Ashoknagar District, Madhya Pradesh :

Ashoknagar District is situated on the north-eastern part of Malwa Plateau between Parvati River and Betwa River, which forms a part of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The Scindia family, as a part of Isagarh District of Gwalior State, ruled Ashoknagar District. One of the most king of Maurya Dynasty, King Ashoka on his return from Ujjain victory halted a night in this district. That is why the name of the district is Ashoknagar.

History :

Ashoknagar district was part of Chedi kingdom of Shishupala in Mahabharata period. In the 6th century B.C, Chanderi area was under Avanti, Dasharna and Chedis. The different famous rulers of Nanda dynasty, Maurya Empire, Sunga dynasty and the monarchs of Magadha, ruled it. After the fall of Mauryan Empire, the Gupta Empire and the Maukharias ruled this district with pomp and power. Later, Harshvardhana, the ruler of Thaneshwar ruled this district with peace in 8th-9th century AD. Later in the medieval times, it fell to the Pratihara Empire and the Rajputs.

The seventh descendent of Pratihara dynasty, Raja Kirtipal founded Chanderi city in the 10th -11th century AD. After the fall of Pratihara dynasty, the Chandella dynasty came in to being. The Chandella king, Jejak bhukti also ruled here briefly. Chanderi kingdom was also affected by repeated invasions of Mahmud of Ghazni in the 11th century AD. After establishment of Delhi Sultanate, the Turks, Afghans and Mughal dynasty ruled it. During the reign of Chanderi's Bundela ruler Morprahalad, the Ruler of Gwalior State, Daulat Rao Scindia sent his general John Baptiste to attack Chanderi Fort. He captured Chanderi, Isagarh and nearby areas of that part. The last Bundela ruler of Chanderi Raja Mardan Singh made supreme sacrifice as a freedom fighter during the time of Sepoy Mutiny 1857.

Geography :

The total area of this district measures 4673.94 square kilometres. The eastern and western parts of the district of this district are well bounded by rivers. The Betwa River separates this district from the district of Lalitpur districtof Uttar Pradesh and the Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh. River Parvati is the main river flowing along the western boundary of this district. Vidisha district lies to the south of Ashoknagar District. The western part of the Ashoknagar District is bounded by Kali Sindh River, which also separates it from the Guna district.

Demography :

According to the population Census in 2011, Ashoknagar District had population of 844,979 Out of which the male and female were 444,651 and 400,328 respectively. Ashoknagar District population constituted 1.16 percent of total population of Madhya Pradesh.

Economy :

The main occupation of the people of Ashoknagar District is agriculture. The main cereal crops cultivated in this district are rice, bajra, jowar, wheat, maize and barley and the main pulses grown in this district are sugarcane, spices and condiments, sesame and linseed. Ashoknagar District is also famous for its market. It includes textiles, automobiles, utensils, cement industry, groceries, gold ornaments and many other things. It is a business abode and people from all around the division come over here for the trade and commerce.

Tourism :

Chanderi :

Chanderi fort is situated on a hill 71 meter above the town .The fortification walls were constructed mainly by the Muslim rulers of Chanderi. The main approach to present fort is through a series of three gates the uppermost of which is known as Hawa Paur and lowermost is called the Khuni Darwaja or the gate of blood. The peculiar name is derived from the fact that criminals were executed at this point by hurling them from the battlements above and thus dashing their bodies into pieces at foot. Within the fort there are only two ruined buildings the Hawa and Nau-Khanda Mahals built by Bundela Chiefs

To the south west of the fort there is a gateway called katti-ghatti made through hill side. It is 59 meter long 12 meter broad and 24.6 meter high in the middle of its portion of the rock has been view into the shape of a gate, with a points arch, flanked by a slopping towers.

Kaushak Mahal of Chanderi :

The Kaushak Mahal of Chanderi is referred to in Tawarikh-i-Ferishta. It is recorded in it that, in A.H. 849(CAD 1445). Mehmood Shah Khilji of Malwa was passing through Chanderi. He ordered a seven storied palace to be built there. Kaushak Mahal is outcome of that order. It is an imposing building - though standing in a half ruined condition. To the south, east and north of the town are the palaces of Ramnagar, Panchamnagar and Singhpur respectively. All are built by Bundela Chiefs of Chanderi in the 18th Century.

Issagarh :

Kadwaya a small village of Ashoknagar tehsil contains a number of temples. One of these temples has been constructed in the 10th century in Kachhapaghata style of architecture. It has its garbha-griha (sanctum), antaral and mandapa. The temple contains short pilgrimis records of A.D. 1067 and 1105. Another old temple of Kadwaya is known as Chandal math. The village possesses a ruined monastery, from a very old record was picked up which it is stated that to monestor was built to house some members of Shaiva sect known as Matta Mourya. During Akbar's reign Kadwaya was the headquarters of a mahal in the Gwalior's sarkar of the subah of Agra.

Thubonji Sidhdha Kshetra :

Here are a group of 26 temples. This sacred place Thuvonji came to knowledge during the period of the businessman Shri Padashah.[citation needed] It is said that Shri Padashah was dealing in Metal Tin and when he put his Metal Tin here it got converted into Silver. There are a group of 26 temples with many idols. Temple No. 15 is the main among them known as big temple here, with 28 feet high colossus of Lord Adinath in standing posture, installed in Vikram Samvat 1672.