Burhanpur is a historic city and the administrative headquarters of Burhanpur district in the southern part of Madhya Pradesh, India. Situated on the north bank of the Tapti River, the city lies near the Maharashtra border and historically served as a strategic gateway between northern India and the Deccan plateau. It is known for its Mughal-era monuments, Sufi shrines, and a long association with the textile and handloom trades.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Madhya Pradesh |
| District | Burhanpur |
| River | Tapti (Tapi) |
| Founded | 1399, by Nasir Khan of the Faruqi dynasty |
| Languages | Hindi, Urdu, Marathi |
| Known for | Mughal heritage, Shahi Qila, Asirgarh Fort, handloom and powerloom textiles |
The city was founded in 1399 by Nasir Khan, the first sultan of the Faruqi dynasty of Khandesh. It is traditionally said to have been named after the Sufi saint Burhan-ud-Din of Daulatabad. Under the Faruqis, Burhanpur grew as the capital of the Khandesh sultanate, while the nearby Asirgarh Fort served as its principal military stronghold.
In 1601, the Mughal emperor Akbar annexed Khandesh after the prolonged siege of Asirgarh, and Burhanpur was incorporated into the Mughal empire. The city subsequently served as a key Mughal base for operations in the Deccan and was for long periods the headquarters of the Khandesh Subah. Mughal princes and governors, including Shah Jahan during his viceroyalty of the Deccan, resided in the city's Shahi Qila (royal palace) overlooking the Tapti.
Burhanpur is closely associated with Mumtaz Mahal, the consort of Shah Jahan, who died in the city in 1631 after the birth of her fourteenth child. Her body was initially interred at Ahukhana, a riverside garden across the Tapti, before being moved to Agra, where she was finally entombed at the Taj Mahal.
After the decline of Mughal authority in the eighteenth century, Burhanpur came under Maratha control, passing through the hands of the Nizam, the Peshwas, the Holkars and the Sindhias. It was eventually ceded to the British and became part of the Central Provinces. Following the linguistic reorganisation of states in 1956, the area became part of Madhya Pradesh. Burhanpur district was carved out of East Nimar (Khandwa) district in 2003, with the city as its headquarters.
Burhanpur lies in the Tapti valley, flanked by the Satpura range to the south. The Tapti River and its tributaries supply water to the city and surrounding agricultural belt. The climate is tropical, with hot summers, a monsoon season from June to September, and mild winters. The city is historically notable for its underground waterworks known locally as the Khooni Bhandara (Mughal-era qanats), built in the early seventeenth century to supply water through a network of subterranean channels.
Burhanpur has a long-established textile industry, particularly in handloom and powerloom production, and is a significant centre for the manufacture of saris and synthetic fabrics. Agriculture in the surrounding district focuses on bananas — for which the region is one of India's leading producers — along with cotton, sugarcane and wheat. Trade in agricultural produce, ginning, and small-scale manufacturing are important to the local economy.