main attraction is the nearby river and the valley leading to it. Again best seen in the rains.
  
• Raisen fort - About 50 km from the city lies Raisen a small town. There lies a huge fort built right into the mountain dating back centuries. Walking around is easier in winter without the sun or the rains. A must-see for anyone visiting bhopal
• There is ofcourse bhimbetka and sanchi both known for their historical significance.

Fiction and popular culture

• The character of Khan Noonien Singh grew up in the city of Bhopal, with the Bhopal disaster experience shaping his outlook towards genetically unmodified humanity (in the Greg Cox books, The Eugenics Wars: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh). Khan Noonien Singh, commonly shortened to Khan, is a Villain in the fictional Star Trek universe Greg Cox (born 1959 is a Science fiction Writer. He lives in Oxford, Pennsylvania, U The Eugenics Wars: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh is a two volume set of novels written by Greg Cox about the life of the fictional Star Trek
• The character Soorma Bhopali in the movies Sholay and Soorma Bhopali keeps the title Bhopali, a possible sign that his origins are in Bhopal. Sholay ( Hindi: शोले Urdu: شعلے ( English: Embers or Flames) is an Indian Hindi film by Soorma Bhopali,( सूरमा भोपाली) is a Hindi movie directed by Jagdeep, who earlier played a role with the same name in the movie Sholay
• The charecter Prem in the movie Andaz Apna Apna is from Bhopal. Andaz Apna Apna (अंदाज़ अपना अपना One's Own Style is a 1994 Bollywood movie directed by Rajkumar Santoshi

Further reading

• Lapierre, Dominique (2002). Five Past Midnight in Bhopal. Warner Books. ISBN 0743220358.  
• Khan, Shaharyar. Begums of Bhopal, A Dynasty of Women Rulers in Raj India. ISBN 1860645283.  
• Singh, J. P. (1998). City Planning in India: A Study of Land Use of Bhopal. Mittal Publications,India. ISBN 8170997054.  
• Howgh, William (2006). A Brief History Of The Bhopal Principality In Central India. Hesperides Press. ISBN 1406712256.  
• Mittal, Kamal (1990). History of Bhopal State: Development of Constitution, Administration and National Awakening, 1901-1949. South Asia Books. ISBN 9990309159.  

References

External links

• Official Website of Bhopal City
• Bhopal Municipal Corporation Website
• Bhopal travel guide from Wikitravel
• Bhopal Airport

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