Khandwa is a city in the Nimar region of southwestern Madhya Pradesh, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Khandwa district (formerly known as East Nimar) and serves as a major railway junction on the route between Mumbai and northern India. The city lies on the plateau between the Narmada and Tapti rivers and has historically been an important commercial centre for the surrounding agricultural region.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| State | Madhya Pradesh |
| District | Khandwa (East Nimar) |
| Region | Nimar |
| Languages | Hindi, Nimadi |
| Civic body | Khandwa Municipal Corporation |
Khandwa is situated on the Malwa plateau, at a transitional zone between the Vindhya and Satpura hill ranges. The Narmada flows to the north of the district and the Tapti to the south. The terrain around the city is largely undulating, with black cotton soil that supports cultivation of cotton, soybean, wheat and pulses.
Khandwa has long been associated with the medieval Nimar tract. Local tradition and inscriptions connect the area to Jain pilgrimage activity, with Khandwa identified as one of the sites linked to the cluster known historically as Khandavavardhana. The region passed through the control of various powers including the Paramaras of Malwa, the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals, the Marathas (notably the Holkars of Indore), and finally the British, under whom Nimar district was organised within the Central Provinces.
After Indian independence in 1947, the area became part of Madhya Bharat and, following the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, of Madhya Pradesh. In 1998, the older Nimar district was divided, and the present Khandwa (East Nimar) district was formed.
Khandwa Junction is a significant station on the Indian Railways network, sitting at the meeting point of the Mumbai–Itarsi mainline and lines connecting towards Indore, Akola and Bhusawal. The conversion of the metre-gauge sections passing through Khandwa to broad gauge under the Akola–Khandwa and Mhow–Khandwa projects has been a major infrastructure focus in recent decades. The city is connected by road to Indore, Bhopal, Burhanpur and Omkareshwar.
Khandwa is widely known as the birthplace of the playback singer and actor Kishore Kumar (1929–1987), and a memorial dedicated to him is located in the city. The town also has cultural connections to the singer-actor Ashok Kumar, Kishore Kumar's elder brother. Local festivals reflect the wider Nimadi cultural tradition, with prominent celebration of Diwali, Holi and Navratri.
The nearby pilgrimage town of Omkareshwar, home to one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva, lies on the Narmada about 70 km from Khandwa and draws visitors who often pass through the city.
The economy of Khandwa rests on agriculture and agro-processing, trade in cotton and oilseeds, small-scale manufacturing, and services associated with its role as a district headquarters and railway junction. The Singaji Thermal Power Project, located in the district at Dongalia, is among the larger power generation facilities in Madhya Pradesh and has added an industrial dimension to the local economy.
The city is governed by the Khandwa Municipal Corporation. Khandwa is also a Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency, which covers the city along with surrounding assembly segments in the Nimar belt.