Location of Bhopal भोपाल
in Madhya PradeshMadhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
and IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
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CoordinatesA geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system that enables every location on the Earth to be specified by a set of numbers. The coordinates are often chosen such that one of the numbers represent vertical position, and two or three of the numbers represent horizontal position...
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: http://toolserver.org/~geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Bhopal¶ms=23.25_N_77.42_E_type:landmark_region:IN-MP_23°15′N 77°25′E / 23.25°N 77.42°E / 23.25; 77.42]
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IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
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StateIndia is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
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Madhya PradeshMadhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
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District(s)A district is an administrative division of an Indian state or territory. Districts are further subdivided, in some cases into Sub-Divisions, and otherwise directly into tehsils or talukas.District officials include:...
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BhopalBhopal District is a district of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. The city of Bhopal serves as its administrative headquarters. The district is part of Bhopal Division.-Demographics:...
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Municipal CommissionerMunicipal Commissioner is an office and political title in the municipalities of Sweden for councillors with executive responsibilities. The Commissioners are the only full-time employed office-holders outside the municipal civil service...
| | Manish Singh
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MayorIn many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
| | Krishna Gaur (
BJPThe Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
)
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DensityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
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1,795,648 (2011[//en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bhopal&action=edit [update]])
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2,575 /km2 (6,669 /sq mi)
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ISTIndian Standard Time is the time observed throughout India and Sri Lanka, with a time offset of UTC+05:30. India does not observe daylight saving time or other seasonal adjustments, although DST was used briefly during the Sino–Indian War of 1962 and the Indo–Pakistani Wars of 1965 and 1971...
(UTC+05:30)
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AreaThe geography of India describes the physical features of India, a country in South Asia, that lies entirely on the Indian Plate in the northern portion of the Indo-Australian Plate. The country lies to the north of the equator between 8°4' and 37°6' north latitude and 68°7' and 97°25' east...
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ElevationThe term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
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697.24 km2 (269 sq mi)
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427 metres (1,401 ft)
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Codes
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| style="width: 85px" | • VehicleAll motorised road vehicles are tagged with a registration or licence number in India. The licence plate number is issued by the district-level Regional Transport Office of respective states — the main authority on road matters. The licence plates are placed in the front and back of the...
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Bhopal ({{Lang-hi|भोपाल}}, {{Lang-ur|ہندی}}) bʱoːpaːl; is the capital of the Indian state of
Madhya PradeshMadhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
and the administrative headquarters of
Bhopal DistrictBhopal District is a district of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. The city of Bhopal serves as its administrative headquarters. The district is part of Bhopal Division.-Demographics:...
and
Bhopal DivisionBhopal Division is an administrative geographical unit of Madhya Pradesh state of central India. Bhopal is the administrative headquarters of the division...
. The city was the capital of the former Bhopal State. Bhopal is known as the
City of Lakes for its various natural as well as artificial lakes and is also one of the greenest cities in India.
The city attracted international attention after the
Bhopal disasterThe Bhopal disaster also known as Bhopal Gas Tragedy was a gas leak incident in India, considered one of the world's worst industrial catastrophes. It occurred on the night of December 2–3, 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India...
, when a Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide manufacturing plant leaked a mixture of deadly gases including
methyl isocyanateMethyl isocyanate is an organic compound with the molecular formula CH3NCO. Synonyms are isocyanatomethane, methyl carbylamine, and MIC. Methyl isocyanate is an intermediate chemical in the production of carbamate pesticides . It has also been used in the production of rubbers and adhesives...
on the intervening night of 2 / 3 December 1984, leading to the worst industrial disaster in the history of industrialization and a loss of thousands of lives. Many more were rendered sick and have been facing chronic health problems such as psychological and neurological disabilities, blindness, skin, vision and breathing disorders
and the new born children still suffer from serious birth defects, even after generations.
The soil and ground water near the factory site has been contaminated by the toxic wastes and other chemicals
still leaking out from the factory. The Indian government, however, maintains that no such pollution has taken place or that any such toxins are even present at the site.
Since then, Bhopal has been a center of protests and campaigns which have been joined by people from across the globe.
An A-2 class city, Bhopal is an important economic, industrial, educational and political center of India and houses various institutions and installations of national importance. Some of these include ISRO's Master Control Facility, the CSIR Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (AMPRI), Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER Bhopal),
School of Planning and ArchitectureSchool of Planning and Architecture, Delhi is a National Resource Institute of India. It is also one of the few premier 'Centrally Funded Technical Institutions ' under the Government of India. Currently there are 3 SPAs all over India, administered under the MHRD, Government of India...
,
Indian Institute of Forest ManagementThe Indian Institute of Forest Management is an autonomous institution at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, India, established by the , Government of India with financial assistance from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and course assistance from the Indian Institute of...
, Gandhi Medical College (associated with Hamidia Hospital, Sultania Zanana Hospital & Kamla Nehru Hospital), and the (approved, under-construction)
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, BhopalAll India Institute of Medical Sciences is a premier medical college and teaching hospital based in New Delhi, India. The Institute operates autonomously under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare ....
.
History
{{see|Bhopal (state)}}
Bhopal is said to have been founded by king
BhojaBhoja was a philosopher king and polymath of medieval India, who ruled the kingdom of Malwa in central India from about 1000 to 1050 CE. Also known as Raja Bhoja Of Dhar, he belonged to the Paramara dynasty...
of the
Paramara dynastyThe Paramāra dynasty was an early medieval Indian royal house that ruled over the Malwa region in central India. This dynasty was founded by Upendra in circa 800; the most significant ruler was Bhoja I. The seat of the Paramāra kingdom was Dhārānagara, the present day Dhar city in Madhya Pradesh...
(1000–1055 CE), who ruled from his capital at
DharDhār is located in the Malwa region of western Madhya Pradesh state in central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Dhar District. The town is located west of Mhow, above sea level...
. According to this theory, Bhopal was originally known as Bhojpal after the king and the dam ("
pal") constructed by him. An alternative theory says that the name of the city was coined from the name of another king called Bhupala (or Bhupal). (During the
British RajBritish Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
, the railway tickets printed in the city and the signboards on the railway station mentioned the name of the city as "Bhupal" in Hindi-Urdu and "Bhoopal" in English.)
The original city was lost into obscurity, and by the early 18th century Bhopal was a small village in the local
GondThe Gondi, Goindi or Gond people are people in central India, spread over the states of Madhya Pradesh, eastern Maharashtra , Chhattisgarh, northern Andhra Pradesh, and Western Orissa. With over four million people, they are the largest tribe in Central India.The Gondi language is related to...
kingdom. The modern Bhopal city was established by
Dost Mohammad KhanDost Mohammad Khan was the founder of the Bhopal State in central India. He laid out the modern city of Bhopal, the capital of the Madhya Pradesh state....
(1672–1728), an Afghan soldier in the
MughalThe Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
army. After the death of the emperor
AurangzebAbul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
, Khan started providing mercenary services to several local chieftains in the politically unstable Malwa region. In 1709, he took on the lease of
BerasiaBerasia is a town and a nagar palika in Bhopal district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. In September 2011 Government of Madhya Pradesh alloted Berasia and nearby areas for Industrial use.- History :...
estate, and later annexed several territories in the region to establish the Bhopal State. Khan received the territory of Bhopal from the Gond queen Rani Kamlapati in lieu of payment for mercenary services, and usurped her kingdom after her death.
During the early 1720s, Dost Mohammad Khan transformed the village of Bhopal into a fortified city, and acquired the title of
NawabA Nawab or Nawaab is an honorific title given to Muslim rulers of princely states in South Asia. It is the Muslim equivalent of the term "maharaja" that was granted to Hindu rulers....
. Khan's support to the Sayyid Brothers earned him the enmity of the rival Mughal nobleman Nizam-ul-Mulk, who invaded Bhopal in March 1724, forcing Khan to cede much of his territory. Dost Mohammad Khan and his Pathan associates brought the Islamic influence on the culture and architecture of Bhopal, the ruins of which can be found at
IslamnagarIslamnagar or Islamnagar is a panchayat village in the Bhopal district of Madhya Pradesh, India. Formerly a fortified city, Islamnagar was the capital of the Bhopal princely state for a brief period...
near Bhopal. After Khan's death in 1728, the Bhopal state remained under the influence of the Nizam. The state also paid tribute to the
MarathasThe Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian imperial power that existed from 1674 to 1818. At its peak, the empire covered much of South Asia, encompassing a territory of over 2.8 million km²....
, who defeated the Mughals at the
Battle of BhopalThe Battle of Bhopal was fought between the Mughal and Maratha empires near Bhopal in India in December 1737, and was arguably the largest pitched battle fought in India in the 18th century. The battle resulted in decisive Maratha victory mainly through the swift tactics of Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao...
in 1737.
Nawab Faiz Muhammed Khan (1742–1777) moved the capital from Islamnagar to Bhopal. The state became a British
protectorateA Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
in 1818. Between 1819 and 1926, it was ruled by four women –
BegumsThe Nawabs of Bhopal were the Muslim rulers of the princely state of Bhopal, now part of the modern state of Madhya Pradesh, in India. The last Nawab was Hamidullah Khan, who acceded his state to India in 1947....
– unique in the royalty of those days. Qudsia Begum was the first woman ruler, who was succeeded by her only daughter Sikandar Begum, who in turn was succeeded by her only daughter,
Shahjehan BegumSultan Shahjahan Begum GCSI CI KIH was the Begum of Bhopal for two times: 1844–60, and secondly during 1868–1901....
. Sultan Jahan Begum was the last women ruler, who after 25 years of rule, abdicated in favour of her son,
Hamidullah KhanHajji Nawab Hafiz Muhammad Hamidullah Khan was the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal, which merged with the state of Madhya Pradesh in 1956. He ruled from 1926 when his mother, Begum Kaikhusrau Jahan Begum, abdicated in his favor, until 1949 and held the honorific title until his death in 1960...
. The rule of Begums gave the city its waterworks, railways, a postal system and a municipality constituted in 1907.
Bhopal was the largest Muslim state in pre-independence India, with the second largest being
Hyderabad-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
. After the independence of India in 1947, the last Nawab expressed his wish to retain Bhopal as a separate unit in March 1948. Agitations against the Nawab broke out in December 1948, leading to the arrest of prominent leaders including
Shankar Dayal SharmaShankar Dayal Sharma was the ninth President of India serving from 1992 to 1997. Prior to his presidency, Dr Sharma had been the eighth Vice President of India, serving under President Ramaswamy Venkataraman...
. Later, the political detainees were released, and the Nawab signed the agreement for Bhopal's merger with the Union of India on 30 April 1949.
The
Bhopal stateBhopal was the name of state of India, which existed from 1949 to 1956. The state evolved out of the princely state of Bhopal, and was merged with neighboring states to form Madhya Pradesh in 1956. Shankar Dayal Sharma served as chief minister of Bhopal state from 1952 to 1956.- History :Before the...
was take over by the Union Government of India on 1 June 1949.
SindhiSindhis are a Sindhi speaking socio-ethnic group of people originating from Sindh, a province Formerly of British India, now in Pakistan. Today Sindhis that live in Pakistan belong to various religious denominations including Islam, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Christianity...
refugees from
PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
were accommodated in West Bhopal Cities, Bairagarh Sub-Area (Sant Hirdaram nagar), a western suburb of Bhopal. According to the States Reorganization Act of 1956, the Bhopal state was integrated into the state of
Madhya PradeshMadhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
, and Bhopal was declared as its capital. The population of the city rose rapidly thereafter.
{{see also|Bhopal State (1949-1956)}}
Bhopal disaster
{{Main|Bhopal disaster}}
On 3 December 1984, a Union Carbide Corporation pesticide plant in Bhopal leaked around 32 tons of toxic gases, including
methyl isocyanateMethyl isocyanate is an organic compound with the molecular formula CH3NCO. Synonyms are isocyanatomethane, methyl carbylamine, and MIC. Methyl isocyanate is an intermediate chemical in the production of carbamate pesticides . It has also been used in the production of rubbers and adhesives...
gas which led to the worst industrial disaster to date. The official
death tollDeath Toll is a 2008 action film starring DMX, Lou Diamond Phillips, Leila Arcieri and Keshia Knight Pulliam, written and produced by Daniel Garcia of the rap group Kane & Abel and directed by Phenomenon...
was initially recorded around 5,000. Many figures suggest that 18,000 died within two weeks, and it is estimated that around 8,000 have died since then of gas-poisoning-related diseases. The
GreenpeaceGreenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
organization cites a total casualty figure of 20,000 as its own conservative estimate. The Bhopal disaster is often cited as the world's worst industrial disaster.
December 3 is annually observed as the official day of mourning, and every year, all government offices in Bhopal remain closed on this day.
The Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) plant was established in 1969 in the Eastern part of the City. Fifty-one per cent of it was owned by Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) and 49% by Indian authorities, although UCC was responsible for the technique and design. It manufactured carbaryl pesticide (trade mark Sevin). Methyl isocyanate (MIC), an intermediate in carbaryl manufacture, was also used, and in 1979 a plant for producing MIC was added to the site.
On the night of 3 December 1984, large amounts of water entered the chemical storage tank E610, which contained about 40 tonnes of methyl isocyanate. The resulting reaction increased the temperature of the liquid inside the tank to 200 °C (400 °F). As a result, a large volume of mixed toxic gases leaked from the MIC containing tank, forcing the emergency release of pressure. Consequently there was massive panic among common people as they woke up in a cloud of noxious gases that burned their lungs. About nine thousand people died immediately, and many more were trampled under others who were fleeing.
Theories for how the water entered the chemical storage tank differ. At that time, workers at the plant were cleaning out some chemical pipes with water, and some authorities claim that because of bad maintenance and leaking valves, it was possible for the water to leak into the tank E610. The Union Carbide Corp. maintains that this was not possible, and that the disaster was an act of sabotage by a "disgruntled worker" who introduced water directly into the tank. Much speculation arose in the aftermath, since the government of India and the Union Carbide Corp. did not release the results of their own investigations.
A recently published highly researched book, entitled "The Black Box of Bhopal", which has also appended several original documents not scrutinized before, presents a more complete picture about the events on the morning of 3 December 1984, the various investigations and the litigation that followed. It discredits the unproven allegations of the government sponsored CSIR Report of 1985.
The deciding factors that contributed to the disaster included:
- The chemical plant's poorly chosen location—located near a densely populated west city area, instead of the other side of Bhopal City where the company had been offered land.
- Using hazardous ingredient chemicals (methyl isocyanate) instead of less dangerous ones
- Storing these chemicals in large tanks instead of several smaller storage tanks.
- Possible corrosion of the metals in the pipelines
- Poor maintenance at the chemical plant
- Failure of several safety systems, which were not in operation at the time.
- Deficient staffing policies, such as in the number of employees hired and their training for working with dangerous chemicals.
- Negligence on the part of the Union Carbide India, Ltd., and the Governments of India and the state of Madhya Pradesh.
Geography
Bhopal has an average elevation of 427 metres (1401 ft). Bhopal is located in the central part of India, and is just north of the upper limit of the Vindhya mountain ranges. Located on the Malwa plateau, it is higher than the north Indian plains and the land rises towards the
Vindhya RangeThe Vindhya Range is a range of older rounded mountains and hills in the west-central Indian subcontinent, which geographically separates the Indian subcontinent into northern India and Southern India.- Introduction :...
to the south. 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.
The municipality covers 298 square kilometres.{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}} It has two very beautiful big lakes, collectively known as the
Bhoj WetlandThe Bhoj Wetland consists of two lakes located in the city of Bhopal, the capital of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The two lakes are the Upper Lake and the Lower Lake, which lie to the west of the city center. The Upper Lake has an area of 31 km², and drains a catchment or...
. These lakes are the Upper Lake (built by King Bhoj) and the
Lower LakeThe Lower Lake or Chhota Talaab is a lake in Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh state of India. Along with the Upper Lake, it forms the Bhoj Wetland.- History :...
. Locally these are known as the Bada Talab and Chota Talab respectively. The catchment area of the Upper Lake is 360 km² while that of the Lower Lake is 9.6 km². The Upper Lake drains into the Kolar River. The
Van Vihar National ParkVan Vihar National Park is a national park in India located a the heart of Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. Declared a national park in 1983, it covers an area of about 4.45 km². Although it has the status of a national park, Van Vihar is developed and managed as a modern zoological...
is a national park situated besides the Upper Lake.
Climate
{{climate chart
| Bhopal
| 10.2|25.3|12.9
| 12.4|28.6|7.8
| 17.1|33.6|7.2
| 21.8|38.3|4.5
| 25.5|40.7|8.0
| 25.3|37.0|114.0
| 23.1|30.6|355.8
| 22.4|28.8|388.4
| 21.4|30.5|195.8
| 18.4|32.0|26.2
| 14.1|29.0|13.7
| 10.9|25.9|12.4
| source=
IMD
| float=right
| clear=right
}}
Bhopal has a
humid subtropical climateA humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
, with mild, dry winters, a hot summer and a humid monsoon season. Summers start in late March and go on till mid-June, the average temperature being around 30 °C (86 °F), with the peak of summer in May, when the highs regularly exceed 40 °C (104 °F). The monsoon starts in late June and ends in late September. These months see about 40 inches (1020 mm) of precipitation, frequent thunderstorms and flooding. The average temperature is around 25 °C (77 °F) and the humidity is quite high. Temperatures rise again up to late October when winter starts, which lasts up to early March. Winters in Bhopal are mild, sunny and dry, with average temperatures around 18 °C (64 °F) and little or no rain. The winter peaks in January when temperatures may drop close to freezing on some nights. On 6 January 2011, the lowest temperature was 2 °C lower than in Shimla. Total annual rainfall is about 1146 mm (46 inches).
Economy
The city is divided into six major areas and about 75 suburbs. The major areas include Old City and the New City.
Industries
Bhopal has its own industrial area i.e. "Govindpura, Bhopal". It has 1044 small and medium scale industries involved in various kinds of production activities.
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, the largest engineering and manufacturing enterprise in India, has a
unit in Bhopal. It occupies a large area in the Eastern Part of the city and maintains a suburb named after it. A majority of the residents of the BHEL Suburb are employed by the unit.
Commercial areas and services
Bhopal's major commercial area is M.P. Nagar or Maharana Pratap Nagar which accommodates many business houses, hardware and software stores, banks, media and press houses, showrooms, retail stores, coaching centres as well as hotels, restaurants, eateries, shopping centers, malls (
DB City MallDB City Mall is the first mall in Bhopal. It is situated at Arera Hills near M.P.Nagar, in the heart of Bhopal. It has been developed by the Dainik Bhaskar Group, associated mainly with the print media, and is owned and operated by DB Malls Private Limited, a subsidiary of the Dainik Bhaskar...
, Aashima and C21 mall on hoshangabad road, Aura mall in arera colony) and movie halls (
Fun CinemasFun Cinemas is a cinema chain in India based in Mumbai, owned by the Essel Group and promoted by E-City Ventures. The company operates with the brand name Fun Cinemas and Talkie Town for all theatrical presence and cinema activity and Fun Gaming, for all game-based leisure options...
, Cinepolis, PVR). Other large commercial centres, markets and shopping areas include markets in the Old City, New Market, Bittan Market, etc.
Bairagarh, the North-Western suburb of Bhopal, which was earlier a camp for Sindhi refugees from Pakistan, has developed into market for textiles.
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 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.
Also BestPrice modern store of Bhrati Walmart has opened on Karond road near Peoples Multiplex mall.
Economy of the Old City
The major industries in the old city are electrical goods, cotton, chemicals and jewelry. Other industries include cotton and flour milling, cloth weaving and painting, as well as making matches, sealing wax, and sporting equipment. The residents of Bhopal also engage in large retail businesses. Handicrafts, like
zardoziZardozi or Zar-douzi work is a type of embroidery in Iran, India and Pakistan.-Iran:Zardozi is on of the most important elements of Persian cultural signs and Handicrafts. It is named around the country by names such Zar-douzi , Kam-douzi , Gol-douzi and Kaman-douzi...
and
batua (a small string purse, usually used with Indian traditional dresses) are some of the products of the Old City. In addition, there are also a large number of garages in the Old City which specialise in automobile conversion. These garages produce custom-modified and tuned cars,
SUVA sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
s and motorbikes.
Conglomerates
Bhopal is also home to the DB Corp, informally called the Bhaskar Group (after its major publication
Dainik BhaskarDainik Bhaskar is an Indian Hindi-language daily newspaper published by D B Corp Ltd.. It was started in year 1958 from Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh...
), a Rs. 1700 crore (Rs. 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 HouseManjul Publishing House Pvt. Ltd is a publishing house in Bhopal, India. It is well known for the translation of the "Harry Potter" novels into Hindi. It was established in 1999....
, located in the old city, is a major publishing house made famous by the translation of the
Harry PotterHarry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
series of novels into
HindiStandard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
.
IT Park
The Madhya Pradesh State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd. is going to develop a software and hardware technology park in Bhopal. Multinational companies like
GenpactGenpact Limited is a global business process and technology management company. It was formerly a GE owned company called GE Capital International Services or GECIS. It operates from India, China, Guatemala, Hungary, México, Morocco, the Philippines, Poland, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, South...
,
Fujitsuis a Japanese multinational information technology equipment and services company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is the world's third-largest IT services provider measured by revenues....
,
TCSTata Consultancy Services Limited is a global IT services, business solutions and outsourcing company headquartered in Mumbai, India. It is the largest provider of information technology in Asia and second largest provider of business process outsourcing services in India...
and Taurus Microsystems are expected to open their centers in the Technology Park.
Education and health care
There are more than 550 state government sponsored schools and affiliated to the Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE) located within the city limits. In addition, there are four
Kendriya VidyalayaKendriya Vidyalaya, is a system of central government schools under the Ministry of Human Resource Development ....
s in the city affiliated to the
Central Board of Secondary EducationThe Central Board of Secondary Education is a Board of Education for public and private schools, under the Union Government of India.-History:...
(CBSE). The city is also served by numerous other private schools affiliated to either CBSE or MPBSE. Some schools are also affiliated to
National Institute of Open SchoolingThe National Institute of Open Schooling , is the Board of Education for open schools in India. It was established by the Ministry of Human Resource Development of the Government of India in 1989 to provide education inexpensively to remote areas...
(NIOS) and
ICSEThe Indian Certificate of Secondary Education or ICSE examination is an examination conducted by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, a private, non-governmental board of school education in India, for class 10, i.e., grade 10...
Board. Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal, established in 1960 is the premier institute for technology in the city and has been categorized by the Government of India as an
Institute of National ImportanceAn Institute of National Importance, in India is defined as one which serves as a pivotal player in developing highly skilled personnel within the specified region of the country/state. Institutes on the list are usually supported by the Government of India...
. There are several other public and private engineering schools (numbering almost 90) located in and around the city. Government of India established an Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) and a
School of Planning and ArchitectureSchool of Planning and Architecture, Delhi is a National Resource Institute of India. It is also one of the few premier 'Centrally Funded Technical Institutions ' under the Government of India. Currently there are 3 SPAs all over India, administered under the MHRD, Government of India...
(SPA) in the year 2008.
The prominent management and law institutes include the
Indian Institute of Forest ManagementThe Indian Institute of Forest Management is an autonomous institution at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, India, established by the , Government of India with financial assistance from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and course assistance from the Indian Institute of...
, the National Judicial Academy (for training judges) and the National Law Institute University, one of the premier law schools in India.
Gandhi Medical College is the city's oldest and most prominent medical college and is associated with Hamidia Hospital. The medical college is affiliated to the
Barkatullah UniversityBhopal University or Barkatullah University Hindi: बरकतउल्लाह विशवविधालय is an Indian university in Bhopal, renamed after the great freedom fighter, Prof. Barkatullah, who was born there. It is the main university of the capital city and provides degrees to most of the non-technical colleges in...
. The hospital and the college played a crucial role in emergency response and care after the Bhopal Disaster. other medical institutes include
Peoples Medical CollegePeoples Medical College is a private medical school in Madhya Pradesh. It is a part of the People's Group, which also runs Hospital, two Dental Colleges , Paramedical College, Centre for Scientific Research and Development, Nursing College, Engineering College, Public School, Paramedical College,...
& Lakshmi Narain Medical College(LNMC). Barkatullah University gives affiliation to renowned colleges like
Bhopal School of Social SciencesThe Bhopal School of Social Science is located in the city of lakes, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. BSSS was established in 1972 by the founding chairman of the college, then Archbishop of Bhopal, Dr...
, Institute for Excellence in Higher Education (IEHE), Rajiv Gandhi College, Etc.
Other institutes of higher learning that offer courses in pure sciences, liberal arts, accounting, communication and other professional training include the Rajiv Gandhi Technical University, the
Barkatullah UniversityBhopal University or Barkatullah University Hindi: बरकतउल्लाह विशवविधालय is an Indian university in Bhopal, renamed after the great freedom fighter, Prof. Barkatullah, who was born there. It is the main university of the capital city and provides degrees to most of the non-technical colleges in...
, the
Madhya Pradesh Bhoj Open UniversityMadhya Pradesh Bhoj Open University, or simply Bhoj University, Hindi: भोज विशवविधालय, is a public university in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. The university provides higher education mainly through open and distance learning...
(for distance education), the
Sikkim Manipal University of Distance EducationSikkim Manipal University is a public-private partnership between the Government of Sikkim and Manipal Education in India. It was established in 1995 and is recognised by the University Grants Commission as a State Private University...
and the
Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism-Institution:Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism & Communication or simply Makhanlal University, Hindi: माखनलाल विशवविधालय, is a public university located in Bhopal set up by the Act 15 of 1990 of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly...
and SNGGPG college.
Other city institutes of learning that offer a diploma in education are the Regional Institute of Education (RIE) of Bhopal, a constituent unit of the National Council of Educational Research & Training (NCERT) and the Digdarshika Institute of Rehabilitation and Research, a non-profit and educational organization serving the health sector.
Bhopal is the capital city of
Madhya PradeshMadhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
. It houses the State Legislative Assembly, or the
Vidhan SabhaThe Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha or the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly is the unicameral state legislature of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. The seat of the Vidhan Sabha is at Bhopal, the capital of the state. It is housed in the Vidhan Bhavan, an imposing building located at the...
, which seats 230 members of Legislative Assembly. The twelfth (and current) Vidhan Sabha was elected in May 2008. Currently, the party in the majority in Vidhan Sabha is
Bharatiya Janata PartyThe Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
(BJP) which is led by
Shivraj Singh ChauhanShivraj Singh Chouhan is the current chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. He replaced Babulal Gaur as the chief minister on 29 November 2005. He served as General Secretary of the BJP and State President, Madhya Pradesh BJP. He joined the RSS in 1972...
. Bhopal district elects seven seats to the Assembly.
One of the major institute over here is the oriental institute of science and technology where yearly a Bollywood picture is made and stars such as amitabh bachan , prakash jha , deepika padukone , saif ali khan and lot more visit this uninversity frequently. This uninversity s appreciated by many stars. 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 and accounts etc. The current
Municipal CommissionerMunicipal Commissioner is an office and political title in the municipalities of Sweden for councillors with executive responsibilities. The Commissioners are the only full-time employed office-holders outside the municipal civil service...
of Bhopal is Manish Singh, while the current
MayorIn many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
is Krishna Gaur.
Local Transport
Bhopal has been a railroad and highway transportation hub for a long time. Bhopal has its own city bus service: Bhopal City Link Limited, which operates larger Star Buses, which are under GPS navigation and smaller Metro Buses. In addition, around 600 mini-buses are run by private operators. Metro or Radio Taxis and auto-rickshaws are another major means of transport. In some parts in the old as well as new city, the new Tata Magic Vans are running successfully and have replaced the older and bigger diesel rickshaws — known as "Bhat" in year 2010.
Bhopal also has a "Bus Rapid Transit System", which became functional from the year 2011.
Roadways
Apart from the long distance services, there are many services to nearby places within the state. The bus services are operated from 8 major bus stands in the city:
- ISBT Terminal, Near Chetak Bridge (inaugurated in 2010)
- Naadra Bus Stand, Old City
- Jawahar Chowk Stand
- Halalpura Bus Stand
- Bharat Talkies Stand
- Jyaneshwari Bus Stand, South
- Piplani Bus Stand, East
- Ayodhya Nagar Bus Stand
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
DewasDewas is an ancient town situated on the Malwa plateau in the West-central part of Indian state called Madhya Pradesh, about 160 km south west from state capital, Bhopal. It is the administrative center of the Dewas District, and was formerly the seat of two princely states during the British...
in the West. State Highway 17 connects the city with
IndoreIndore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631...
. There are number of daily buses to Indore, Ujjain, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Khajuraho, Sanchi, Pachmarhi, Vidisha, and as well to Ahmedabad, Jodhpur, Kota, Nagpur, Jaipur, Agra, and Allahabad. An interstate bus terminus is near the Habibganj station.
Railways
Bhopal lies in the West Central Railway Zone. Considering both North-South and East-West train routes, it is one of the best connected city in India.
Following are the railway stations in Bhopal:
- Bhopal Junction Railway Station
Bhopal Junction is a Major Railway Junction of India and main railway station of Bhopal City, the capital of Madhya Pradesh.-Construction:...
is the largest and most important railway station in the city. Being on the main North-South line, it is connected by rail to all parts of the country except North-Eastern states. More than 150 daily trains have stoppages in Bhopal.
- Habibganj Railway Station
Bhopal Habibgan Railway Station is a railway station in Bhopal City and part of the West Central Railway. It is located in Habibganj, New Bhopal.-Location:The Railway Station of Habibganj is located :...
is a major and the most developed station of Bhopal. It holds the distinction of being the first ISO 9000:2001ISO 9660, also referred to as CDFS by some hardware and software providers, is a file system standard published by the International Organization for Standardization for optical disc media....
certified railway station in India.
- Misrod Railway Station is located in the Misrod
Misrod is a suburb of southern region of Bhopal, India.It is presently located at South Bhopal.-Places of interest:#Misruddin Mehal#Raj Kothi#Bhopal Palace#Bhoj Lake#Misrod International Avenue#Yasoda Parisar-Railways:...
suburb of the city.
- Mandideep Railway Station is located in the industrial town of Mandideep
Mandideep is a neighbourhood in south Bhopal city and a municipality in Raisen district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.-Demographics:...
.
- Sukhsewanagar
Sukhsewanagar commonly known as Sukhi Sewaniya Nagar, Bhopal is a suburb of Bhopal, located in the north Bhopal region.-Etymology:The real name of Sukhsewanagar was Sukhi Sewaniya meaning dry oat in English.The region was discovered in year 1958,two years after the state of Madhya Pradesh was...
- Bairagarh
Bhopal Bairagarh is one of the important railway station of Bhopal City, the capital of Madhya Pradesh. It is operated by West Central Railway.- Important Trains Passing Through :...
is located in the north-western Bairagarh suburb.
- Nishatpura railway station
Bhopal Nishatpura is a terminal railway station of Bhopal City, the capital of Madhya Pradesh. It is operated by West Central Railway...
Airport
{{Main|Bhopal Airport}}
The Raja Bhoj Airport is located near the satellite suburb Bairagarh and has flights to most major cities in India. Expansion of the airport is completed and now became a n international airport.
There are three routes ways to reach the airport: (1) Via Bairagarh, (2) Via Panchvati, (3) Via Gandhi nagar road (N.H 12). From within the city, VIP road, a four lane road connects with the airport.
Demographics
According to the 2001 census the total Bhopal population is about 1,458,416. The population of Bhopal district is however much more and stands at 1,836,724. It has nearly 56% Hindus and 40% Muslims, while 2-4% include Christian, Jains, Buddhists, Dawoodi bohra. The Old City of Bhopal is a predominantly conservative but New Bhopal is a demographically cosmopolitan area.
The chief languages are
HindiStandard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
/
UrduUrdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
(
HindustaniHindi-Urdu is an Indo-Aryan language and the lingua franca of North India and Pakistan. It is also known as Hindustani , and historically, as Hindavi or Rekhta...
) and
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, but there are a substantial number of
MarathiMarathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
,
SindhiSindhi is the language of the Sindh region of Pakistan that is spoken by the Sindhi people. In India, it is among 22 constitutionally recognized languages, where Sindhis are a sizeable minority. It is spoken by 53,410,910 people in Pakistan, according to the national government's Statistics Division...
,
MarwariThe Marwari language , also variously Marvari, Marwadi, Marvadi), is spoken in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Marwari is also found in the neighboring state of Gujarat and Haryana and in Eastern Pakistan...
speakers as well. In the
princely state of BhopalBhopal State was an independent state of 18th century India, a princely salute state in a subsidiary alliance with British India from 1818 to 1947, and an independent country from 1947 to 1949...
,
PersianPersian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
was the court language until nineteenth century. The common street language spoken in Bhopal, especially in older regions of the city is termed as Bhopali and is the subject of comedy in
BollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
movies. An example of the language is used by actor
JagdeepSyed Ishtiaq Ahmed Jaffry, better known as Jagdeep, is an Indian film actor known for his comic roles. He played Soorma Bhopali in Sholay , Gabbar in Purana Mandir , Chief Zabardast in Tehkhana , Hotel Receptionist in Veerana , Salman Khan's father In Andaaz Apna Apna and later directed a movie...
in the film
SholaySholay is a 1975 Indian action-adventure film produced by G.P. Sippy and directed by his son Ramesh Sippy. It is considered among the greatest films in the history of Indian cinema. Released on 15 August 1975, it stars Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Sanjeev Kumar, Jaya Bhaduri and...
and
Arshad WarsiArshad Warsi is an Indian actor who debuted in 1996 with the film Tere Mere Sapne which was a success but he is best known for his role as "Circuit" in the comedy films Munnabhai M.B.B.S. and Lage Raho Munnabhai and his role as Babban in Ishqiya which won him acclaim.-Early life and...
in the film
IshqiyaIshqiya is a 2010 Indian film starring Arshad Warsi, Vidya Balan, Naseeruddin Shah, and Salman Shahid in the lead roles. The film is directed by Abhishek Chaubey in his directorial debut and is produced by Raman Maroo and Vishal Bharadwaj. The film was released on 29 January 2010.Upon release, the...
.
Mosques and Temples
Lakshmi Narayan Temple situated to the south of Lower Lake, is a temple devoted to
VishnuVishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
and his mythological consort Laxmi constructed by Birla, called
Birla MandirBirla Mandir refers to different Hindu temples or Mandirs built by the Birla family, in different cities. All these temples are magnificently built in white marble.-Birla Mandirs across India:-Continuous Construction:...
.
Kalighat Bhopal, the beautiful Lower Lake side is the temple of Dakshin Kali, was founded by Shri Shiv Narayan Singh Bagwar with the blessings of Goddess Kali on Shrawan Shukl Ekadashi V.S.2024 - 3 September 1968. Bagwar is the Founder Chairman of Shree Kalika Mandir Dharmarth Nyas, Kalighat, Bhopal registered on 7 October 1976. The temple has become a place where the wishes of everyone is fulfilled. All religious communities across the Country are visiting temple and making their life happier by the blessings of Goddess Maa Kalika. It has been a center point amongst devotees of Sakti and has emerged as Kalika Shakti Peeth, over a period of time. A religious place of great significance for devotees across all segments, all over the country and abroad, by prolong dedicated services of Shree Shree 1008 Shree Kalikacharya, Shree Kalika Peethadheesh, Shree Shiv Narayan Singh Bagwar, Anantananda Maharaj.
Gufa Mandir Gufa Mandir is situated seven kilometres away from Bhopal, Lalghati - Narsingh Road. Sant Narayan Dasji Maharaj established a Shiv Temple in the Cave, hence, called as Gufa Mandir. Lateron, developed the forest area as Sanskrit Vidhyalaya and Hanuman Temple etc.,.
Manua Bhan Ki Tekri. An annual fair is held on Kartik Purnima at (Mahavir Giri), a Jain pilgrimage center located around seven kilometres away from Bhopal.
Bhopal has many mosques including
Taj-ul-MasajidTaj-ul-Masajid is a mosque situated in Bhopal, India. The mosque is also used as a madrasah during the day time.-History:...
(one of the largest mosques in Asia), Dhai Seedi ki Masjid (one of the smallest mosques in Asia), Jama Masjid (built by Qudsia Begum in 1837). A three-day Iztima-Muslim dhaarmik sammelan or Muslim religious assembly (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. Moti Masjid (built by
Sikander BegumSultan Shahjahan Begum GCSI CI KIH was the Begum of Bhopal for two times: 1844–60, and secondly during 1868–1901....
in 1860).
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 Qila (part of the 300-year-old fort of Queen Kamalapati, situated in Kamla Park, which separates
Upper LakeBhojtal, , formerly known as Upper Lake is a large lake which lies on the Western side of the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal. It is a major source of drinking water for the residents of the city, serving around 40% of the residents with nearly of water per day...
from Lower lake).
Culture
Shairis and poetry recitals are popular in Bhopal. Bhopal is famous for its culture of
parda and
zarda.
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. The official language of Bhopal City is Hindi, and
Hindi-UrduHindi-Urdu is an Indo-Aryan language and the lingua franca of North India and Pakistan. It is also known as Hindustani , and historically, as Hindavi or Rekhta...
with a peculiar Bhopali accent is spoken in western and eastern parts of the city.
Bhopal has an extensive culture of
paanPaan, from the word pān is an Indian, Pakistani, Uttarvarshi and Southeast Asian tradition of chewing betel leaf with areca nut and slaked lime paste, and katha brown powder paste, with many regional and local variations...
eating.
Paan (Beetle leaf) is a preparation with a betel leaf topped with variety of seasonings, the most common being
chuna, kattha and
supari(nut). Bhopalites 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.
Bhopali dishes and food in Bhopal are comparatively mild, less spicy and unique in taste . Local and individual variations of various popular snacks and foods can be found selling around the city . Bhopali food has a large variety of non-vegetarian dishes, including Bhopali Murgh Rezala, Paneer Rezala, Bhopali Gosht Korma, Murgh Hara Masala Rice, Murgh Nizami etc.
DiwaliDiwali or DeepavaliThe name of the festival in various regional languages include:, , , , , , , , , , , , , popularly known as the "festival of lights," is a festival celebrated between mid-October and mid-December for different reasons...
is celebrated with equal pomp and glory as
EidEid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr , often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting . Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity," while Fiṭr means "breaking the fast"...
. Gifts and sweets are exchanged and donation are made to the poor. Diwali is celebrated by worshiping the wealth goddess
LakshmiLakshmi or Lakumi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity , light, wisdom, fortune, fertility, generosity and courage; and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm. Representations of Lakshmi are also found in Jain monuments...
. Later that night, firecrackers are burst in the open by young and old. 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
sewaiya. 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 PujaDurga puja ; দুর্গা পূজা,ଦୁର୍ଗା ପୂଜା,‘Worship of Durga’), also referred to as Durgotsava ; , is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga. It refers to all the six days observed as Mahalaya, Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and...
(Navratras), idols of Ganesh and 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
VijayadashamiVijayadashami also known as Dasara, is one of the most important festivals celebrated in various forms, across India, Nepal and Bangladesh...
(or
Dussehra), huge effigies of
RavanRavan could refer to:* Ravana , the villain in the ancient Hindu epic Ramayana* Ravan , a DC Comics villain* Ravan , a 76-km Russian river...
are burnt in different parts of the city. Some of them are organized by the local administration and stand as tall as 60 feet (18.3 m).
Bharat Bhavanthumb|350px|Bharat Bhavan, [[Bhopal]]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, indoor and outdoor auditoria, rehearsal room, and libraries of Indian poetry, classical and folk...
is the main cultural centre of the city and of the most important cultural centers of India. It has an art gallery, an open-air amphitheatre facing the Upper Lake, two other theatres and a tribal museum.
The Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS), an autonomous organization of Govt. of India, Ministry of Culture is dedicated to the depiction of story of mankind in time and space. The Sangrahalaya is involved in generating a new museum movement in India, with open, freewheeling, flexible plan, to demonstrate the simultaneous validity of human cultures and the pluriality of alternatives for human articulation. The innovative aspects of the Organisation are its open air and indoor exhibitions, built with active involvement of traditional artisans and experts drawn from different community groups, and the Education, Outreach and Salvage activities for revitalisatin of vanishing but valuable cultural traditions. The headquarters of the IGRMS is located in Bhopal (M.P.) while a regional centre is functioning from Heritage building Wellington House, Mysore (Karnataka). It showcases the tribal culture of various regions and various examples of tribal art and architecture. Every year in January/February, it hosts potters' workshops, folk music and dance events and open-air plays. Tribals also demonstrate their skills in painting, weaving, and the fashioning of bell metal into works of art.
MandideepMandideep is a neighbourhood in south Bhopal city and a municipality in Raisen district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.-Demographics:...
is an industrial suburb of Bhopal. It is located to the South of the city on the NH 12. Mandideep's total exports are worth some 2,300 crore rupees ($500m; £300m) per year, making it the largest industrial area in Madhya Pradesh. The town is home to Hindustan Electo Graphite (HEG), owning the largest graphite electrode plant in the world and is the largest industrial company in the entire state. Hindustan Electro Graphite (HEG) and Lupin Laboratories ltd. are the dominant companies in the suburb, each exports worth around 900 crore rupees. Apart from that, Mandideep also houses the manufacturing plant of Makson group of company, Eicher Tractors for the oldest tractor manufacturers in India.
Popular holiday spots around Bhopal include Delawadi, a picturesque picnic spot and
IslamnagarIslamnagar or Islamnagar is a panchayat village in the Bhopal district of Madhya Pradesh, India. Formerly a fortified city, Islamnagar was the capital of the Bhopal princely state for a brief period...
which was the palace of Bhopal's Afghan rulers. Located at around 40 km from Bhopal is
BhimbetkaThe Bhimbetka rock shelters are an archaeological World Heritage site located in Raisen District in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The Bhimbetka shelters exhibit the earliest traces of human life in India; a number of analyses suggest that at least some of these shelters were inhabited by man...
, a
World Heritage SiteA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
which has one of the largest collections of pre-historic paintings and rocks, some of which date back more than 10,000 years. The Bhojeshwar or Shiva temple in
BhojpurBhojpur is a town of historical and religious importance in Raisen District of Madhya Pradesh, India.-History:Bhojpur is named after its founder, the Parmara king Bhoj .- Bhojeshwar temple :...
holds great religious importance and is famous for a massive Shivalingam, which is the largest in India. Anglers can head about 10 kilometres from the city to Hathaikheda, which is a popular fishing zone.
SanchiSanchi is a small village in Raisen District of the state of Madhya Pradesh, India, it is located 46 km north east of Bhopal, and 10 km from Besnagar and Vidisha in the central part of the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the location of several Buddhist monuments dating from the 3rd...
, a site famous for Buddhist monuments and temples dating back several centuries is located at 50& nbsp; km from the city.
The
Udaygiri CavesUdayagiri caves are archaeological caves near Vidisha, carved when the city was a provincial capital of the Gupta Empire . The site is near present Vidisha in Vidisha district, in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India, and under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India and is of utmost...
, located near the town of
VidishaVidisha is a city in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India, located near the state capital Bhopal. Vidishā is the administrative headquarters of Vidisha District. The city was also known as Bhilsa during the medieval period.-Geography:...
, are cut into the side at a sandstone hill, date back from A.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).
Sports
Cricket is popular in Bhopal. Although it does not have any stadium of international level, cricket at various levels is played at the Baabe Ali stadium and the Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd. Sports Complex; the latter has even hosted a few matches at the national level. Construction of a Khelgaon is being carried out which will have facilities for hosting international cricket, football and tennis as well as other indoor games. At local level, cricket is played at Old Campion ground. Other tennis ball matches also take place in various parts of the city. MCC ground in 1100 quarters Arera colony is known for quality tennis cricket in the city. The Tatya Tope Stadium, located in the heart of the city, was a cricket stadium and held matches at local and state level. But it has lately been converted into a multi-purpose stadium, with facilities for athletics, football, tennis, squash, table tennis, volleyball, basketball, skating, martial arts and a gymnasium.
A sports city is being constructed on 172 acre (0.69605992 km²) of land in Satgadhi, near the southern suburb of Kolar, and is expected to get completed by 2013. The project involves construction of an international cricket stadium, a tennis complex and an aquatic complex at par international standards, accompanied by an indoor stadium with facilities for Basketball, Volleyball, Badminton, Gymnastics etc. as well as outdoor sports fields for Netball, Volleyball, etc. Administrative Buildings and hostels for players and coaches will also be constructed. The project also involves the construction of a 5-star hotel and a 9-hole golf course.
Bhopal is also known for its hockey lovers. The Aishbagh Stadium is synonymous for hockey players, and has been renovated heavily. The All India Obaidullah Khan Gold Cup Hockey Tournament was also revived in 2010, and will now be regularly held there. Many players reach different grounds for practice. The city has produced many national and international players for Indian hockey team.
Bhopalites are also fond of bodybuilding. 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 tennisTable tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
,
volleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
,
basketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
,
footballAssociation football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
and
swimmingSwimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
are also popular sports. Every summer,
Sports Authority of IndiaThe Sports Authority of India is a body set up by the Government of India. It was created in 1984 to help promote sport throughout the country. Presently, it has seven regional centres at Bangalore, Gandhinagar, Kolkata, Sonepat, Delhi, Mumbai and Imphal and two sub-centres at Guwahati and...
holds camps which provide coaching to students of various ages games and sports of their choices.
Bhopal is also coming up as a center of adventure sports. Trekking camps are being organised by Youth Hostels and other private clubs and their destinations are Budhni Ghat, Narsingarh, Ratapani Sanctuary, Delawadi,
BhimbetkaThe Bhimbetka rock shelters are an archaeological World Heritage site located in Raisen District in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The Bhimbetka shelters exhibit the earliest traces of human life in India; a number of analyses suggest that at least some of these shelters were inhabited by man...
, Manuabhan Ki Tekri etc. The government has also established India's first National Sailing Club at the Boat Club, in the Upper Lake. 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 as well as international levels.
The youngest captain of the Indian cricket team,
Mansoor Ali Khan PataudiMansoor Ali Khan or Mansur Ali Khan , sometimes M.A.K. Pataudi , nicknamed Tiger Pataudi, was an Indian cricketer and former captain of the Indian cricket team...
, was born and brought up in Bhopal.He was also a nawab of bhopal at present time.
One of the renowned hockey players of the city is
Aslam Sher KhanAslam Sher Khan is an Indian hockey player and a former member of the Indian team. In the 1975 World Cup held at Kuala Lumpur, Aslam Sher Khan helped Indian Hockey Team to win the gold medal. He as a member of the Indian team also participated in Munich Olympics held in 1972. Aslam Sher Khan has...
, who represented India in several international games and was a part of the World Cup winning team in 1975. 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 ChandDhyan Chand ; born August 29, 1905 in Allahabad, United Provinces, British India. – Died:December 3, 1979), was an Indian field hockey player, regarded as one of the greatest field hockey players of all time...
.
Another famous sportsperson of Bhopal is (Late) J P Narayanan. A graduate Mechanical Engineer from Maulana Azad National Collage of Technology, Narayanan had to his credit broadcasting running commentaries in English for 100 One-Day Internationals and 44 Test matches in his career as a cricket commentator for All India Radio (AIR). The third One-Day International match between India and Pakistan played at Keenan Stadium,
Jamshedpur on 9 April 2005 was his last assignment as a cricket commentator. An employee of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, the BHEL sports complex was renamed to JP Narayanan Sports Complex, in an effort to honor his contribution to cricket in Bhopal and nationally as well.
Electronic Media
Presently there are 4 Private Radio stations in Bhopal apart from Vividh Bharti viz. BIG FM 92.7,
94.3 My FM Jiyo Dil Se,
Radio MirchiRadio Mirchi is a nationwide network of private FM radio stations in India. It is owned by the Entertainment Network India Ltd , which is one of the subsidiaries of The Times Group....
98.3 and
Red FM 93.5Red FM is an Indian FM radio brand, with stations broadcasting at 93.5 megahertz in the cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Kanpur in addition to Jamshedpur, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Indore, Nashik, Aurangabad, Nagpur, Bangalore, Mysore, Mangalore, Gulbarga, Kochi, Trivandrum, Thrissur, Kannur,...
.
Bhopal has its own Radio and Television stations (
All India RadioAll India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
and
DoordarshanDoordarshan is an Indian public service broadcaster, a division of Prasar Bharati. It is one of the largest broadcasting organizations in India in terms of the infrastructure of studios and transmitters. Recently, it has also started Digital Terrestrial Transmitters. On September 15, 2009,...
respectively). Local Television networks include Digi Networks and BTV(Bhaskar TV). Besides, three regional satellite channels operate from Bhopal, namely ETV Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh, Sahara Madhya Pradesh and Sadhana News.
Print Media
Various Hindi and English newspapers are published from Bhopal.
The Times of IndiaThe Times of India is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. TOI has the largest circulation among all English-language newspaper in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...
,
Hindustan TimesHindustan Times is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded in 1924 with roots in the Indian independence movement of the period ....
, The Pioneer (Indian newspaper), Youth Engine etc. are the main English dailies and weekly published from the city while
Dainik BhaskarDainik Bhaskar is an Indian Hindi-language daily newspaper published by D B Corp Ltd.. It was started in year 1958 from Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh...
,
Nava BharatNava Bharat is a Hindi language daily newspaper published from Bhopal, Indore, Nagpur, Raipur, Pune and Nasik. This Nava Bharat has a 6th highest readership according to IRS 2009 R1 in India in Hindi newspapers. -History:Navabharat was founded by Late Shri. Ramgopal Maheshwariji in 1937 in...
, Nai Dunia,
Dainik JagranDainik Jagran is a Hindi language daily broadsheet newspaper in India. According to the IRS Q1 2010, Dainik Jagran ranks No. 1 among the dailies with a Total Readership of 54,254,000.-Overview:...
, Patrika, BPN Times, Raj Express peoples samachar etc. are the main Hindi dailies published from here.
Communications
Bhopal is served by all major telecommunications networks in the country and the city is well connected by postal and telegraph lines to rest of the country. Fixed-line, GSM and CDMA services and Broadband and Hi-speed Internet services are provided by various service providers. Fixed-line telephone users are given 7-digit numbers in Bhopal. The STD code for Bhopal is 0755.
Places of interest
A few of the places of interest in Bhopal include
- Upper Lake
Bhojtal, , formerly known as Upper Lake is a large lake which lies on the Western side of the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal. It is a major source of drinking water for the residents of the city, serving around 40% of the residents with nearly of water per day...
: The largest artificial lake in Asia.
- Lake View : A stretch of road on the shore of the great or Upper Lake
Upper Lake may refer to:* Upper Lake, Bhopal, a lake in Bhopal, India; also known as Bada Talaab* Upper Lake, California, a census-designated place in Lake County, California, United States* Upper Lake in Missoula County, Montana...
. It is a popular joint for people of all age groups, especially young.
- Kalika Mandir, Kalighat, Lower Lake (Bhopal)
boat clubA boat club is a sports club based around boats, especially rowing and yachting, but also canoeing, motor boats and other small boats....
. This is a spot for boating and national level water sporting events are organized by the club.
- Van Vihar National Park
Van Vihar National Park is a national park in India located a the heart of Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. Declared a national park in 1983, it covers an area of about 4.45 km². Although it has the status of a national park, Van Vihar is developed and managed as a modern zoological...
: A zoological park with the status of a national park, it is situated south of the Upper LakeUpper Lake may refer to:* Upper Lake, Bhopal, a lake in Bhopal, India; also known as Bada Talaab* Upper Lake, California, a census-designated place in Lake County, California, United States* Upper Lake in Missoula County, Montana...
.
- New Market : A shopping and commercial zone in the city housing a number of eateries, restaurants, cloth shops and showrooms, bakeries, mobile stores etc.
- Taj-ul-Masajid
Taj-ul-Masajid is a mosque situated in Bhopal, India. The mosque is also used as a madrasah during the day time.-History:...
: It is one of the largest mosque in Asia and is also used as a madrasahMadrasah is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, whether secular or religious...
- Aquarium Building
- Bharat Bhavan
thumb|350px|Bharat Bhavan, [[Bhopal]]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, indoor and outdoor auditoria, rehearsal room, and libraries of Indian poetry, classical and folk...
A place where many national film festival and plays were organized in past.
- chatori gali :A wonderful place for all the person who loves non-vegetarian food.
- Manav sanghralay :a place near upper lake where you find old cultures and traditions.
- Kerwa Dam : It is a scenic dam located in the outskirts of Bhopal.
- Lal Parade Ground: The independence day and republic day parade are held in this ground. It is also the venue of large gatherings.
- Museum of Natural History
- Manuabhan ki tekri : A Jain temple, situated on a hill cliff, this place is popular for the scenic views it offers of the city below. A rope-way has been installed and people also have the option to reach the spot on foot.
- Libraries :A number of libraries are operational including the regional library and Swami Vivekanand Library (formerly British Library)
- Shopping Malls :DB city mall, Ashima Mall, Century21 Mall, Crown Mall, The Great India Palace Mall, Aura Mall.
External links
{{Commons category|Bhopal}}
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{{State and Union Territory capitals of India}}
{{Million-plus cities in India}}
{{Bhopal Division}}