Hoshangabad

Overview

Hoshangabad is a city in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, situated on the southern bank of the Narmada River. It served as the headquarters of the erstwhile Hoshangabad district and is a long-established administrative, trading and pilgrimage town in the Narmada valley. In 2021, the Government of Madhya Pradesh renamed the city and district as Narmadapuram.

Key facts

Etymology and renaming

The town is traditionally said to take its name from Hoshang Shah, the early 15th-century Sultan of Malwa, who is credited with fortifying the settlement. In February 2021, the state government announced that the city and district would be renamed Narmadapuram ("city of the Narmada"), reflecting its association with the river. The change was subsequently notified by the Union Government.

Geography

Hoshangabad lies in the central part of Madhya Pradesh, with the Narmada flowing along its northern edge and the Satpura Range rising to the south. The city stands on the alluvial plain of the Narmada and serves as a gateway between the Malwa plateau to the north and the Satpura highlands to the south. Pachmarhi, the state's principal hill station, lies in the Satpura ranges within the wider region.

History

The area around Hoshangabad has a long human history; rock shelters and prehistoric paintings are documented in the surrounding Satpura hills, most famously at Bhimbetka and at sites near Adamgarh. In the medieval period the town came under the Sultanate of Malwa, and a riverside fort was developed during the rule of Hoshang Shah, from whom the later name derives.

After the decline of Malwa, the region passed through Mughal control and later came under the Marathas, particularly the Bhonsles of Nagpur. In the early 19th century, following the Anglo-Maratha wars, the territory passed to the British East India Company. Under British rule, Hoshangabad was made the headquarters of a district within the Central Provinces.

After Indian independence in 1947, the district was incorporated into the state of Madhya Pradesh on its formation in 1956. Hoshangabad continued as a district headquarters and as the seat of the Hoshangabad division. In 2021, the city and district were officially renamed Narmadapuram.

Administration

The city functions as the headquarters of Narmadapuram (formerly Hoshangabad) district and division. Civic administration is carried out by a municipal council. The city sends representatives to the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly and forms part of the Hoshangabad Lok Sabha constituency.

Economy

The economy is based largely on agriculture, agro-trade and government services. The fertile Narmada plain supports cultivation of wheat, soybean, gram and pulses, and Hoshangabad is a regional grain market. The Security Paper Mill at Hoshangabad, established in 1968 and operated by the Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India (SPMCIL) under the Ministry of Finance, manufactures specialised security paper used for Indian banknotes and is one of the city's most prominent institutions.

Transport

Hoshangabad lies on the Itarsi–Bhopal section of the Indian Railways network, with Hoshangabad railway station providing connectivity in the West Central Railway zone. The major junction of Itarsi, one of central India's most important railway interchanges, is located a short distance away. National and state highways link the city to Bhopal, the state capital, roughly 75 km to the north, and to Itarsi and Pachmarhi.

Culture and religion

The Narmada riverfront at Hoshangabad is lined with ghats and temples, and the city is a stop on the traditional Narmada Parikrama, the circumambulatory pilgrimage