Overview
Mandsaur district is an administrative district in the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Located in the northwestern part of the state, it lies on the Malwa plateau and shares a border with the state of Rajasthan. The district headquarters is the town of Mandsaur, and the district is part of the Ujjain division.
Key facts
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Madhya Pradesh |
| Division | Ujjain |
| Headquarters | Mandsaur |
| Region | Malwa |
| Type | District |
Geography
Mandsaur district lies on the Malwa plateau, drained chiefly by the Chambal river and its tributaries, including the Shivna, on whose bank the headquarters town stands. The district is bounded by Neemuch district to the north and west, Ratlam district to the south, and Rajasthan to the north and east, with neighbouring areas including parts of the Kota and Chittorgarh regions. The terrain is largely undulating plateau country with black cotton soil, suitable for the cultivation of rabi crops such as wheat and gram, along with soybean in the kharif season. The district is also widely known for its commercial cultivation of opium poppy under licence from the Central Bureau of Narcotics, and for the production of slaked lime and slate-pencil stone.
Administration
The district is administered by a District Collector and Magistrate, supported by a Superintendent of Police for law and order. For revenue and development purposes, the district is divided into several tehsils and community development blocks. The original Mandsaur district was reorganised in 1998, when its northern portion was carved out to form the separate Neemuch district.
History
The region of Mandsaur has a long recorded history. The town of Mandsaur is identified with ancient Dasapura, mentioned in inscriptions of the Gupta period. The well-known Mandsaur stone inscription of Kumaragupta I and Bandhuvarman, dated to the 5th century CE, records the construction of a sun temple by a guild of silk weavers who had migrated from Lata. The area was also associated with the Aulikara dynasty, whose ruler Yashodharman is commemorated in the Sondani pillar inscriptions near Mandsaur, recording his victory over the Hun chief Mihirakula.
In later centuries the territory passed under the Paramaras of Malwa, the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals, and subsequently the Marathas, particularly the Scindias of Gwalior and the Holkars of Indore. The Treaty of Mandsaur, concluded in January 1818 between the British East India Company and Holkar, marked the end of major Maratha resistance in central India after the Third Anglo-Maratha War. During the British period the area was divided between the Gwalior State, Indore State, and several smaller princely entities, and was integrated into the new state of Madhya Bharat after Indian independence in 1947–48. With the reorganisation of states in 1956, the district became part of Madhya Pradesh.
Economy
The economy of Mandsaur district is predominantly agricultural. Major crops include soybean, wheat, gram, maize, garlic, coriander, isabgol (psyllium), and licensed opium. Mandsaur is among the principal centres in India for the cultivation of opium poppy, processed at government factories at Neemuch and Ghazipur. Garlic and coriander grown in the district are traded in large volumes through the agricultural produce market in Mandsaur town. Industry in the district is limited, comprising agro-processing units, oil mills, cement and lime works, and small-scale manufacturing.
Demographics and culture
The population of the district is largely Hindi-speaking, with Malvi widely used as a regional dialect of Hindi. Major communities include various Hindu castes and a Jain population that historically played a significant role in trade and temple building in the region. The district has a number of religious and historical sites, including the Pashupatinath temple at Mandsaur on the Shivna river, noted for its eight-faced stone image of Shiva, and the Sondani site with its Aulikara-era pillars.
Transport
Mandsaur is connected by the Ratlam–Nagda–Kota line of the Western Railway, providing rail links to Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and other major cities. National and state highways link the district to Indore, Ujjain, Kota, and Udaipur. The nearest major airports are at Indore and Udaipur.
Related topics
- Mandsaur
- Neemuch district
- Malwa
- Ujjain division
- Districts of Madhya Pradesh
- Mandsaur inscription of Yashodharman
- Treaty of Mandsaur
References
- Wikidata entity: Q1870014
- Government of Madhya Pradesh, district profile of Mandsaur.
- Census of India, district handbook for Mandsaur.