Indore is the largest city of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and the most populous metropolitan area in central India. It serves the headquarters of both Indore District and Indore Division. A central power city, Indore exerts a significant impact upon commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and entertainment and has been described as the commercial capital of the state. Located on the southern edge of Malwa Platue, Indore city is located 190 km west of the state capital of Bhopal. With a Census-estimated 2011 population of 1,960,631 distributed over a land area of just (526 km2), Indore is the most densely populated major city in central province. As more than 13 languages are spoken in Indore, making it the most linguistically diverse city in the central India. The Indore Metropolitan Area's population is the states' largest, with 2.2 million. It is the 14th in India and 147th largest city in the world.
Indore traces its roots to its 16th century founding as a trading hub between the Deccan and Delhi, and was named Indrapur in 1716. The city and its surroundings came under Maratha control on 18 May 1724 and were renamed Indur after Maratha Peshwa assumed the full control of Malwa, and appointed his commanderMalhar Rao Holkar as the Governor of the province. During the days of the British Raj it was a 19 Gun Salute(21 locally) princely state (a rare high rank) ruled by the Holkar dynasty of the Marathas, until they acceded to Union of India.[5] Indore served as the capital of the Madhya Bharat from 1950 until 1956.
Indore's financial district, anchored by central Indore, functions as the financial capital of the Madhya Pradesh and is home to the Madhya Pradesh Stock Exchange, the India's third oldest stock exchange. Indore's real estate market is among the most expensive in the state. Indore's Lokmanya Nagar incorporates the highest concentration of Marathi people in the Western city. Providing continuous 18 hour service, theIndore City Bus is one of the most popular bus transit systems in India. Numerous colleges and universities are located in Indore, including IIM Indore and IIT Indore, which are ranked among world's top institutions.
Etymology
Indore's name differ. According to the most popular theory, the present name of the city derives from its earlier name Indreshwar, which was named after the Indreshwar temple in the city. The temple is said to have been constructed in 10th century by Parmar king Bhoja. Another theory says that the city was originally called Indrapur (after Lord Indreshwar, the chief temple deity). During the Maratha reign, the city was called "Indur", a name that is still used in Marathi language & several Marathi language sources. This name was eventually transliterated as "Indore" during the British rule in India.
History
The area of the modern Indore city was a part of the Kampel pargana (administrative unit) during the Mughal Empire.
Kampel was administered by the Ujjain sarkar (government) of Malwa Subah (province). The area was controlled by the local zamindars (feudal landlords), who accepted the suzerainty of the Mughal empire. The zamindars received the title of Chaudhari, which established their claim to the land.
Early Indore
In the mid-1710s, Nandlal was caught in the struggle between the Marathasand the Nizam of Hyderabad (who had been appointed as the governor of the Deccan region by the Mughal emperor). Once, while visiting the Indreshwar Temple near the banks of river Saraswati, Nandlal found the location to be safe and strategically located, being surrounded by rivers on all sides. He started moving his people in, and constructed the fort of Shree Sansthan Bada Rawala to protect them from harassment by the warring forces. This marked the establishent of the present-day Indore city, which became an important trade center on the Delhi-Deccan route.
The modern settlement was developed by Rao Nandlal Chaudhary (also known as Nandlal Mandloi,a ShriGaud Brahmin), the chief local zamindar. Nandlal, who had an army of 2000 soldiers. Under the Mughal rule, his family enjoyed great influence and was accorded confirmatory sanads by the Emperors Aurangzeb and Farrukhsiyar, confirming their jagir (land ownership) rights. When Nandlal visited the Mughal court at Delhi, he received a special place in the emperor's court along with two jewel studded swords (now on display in the Royal British Museum under the family's name) and confirmatory sanads. Raja Savai Jai singh of Jaipur, a personal friend of his, gifted him with a special "Gold Langar" which guaranteed a special place to him in all the courts of India.
Holkars Indore
By 1720, the headquarters of the local pargana were transferred from Kampel to Indore, due to the increasing commercial activity in the city. On 18 May 1724, the Nizam accepted the rights of the Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao I to collect chauth (taxes) from the area. In 1733, the Peshwa assumed the full control of Malwa, and appointed his commander Malhar Rao Holkar as the Subhedar (Governor) of the province. Nandlal Chaudhary accepted the suzerainty of the Marathas. During the Maratha rule, the Chaudharis came to be known as "Mandloi"s (derived fromMandals meaning districts). The Holkars conferred the title of Rao Raja upon Nandlal's family. The family retained its possessions of royalty, in addition to the right of performing the first puja of Dushera (Shami Pujan) before the Holkar rulers. The respectability and influence of Nandlal's family in the region was instrumental in the ascent of the Peshwasand Holkars to rulership of this region.
During the period of Maharaja Tukoji Rao Holkar II (1852-86) efforts were made for the planned development and industrial development of Indore. With the introduction of Railways in 1875, the business in Indore flourished till the reign of Maharaja Shivaji Rao Holkar, Maharaja Tukoji Rao Holkar IIIand Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar.
On 29th July 1732, Bajirao Peshwa-I granted Holkar State by merging 28 and half parganas to Malhar Rao Holkar, the founder ruler of Holkar dynasty. His daughter-in-law Ahilyabai Holkar moved the state's capital toMaheshwar in 1767, but Indore remained an important commercial and military centre.
British Indore
In 1818, the Holkars and Scindias were defeated by the British during the Third Anglo-Maratha War, in the Battle of Mahidpur by virtue of which the capital was again moved from Maheshwar to Indore A residency with British resident was established at Indore, but Holkars continued to rule mainly due to efforts of their Dewan Tatya Jog. During that time, Indore was established the headquarters of British Central Agency. In 1906 electric supply was started in the city, fire brigade was established in 1909 and in 1918, first master-plan of city was made by noted architect and town planner, Patrick Geddes.
Post Independence Indore
After India's independence in 1947, Holkar State, along with a number of neighbouring princely states acceded to Indian Union. In 1948 with the formation ofMadhya Bharat, Indore became the summer capital of state. On 1st November 1956, when Madhya Bharat was merged into Madhya Pradesh, the state capital was shifted to Bhopal. Indore a nearly 2.1 million city today has transformed from a traditional commercial urban center into a modern dynamic commercial capital of the state.
GeographyApart from Yashwant Lake, there are many lakes that supply water to the city including Sirpur Tank, Bilawali Talab, Sukhniwas Lake and Piplyapala Talab. Soil cover in the city region is predominantly black. In the suburbs, the soil cover is largely red and black. The underlying rock of the region is composed of black basalt, and their acidic and basic variants dating back to the late Cretaceous and early Eocene eras. The area is classified as Seismic Zone III region, which means an earthquake of up to magnitude 6.5 on the Richter-scale may be expected.
Indore is located in the western region of Madhya Pradesh, on the southern edge of the Malwa plateau. It lies on the Saraswati and Khan rivers, which are tributaries of the Shipra River and has an average elevation of 553.00 meter above mean sea level. It is located on an elevated plain, with the Vindhyachal range to the south.
To the west, Indore borders the administrative district of Dhar with cities such as Pithampur and Betma; to the northwest with Hatod and Depalpur; to the north the Ujjain with Sawer; to the northeast the Dewas with Manglaya Sadak; to the southeast the city of Kampel and Simrol; to the south Khandwa with Mhow, Choral and Manpur. Together with these cities (and some larger nearby cities, e.g. Rau, Hatod, Rangwasa, Palda, Sinhasa) Indore forms a contiguous built-up urban area called Indore Metropolitan Region which is an unofficial administrative district.
Climate
Indore has humid subtropical climate. Three distinct seasons are observed: summer, monsoon and winter.
Summers start in mid-March and can be extremely hot in April and May. The daytime temperatures can touch 40 °C on more than one occasion. Average summer temperature may go as high as 36–39 °C (100.4 °F) but humidity is very low.
Winters are moderate and usually dry. Lower temperatures can go as low as 4 °C-6 °C on some nights. Usually the temperature ranges between 8 to 26 °C during winters.
Rains are due to southwest monsoons. The typical monsoon season goes from 15 June till mid-September, contributing 32–35 inches of annual rains. 95% of rains occur during monsoon season.
Indore gets moderate rainfall of 35 to 38 inches (890 to 970 mm) during July–September due to the southwest monsoon.
DemographicsIndore is the most populous city in the central India, with an estimated 2,160,631 residents as of 2011. As of the 2001 Indian Census, the city's population stood at a record high of 1,516,918, significantly greater than any other city from central province. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. In 2010, the city had a population density of 25,170 people per square mile (9,718/km²), rendering it the most densely populated of all municipalities with over 100,000 population in the Madhya Pradesh. As per 2011 census, the city of Indore has an average literacy rate of 87.38%, higher than the national average of 74%. Male literacy was 91.84%, and Female literacy was 82.55% In Indore, 12.72% of the population is under 6 years of age (as per census 2011). The average annual growth rate of population is around 2.85% as per the statistics of census 2001.
The Indore City metropolitan area is ethnically diverse. It is home to the large Jain community outside Gujarat ana Rajasthan. Indore contains the highest total Marathi population of any M.P. city proper, many of them living in the western part alone viz. Lokmanya Nagar and Rajendra Nagar. The Gujarati community also have a notable presence in the city which can be easily identified in the city culture. Indore has a high degree of income disparity. Ethnically, Hindi linguistics form major sub groups in the city followed by Marathi, Punjabis, Sindhis, Gujaratis and others. The disparity is driven by wage growth in high income brackets, while wages have stagnated for middle and lower income brackets. Indore is always ranked as the home to the highest number of billionaires in state.
Architecture
Indore is all fascinating with the charm of its architectural grandeur and historical enigma. Indore has architecturally significant buildings in a wide range of styles spanning distinct historical and cultural periods of Mughals, Maratha, Holkars and British era. These include the Rajwada Palace (1766), a blend of Maratha andMughal styles with a giant wooden door covered with iron studs and seven storied entrance.
Indore is the only city of Madhya Pradesh with a significant number of highrise buildings. Almost all the tall buildings of central India are located in Indore with many under construction in Nipania. Most of the high-rise buildings in Indore are located in the financial district of Vijay Nagar in the upper east city.
The tallest structure in Indore is the replica of Eiffel Tower at All India Radio campus, which rises 337 metres (1,106 ft). However, the observation tower is not generally considered a high-rise building as it does not have successive floors that can be occupied. The tallest habitable building in Indore is the Radisson Blu. The second-tallest building in the city is the Bombay Hospital while the tallest residential building are 3 residential towers in Navlakha. There are many landmarks in Indore which make it a tourist attraction.
Some premier architecture buildings in Indore includes:
- Rajwada
Rajwada (Urdu:راجودا) is a historical palace in Indore city. It was built by the Holkars of the Maratha Confederacy about two centuries ago. This seven storied structure is located near the Chhatris and serves today as a fine example of royal grandeur and architectural skills. The structure comprises two parts, the first one located at the heart of the city and the second one standing in the old part of the town. Rajbada palace exhibits a blend of Maratha and Mughal styles, the palatial structure is sure to leave you spellbound. The entrance itself is beautiful with lofty archway and a giant wooden door covered with iron studs. As one makes his way through the entrance, one is greeted with a courtyard comprising Mughal arched Ganesha]] hall, a number of balconies with Mughal ornamentation, windows, and corridors, surrounded by galleried rooms. The lower three floors are made of stone and the upper floors are made of wood. The existing building is rectangular with cylindrical bastions at the four corners. It was constructed in 1766 and later the southern part was rebuilt in the years 1811-1833 after being damaged by fire. The Palace was constructed by the Muslim artisans from Mandu who worked for the Mughals but sought refuge in Malwa with their families, At that time only the Muslims were the most skilled crafts persons. These families lived in and around Indore and went on to work for several structures for the Holkars. Today it stands proudly with its 7 story façade of carved stone and wood jails, jharokhas and chattris. The front bay has substantial forecourt assessed by a large fenestration in the front façade. All activity within this structure has been systematically removed and now boasts of a small office of the Joint Director, Archeology and Souvenir Shop run by the Archeology. The rest of the building is ground and two floors. One side of the front bay has been destroyed as has the complete rear bay. The rear bay, before reconstruction was an empty shell with garden within, enveloped by the thick external wall with the bastions. The architecture is of the Maratha period & style. Planned with courtyards suited to tropical climes the Maratha architecture is known for its simplicity, visible visual logic & austere aesthetic, made rich by beautiful detailing, rhythm & repetition. The aisles & arcades, punctured by delicate niches, doors & windows create a space in which articulation of open, semi-open & covered areas is effortless and enchanting. The Rajbada is now state property under the Archeology who granted special permission for rebuilding the old wada (residence) which was the main Rajbada which was completely burnt during the 1984 riots, namely the building around the Tulsi Kund along with the temple that previously existed there, between the two rear courtyards. This building was to be rebuilt by H.H Ushadevi Holkar and designed by architects Himanshu Dudwadkar and Shreya Bhargava on the 200 year old blue print using the same material & finishes, while adhering to the seismic structural requirements, mandatory today. The rebuilding was to be identical to what existed earlier – constructed with thin bricks in lime mortar with lime plaster, with wooden columns with stone bases, rough black basalt flooring & a brick paved courtyard in tandem with the age-old building techniques. The only departure from the original building was a concealed ms pipe frame for structural stability in this earthquake prone zone - a necessity to obtain relevant building permissions.
- Lal Bagh Palace
Krishnapura Chhatri
Chhatris (cenotaphs) are the royal tombs of the erstwhile rulers of the Holkar clan. These cenotaphs are placed on the banks of the beautiful river Khan, and these chhatris exhibit excellent architectural brilliance. A marvelous remnant of a glorious reign, the Chhatris survived the passage of time. The typical Maratha style architecture with domes and pyramidal spires, Chhatris allures the tourists with its historical enigma.
- Central Museum
Central Museum, also known as the Indore Museum, is one of the most interesting buildings in Indore. It is a treat for the people who are genuinely fascinated by the history of India and the rich civilisation that flourished here in the pre historic age. It is located near the General Post Office in Indore. The Museum exhibits the finest collection of Parmar sculptures from Hinglajgarh. The Parmara style actually originated here only. Its main features include proportioned figures, careful and intricate ornamentation and depiction in stone.
Parks and Recreation- Atal Bihari Vajpeyee Regional Park also known as Pipliyapala park or Indore regional park, it is developed by the Indore Development Authority (IDA). Development of the park is on the 80 acres of land of the pond and 42 acres land near this tank. There is a canal, which covers the whole park starting from one point of the pond and ending at the other part. The bridges over canal with the Mist fountain let us feel a special type of peace,mentally as well as physically. Various attractions to the park include Musical Fountain, Jumping jet fountain, Artists' village, Maze, French gardens, Bio-diversity garden, Mist fountain, Fast food zone, Boating.
- Kamla Nehru Prani Sangrahalay or simply Indore Zoo is one of the oldest zoological parks of Indore spread over the area of 4000 sq m. Known for its special species like white tigers, Himalayan bear and white peacock, Indore zoo is also a center for reproduction, protection and exhibition of animals, plants and their habitats.Chokhi and Nakhrali Dhani are Rajasthani heritage resorts on the outskirts of Indore. These resorts are given the appearance of a Rajasthani village in India. The villages provide people the precise atmosphere of the village, along with the modern day facilities and entertainment. These villages are catching fast with the city people as well as the tourists who visit Indore. At Choki Dhani, people find respite from the busy schedules of daily life. The rustic Rajasthani spirit fills the environment with colours of joy. You can pamper yourself with good food and enjoy traditional Rajasthani delicacies here.
- Water Parks like Shell City on Khandwa Road and Mayank Blue on Ring Road are two of the lavishing water parks of Madhya Pradesh.
- Tafreeh Garden is a wonderful resort cum adventure park situated at Dhar Road. This garden has Swimming Pool, Music Station, Boating Deck and a lot of other adventurous and fun filled activities.
By virtue of its population and role as the administrative center for business, Indore dominates the Central Indian economy. With a bulk of its trade coming from Small, Mid and Large scale manufacturing & service industries, Indore’s function as the State’s commercial capital, its economic base and population size have also created development opportunities for many other businesses oriented to local or more diversified markets. Industries in Indore range from Automobile toPharmaceutical and from Software to Retail and from Textile trading to Real estate. The city also host prestigious Global Investors' Summit which attract investors from 21 countries, including the US, Australia, Japan, Singapore, the UK, Germany and Finland.
Madhya Pradesh Stock Exchange (MPSE) originally set up in 1919 is the only exchange in Central India and the third oldest stock exchange in India is located in Indore an now the National Stock Exchange (NSE) established an Investor Service Center in the city.[14] Industrial employment influenced the economic geography of Indore. After 1956 merger, Indore experienced suburban expansion aided by high levels of car ownership. Workforce decentralization and transport improvements made it possible for the establishment of small-scale manufacturing in the suburbs. Many firms took advantage of relatively cheap land to build spacious, single-storey plants in suburban locations where parking, access and traffic congestion were minimal.
Major industrial areas surrounding the city include the Pithampur Special Economic Zone and the Sanwer Industrial belt. Pithampur is also known as the Detroit of India. Pithampur industrial area houses many production plants of various Pharmaceutical companies like Ipca Laboratories, Cipla, Lupin, Glenmark,Unichem and big auto companies prominent among these are Force Motors, Volvo Eicher commercial, Avtec, Mahindra 2 wheelers Ltd.
While the Textile manufacturing and Trading is the oldest business to contribute to economy, the Real Estate has emerged very fast in past few years. National Real Estate Players DLF Limited, Suncity (ZEE Group), Omaxe, Sahara, Parsvnath, Ansal API, Emaar MGF have already launched their residential projects in Indore. These projects are generally on the Indore bypass. This road also houses the projects of many local and regional Real estate players like Silver spring, Kalindi, Milan Heights etc.
Infosys is setting up new development centre at Indore at an investment of Rs 100 crore in phase one at Super corridor. Infosys demanded an area of 2000 Acres to open its new branch in Indore which will employ about 80,000 people. TCS and Collabera have also announced plans to open campuses in Indore. The government of MP has also done the land allotment. Besides these, there are several small and medium size software development firms in Indore.
Education
Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, also known as "DAVV" in popular culture and formerly known as University of Indore is a renowned university in Indore with several colleges operating under its aegis. It has two campuses within the city, one at Takshila Parisar (near Bhavarkuan Square)and another at Rabindra Nath Tagore Road, Indore. The university runs several departments including School of Law (SoL), Educational Multimedia Research Centre (EMRC), International Institute of Professional Studies (IIPS), School of Pharmacy and School of Journalism. The huge campus is replete with several other research and educational departments, many hostels, playgrounds and cafes aiming to provide a fulfilling experience to its students.
Indore is home to several other educational institutions of immense importance and repute. It is the only city in India to house both Indian Institute of Managementand Indian Institute of Technology.
The Daly College, founded in 1881, is one of the oldest co-educational boarding school in the world. The Holkar Science College, officially known as Government Model Autonomous Holkar Science College was established in 1891.
The Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College (MGMMC) is another old institution, and was formerly known as the King Edward Medical College. Shri Govindram Seksaria Institute of Technology and Science (SGSITS) is an engineering college, established in 1952.