Morena district is an administrative district of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Located in the northern part of the state in the Chambal region, it lies along the basin of the Chambal River and shares a boundary with the state of Rajasthan to the west and Uttar Pradesh to the north and east. The district headquarters is the town of Morena.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Madhya Pradesh |
| Division | Chambal division |
| Headquarters | Morena |
| Region | Chambal |
| Major river | Chambal |
Morena district forms part of the Chambal division of Madhya Pradesh. The terrain is shaped by the Chambal River and its tributaries, which have created the well-known ravines (beehad) of the region — a deeply eroded badlands landscape historically associated with the dacoit (baaghi) folklore of central India. The district is bordered by Bhind district to the east, Gwalior district to the south, Sheopur district to the west, and parts of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh across the Chambal.
The district is administered by a District Collector and is divided into several tehsils and community development blocks. It falls under the Chambal revenue division, which has its commissionerate at Morena. For policing, the district is part of the Chambal range. The district sends representatives to the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly from constituencies within its boundaries, and lies within the Morena Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency.
The area corresponding to present-day Morena district has a long history of settlement, and was at various times under the influence of regional dynasties including the Kachhwahas, the Tomars of Gwalior, the Mughals, the Marathas (notably the Scindias of Gwalior), and the British. After Independence, the territory became part of the princely state arrangements that were merged into Madhya Bharat, and subsequently into the reorganised state of Madhya Pradesh in 1956. Sheopur district was carved out of Morena district in 1998.
Morena district contains several sites of archaeological and architectural importance:
The district's economy is predominantly agricultural. Cultivation along the Chambal valley and irrigated tracts supports crops such as bajra, jowar, wheat, mustard and pulses. Mustard (sarson) is particularly associated with the region. Stone quarrying, small-scale industry and trade in agricultural produce also contribute to the local economy. The town of Morena lies on important road and rail corridors linking Gwalior with Agra and Delhi.
Morena is served by the Delhi–Chennai main line of Indian Railways, with Morena railway station being a notable stop. National Highway 44 (the north–south corridor) passes through the district, providing road connectivity to Gwalior, Agra and Delhi. The nearest major airport is at Gwalior.
Morena is a Hindi-speaking district, with regional usage of Braj and the local Chambal variant. Hinduism is the predominant religion, with smaller Muslim, Jain and Sikh communities. The district is largely rural, although the town of Morena and a few other centres are urbanised.