Vidisha | |
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City | |
 Ancient Sculpture of Varahavtar,Udayagiri -vidisha-banner_(1).jpg) Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical College  Vidisha Railway Station | |
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  Vidisha Location within Madhya Pradesh Show map of Madhya Pradesh Vidisha Location within India Show map of India | |
| Coordinates:23°32′N77°49′E / 23.53°N 77.82°E /23.53; 77.82 | |
| Country |  India |
| State |  Madhya Pradesh |
| Division | Bhopal |
| District | Vidisha |
| Lok Sabha seat | Vidisha Lok Sabha constituency |
| Elevation | 424 m (1,391 ft) |
| Population (2021) | |
• Total | 255,959 |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PINs | 464 001 |
| Area code | +91-755 |
| Vehicle registration | MP-40 |
| Official language | Hindi |
| Website | vidisha |
Vidisha (formerly known asBhelsa and known asBesnagar andBhaddilpur in ancient times) is a city inIndian state ofMadhya Pradesh and the administrative headquarters ofVidisha district. It is located 62.5 km northeast of the state capital,Bhopal. The name "Vidisha" is derived from the nearby river "Bais", mentioned in thePuranas. "Vidisha" also finds its historic reference in ancient epicRamayana, under the rule ofRama's youngest brotherShatrughna, later on under the rule of Shatrughna's younger sonShatrughati.[1]
The district was created as Bhilsa District in 1904 by joining the tehsils of Vidisha (also known as Bhilsa) and Basoda (but not Basoda State) which were then part of Gwalior state. After India's independence in 1947, the former princely state of Gwalior became part ofMadhya Bharat state, which was formed in 1948.[2]
Vidishā was the administrative headquarters ofBhelsa, orBhilsa, during the Medieval period. It was renamed Vidisha in 1956.[3] Vidisha is also amongst the 112 Aspirational District in the Aspirational District Programme launched by NITI Aayog in 2018.[4] Towards the seventh or eighth century, Bhadravati was raised from its ruins by a Bheel chieftain, who surrounded it with walls, and gave it the name of Bhilsa. When, in the year 1230, the Emperor Altamsh took possession of it, it was the seat of a Rajpoot prince of the Chohan clan. It was not, however, finally wrested from the Hindus until the year 1570, under Akbar.[5]
[needs update]As of the2011 Census of India, Vidisha had a population of 155,959. Males constitute 53.21% of the population and females 46.79%. Vidisha has an average literacy rate of 86.88%, higher than the national average of 74.04%: male literacy is 92.29%, and female literacy is 80.98%. In Vidisha, 15% of the population is under 6 years of age.[6]
The town is situated east of theBetwa River, in the fork of the Betwa and Bes rivers, 9 km fromSanchi. The town of Besnagar, 3 km from present-day Vidisha on the west side of the river, became an important trade centre in the 6th and 5th centuries BCE, under theShungas,Nagas,Satavahanas, andGuptas, and was mentioned in thePali scriptures. The EmperorAshoka was the governor of Vidisha during his father's lifetime. His Buddhist Empress Vidisha Devi who was also his first wife, was brought up in Vidisha. It finds mention inKalidasa'sMeghaduta.[2]
The ruins of Besnagar were inspected byAlexander Cunningham in 1874–1875.[7] Remains of a large defensive wall were found on the western side of the city.[7] Ancient Buddhist railings were also found just outside of the city, which had probably adorned astupa.[7] Numerous coins were found, including nine coins of theWestern Satraps.[7]
TheHeliodorus Pillar is a stone column, which was constructed in about 150 BCE. This stone column was erected by the Greek ambassador of the Indo-Greek KingAntialcidas, who came to the court of Bhagabhadra, a possibleSunga king. Dedicated to LordVāsudeva, this column was constructed in front of the temple of Vāsudeva. The pillar is situated about four kilometers away from the city on Vidisha-Ganj Basoda SH-14, located on the northern bank of the Vais River. It is a 20 feet and 7 inches tall stone pillar, commonly calledKham Baba.[7] The script used in the inscription isBrahmi but the language isPrakrit, recording thatHeliodorus erected the pillar as a Garuda Stambha to pay homage to Lord Vasudeva, who was later integrated as a manifestation of LordVishnu.[8]
Besnagar was known as Bhelsa during the medieval period.[citation needed] It became famous for the temple of Sun god Bhillasvamin.[9] It was ruled by theLater Gupta kingDevagupta of Malwa andRashtrakuta kingKrishna III. The name is first noted in an inscription of 878 CE by a merchant Hatiaka ofParavada community.[10] The 12th-centuryTri-shashthi-shalaka-purusha-charitra mentions an image of Bhillasvamin at Vidisa, along with a copy ofJivant Swami buried in the sand.[11] Minhajuddin'sTabaqat-i-Nusiri states that the temple was destroyed byIltutmish in 1233–34 CE.[12]
In 1293,Alauddin Khalji of theDelhi Sultanatesacked the city as a general ofSultan Jalaluddin. The attack was illustrative of Vidisha's importance in the medieval era.[13] In 1532 Bhilsa was sacked by Bahadur Shah of Gujarat Sultanate. It then passed on to theMalwaSultans, theMughals and theScindias.
Vidisha is considered to be PuranakshetrasJain tirtha. Vidisha is also believed to be the birthplace ofShitalanatha, the tenthtirthankar.[14] There are 14 temples in Vidisha, among which Bada Mandir, Bajramath Jain temple, Maladevi temple, Gadarmal temple and Pathari Jain temple, built between 9th-10th centuries CE, are the most prominent. These temples are rich in architecture.[15][16][17][18]
| Climate data for Vidisha (1981–2010, extremes 1970–2003) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 35.0 (95.0) | 36.2 (97.2) | 42.1 (107.8) | 46.9 (116.4) | 49.1 (120.4) | 49.0 (120.2) | 43.3 (109.9) | 38.6 (101.5) | 39.0 (102.2) | 40.8 (105.4) | 38.0 (100.4) | 35.0 (95.0) | 49.1 (120.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 26.2 (79.2) | 29.5 (85.1) | 34.7 (94.5) | 40.2 (104.4) | 42.8 (109.0) | 38.9 (102.0) | 32.3 (90.1) | 30.3 (86.5) | 32.2 (90.0) | 34.0 (93.2) | 31.4 (88.5) | 27.9 (82.2) | 33.4 (92.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 8.3 (46.9) | 10.8 (51.4) | 15.3 (59.5) | 20.5 (68.9) | 26.1 (79.0) | 25.5 (77.9) | 23.4 (74.1) | 23.6 (74.5) | 21.5 (70.7) | 18.3 (64.9) | 13.0 (55.4) | 9.1 (48.4) | 17.9 (64.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 0.0 (32.0) | 2.5 (36.5) | 5.8 (42.4) | 13.1 (55.6) | 18.5 (65.3) | 16.3 (61.3) | 13.0 (55.4) | 10.0 (50.0) | 10.1 (50.2) | 11.0 (51.8) | 4.9 (40.8) | 3.1 (37.6) | 0.0 (32.0) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 5.9 (0.23) | 12.2 (0.48) | 11.4 (0.45) | 3.8 (0.15) | 17.9 (0.70) | 116.7 (4.59) | 310.5 (12.22) | 332.0 (13.07) | 177.4 (6.98) | 48.3 (1.90) | 6.1 (0.24) | 5.4 (0.21) | 1,047.3 (41.23) |
| Average rainy days | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 6.7 | 12.5 | 13.4 | 7.5 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 47.2 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%)(at 17:30IST) | 51 | 42 | 32 | 27 | 26 | 49 | 73 | 81 | 71 | 50 | 46 | 47 | 50 |
| Source:India Meteorological Department[19][20] | |||||||||||||
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Near the eastern edge of the old town are the remains of a large temple of the lateParamara period known as theBijamaṇḍal. The building was probably started in the second half of the 11th century. That it was never finished is evidenced by the unfinished carved niches and architectural pieces found round the base of the temple plinth.[22] On top of the plinth is a small mosque made using pillars, one of which has an inscription dating probably from the time of king Naravarman (circa 1094–1134). It is a devotional inscription revering Carccikā (i.e. Cāmuṇḍā), of whom he was a devotee.[23] Themiḥrāb suggests the mosque was constructed in the late 14th century. To one side of the Bijamaṇḍal is a store house of theArchaeological Survey of India containing many sculptures collected in the neighbourhood. A step-well of the 7th century is in the same campus and has, beside the entrance, two tall pillars with Kṛṣṇa scenes. These are the earliest Kṛṣṇa scenes in the art of central India. The dimensions of Bijamandal Temple at Vidisha are comparable to those ofKonark in Orissa.
Lohangi Pir is a rock formation in Vidisha District that derives its name from Shaykh Jalal Chishti, a saint who was locally known as Lohangi Pir. This small domed building is a tomb, which has two Persian inscriptions on it. One of the inscriptions dates back to 1460 CE, while the other is from 1583 CE. The tank and a large bell-capital dating back to the 1st century BCE can be seen on the nearby hill. Near the tomb are the remains of a medieval temple that survived as a pillared crypt. These are dedicated to Goddess Annapurna. Lohangi is a large rock right in the heart of Vidisha, within walking distance of the railway station, is of religious and historical significance in the region.[24]
Udaygiri is less than 10 km from Vidisha town. It is a series of at least 20 caves, containing both Hindu and Jain sculptures from the Gupta Era, sometime between the 4th and 5th century CE. According to Jain texts, Tirthankara Sheetal Nath attained nirvana here. It is basically a small hill where intricate sculptures have been cut out of the rocks.
Maladevi temple is a grand Portal of ninth century CE, situated on the eastern slope of a hill and built on a huge platform cut out of the hillside and strengthened by a massive retaining wall, Maladevi temple's imposing structure provides a panoramic valley view, in Gyaraspur, about 40 km from Vidisha along NH-86.[25]
Hindola Torana - Hindola means a swing and Torana is an arched gate - is a magnificent artwork of the 9th century or medieval period, situated in Gyaraspur. It is a developed, ornamental and decorated arched gate made of sandstone. On both of its pillars, Lord Vishnu's ten incarnations are engraved. Near it, four carved and sculpted pillars and beams seem to be the ruins of Trimurthy temple set on one raised platform, as Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, Goddess Parvati and their servants are sculpted on these pillars and beams. The gate may be an entrance gate for a temple for Vishnu, Shiva or Thirumurthy.
Bajramath Temple is situated in Gyaraspur, on NH-146 behind the Sub-Judicial Magistrate and Tehsildar's Office. The temple faces the east, and was a Hindu temple later transformed into aJain temple. It is just opposite the hill on which Maladevi temple is situated.[26]
Dashavtar Temple is situated on the north of the local lake, where ruins of a group of small Vaishnava shrines can be found. These small Vaishnava shrines are popularly known as Sadhavatara Temple. The temple comprises a large open pillared hall, in which the pillars are dedicated to the ten incarnations of Vishnu. These pillars date back from 8th to 10th century CE. Towards the western bank of the lake lie the ruins of sati pillars that date back to 9th or 10th century CE. One of these pillars is carved with four sculptured faces that depict a seated group of Hara-Gauri.
Girdhari Temple, which is known for its sculptures and fine carvings, is a popular attraction in Sironj. The ancient shrines of Jatashankar and Mahamaya are located close to this temple. Jatashankar Temple is situated 3 km towards the south-west of Sironj in the forest area. On the other hand, Mahamaya Temple is situated 5 km south-west of Sironj.
Udayeshwara Temple, located in Udaipur village of the Basoda Tehsil, is one of the most prominent Hindu shrines in the region. The inscriptions found in this temple suggest that the Udaipur Town was founded by the Parmara King Udayaditya during the 11th century CE. Other inscriptions found at the temple suggest that Parmara King Udayaditya dedicated it to Lord Shiva.
Vidisha Museum orVidisha District Museum is the main museum of the city of Vidisha.[27][28][29]
The museum has many sculptures, terracottas and coins, especially from the 9th to the 10th century CE, as well asHarrappan art.[28]
Vidisha railway station is a railway station on the Delhi-Chennai, Delhi-Mumbai main line of the Central Railway, at a distance of 54 km fromBhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh.Sanchi on the Jhansi-Itarsi section of theWest Central Railway andBhopal toBina triple electrifiedbroad gauge lines, from Bina toKatni double electrified Lines, Vidisha 102 km from Bina, and Vidisha, 9 km from Sanchi, are more convenient. Vidisha is also well-connected by road.
Vidisha has many primary and secondary schools affiliated with theMadhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education. Some schools choose to be affiliated withCentral Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
There is a Grant-in-Aid Autonomous College calledSamrat Ashok Technological Institute (SATI).
Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Medical College, a medical college located in Vidisha.[32] It became functional in 2018 and received its first batch of students in the same year.[33] The number of students admitted in 2018 was 150 whereas in 2019 the intake was increased to 180. Students are admitted to the college throughNEET-UG examination.
There are many more Schools and Colleges in Vidisha:
Agriculture is the primary economic activity, with most of the population engaged in farming.Major crops include wheat, soybean, maize, pulses, and oilseeds.[34]
Much of the district lies within the Betwa River basin, providing ample irrigation facilities. The majority of the population depends on agriculture.[35]
The economy includes industries related to agriculture, such as oilseeds processing, Dairy Products and flour mills.The region hosts small-scale industries producing soaps, detergents, chemicals, textiles and engineering (e.g., steel furniture, agricultural implements).[36]
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