Madhya Pradesh ( listen ) "Middle Province"; abbreviated MP, often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal.Madhya Pradesh was the largest state in India until 1 November 2000, when the state of Chhattisgarh was carved out. It borders the states Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan. The state has an area of 308,252 km2 ( 119,017 sq mi ).Madhya Pradesh occupies perhaps the oldest part of the subcontinent - called the Gondwana - the home of the Gonds. Close to Bhopal at Bhimbetka are the prehistoric caves that preserve some fascinating paintings dating back to paleolithic times. Experts have concluded that these are at least as old as the specimen at Pyrnees. This was perhaps one of the earliest dwellings of human beings.In fact, the excavations here have revealed a cultural sequence right from the late stone age to the early historical period.
