India 2018

624 India 2018
Chitrakoot and Amarkantak are major centres of pilgrimage. Unique temples
of Khajuraho are famous all over the world. The temples of Orchha, Bhojpur
and Udaypur attract large number of tourists as well as pilgrims. Archaeological
treasures are preserved in the museums at Satna, Sanchi, Vidisha, Gwalior,
Indore, Mandsaur, Ujjain, Rajgarh, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Rewa and many other
places. Omkareshwar, Maheshwar and Amarkantak have been declared holy
cities for their integrated development in accordance with their religious
significance.
Government
Governor : Shri Om Prakash Kohli Chief Secretary : Shri Basant Pratap
(Addl. Charge)
Singh
Chief Minister : Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan Jurisdiction of : Madhya Pradesh
High Court
Maharashtra
Area : 3,07,713 sq km Population : 11.24 crore (census 2011)
Capital : Mumbai Principal Language : Marathi
History and Geography
The first well-known rulers of Maharashtra were the Satavahanas (230 BC to
225 AD), who were practically the founders of Maharashtra, and have left a
plethora of literary, epigraphic, artistic, and archaeological evidence. Then came
the Vakatakas, who established a pan-Indian empire. Under them, this area
witnessed an all-sided development in the fields of learning, arts and religion.
Some of the Ajanta Caves and Fresco Paintings reached their pinnacle during
their rule. After the Vakatakas and after a brief interlude of the Kalachuri
dynasty, the most important rulers were the Chalukyas followed by the
Rashtrakutas and the Yadavas apart from the Shilaharas on the coast. The
Yadavas, with Marathi as their court language extended their authority over
large parts of the Deccan.
While the Bahamani rule brought a degree of cohesion to the land and its
culture, a uniquely homogeneous evolution of Maharashtra as an entity became
a reality under the able leadership of Shivaji. A new sense of Swaraj and
nationalism was evolved by Shivaji. His noble and glorious power stalled the
Mughal advances into this part of India. The Peshwas established the Maratha
supremacy from the Deccan Plateau to some areas in northern India.
Maharashtra was in the forefront during freedom struggle and it was
here that the Indian National Congress was born. A galaxy of leaders from
Mumbai and other cities of the state led the Congress movement under the
guidance of Tilak and then Mahatma Gandhi. Maharashtra was the home of
Gandhiji’s movement, while Sevagram was the capital of nationalistic India
during the Gandhian era.