English Edition:Foreword of DG, MPCST Contents

Hindi Edition:Foreword of DG, MPCST  Editor’s Introduction Contents

 
India is a land of extraordinary natural and human endowments. Nature has provided almost every part of India with abundant resources for the sustenance of a rich human civilisation; and, the people of India, over millennia of intense interaction with their immediate environment, have learnt the most effective ways of gratefully accepting the nature’s bounty.

Notwithstanding the uninterrupted richness and a certain uniformity of natural endowments over almost the whole of Indian land, the detailed hues of nature, of course, differ in different parts. People in different parts seem to appreciate the special endowments of their niche in the world; in every part, they have developed agronomic practices, irrigation techniques, technologies and crafts, architectural styles, social customs and festivals, and much else, to make a world of their own within the larger Indian physical and civilisational ambience.

It is a great pleasure to observe the special natural endowments and social, cultural and technological practices of different parts of India. There is indeed poetry in the way nature expresses itself in different parts, and in the way the people mould their life in consonance with it.

It is important in itself to learn the details of the geography, geology, climate, demography, landuse, animals, irrigation, agriculture, crafts, industry, culture and religion of different parts of India. It is essential to learn such details, if we want to make any effective and sensitive developmental intervention in their life and environment. M. P. District Resource Atlas Programme is designed to collect such technical details for every district, and also to capture the poetry of the interaction between nature and civilisation.

Tikamgarh is part of Bundelkhand; it corresponds to the historic Bundela state of Orchha. Geographically, Bundelkhand constitutes a well-defined region enclosed within a semi-circle formed by the Vindhyan plateau on the south and west and the Yamuna running along its northeast diagonal. Geologically, the region is formed of an expanse of massive granites known as the Bundelkhand Craton. As we move towards north and east, the granites are covered by alluvium and the region slowly merges into the Ganga-Yamuna plains.

Bundelkhand is endowed with several rivers that flow in the northeast direction to join Yamuna at different points. Betwa, the most significant river of the region, flows a short distance along the northern boundary of Tikamgarh. Jamni and Dhasan, two of the larger tributaries of Betwa, define most of the western and eastern boundaries of the district.

Historically, Bundelkhand has been ruled for several centuries by the Chandellas and Bundelas. Both of these great dynasties gave rise to several powerful kings, who were also great builders. They have left behind a large number of temples, tanks, palaces and forts of great architectural value. Tikamgarh district is especially known for the temple of Ram Raja and several other temples and palaces of Orchha.

Bundelkhand has been agriculturally affluent. However, in recent years, the region and the district have seen a wideranging decline. The data collected in this volume draws attention to this unfortunate circumstance.

I am thankful to the MPCST for accepting our proposal and giving us the opportunity to learn so much about the land and people of the districts of Madhya Pradesh. I am especially thankful to

Prof. Pramod K. Verma, the Director-General, who, as Director of RSAC at the time this project was initiated, signed the MOU concerning this project in the presence of the Honourable Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. The Chief Minister and the honourable Minister for Science and Technology have been taking personal interest in this effort. All departments of Madhya Pradesh administration, and especially the Commissioner of Land Records and his officers, have generously shared their data resources with us. The district administration of Tikamgarh and the Collector himself have readily provided whatever support we have asked for. We are thankful to all of them.

I thank Dr. M. D. Srinivas and other colleagues in the Centre for their unstinting help and encouragement. And, I affectionately acknowledge the several contributions of Anjaneya, Jeevisha, Archan and Kusum.

From the Editor’s Introduction

J. K. Bajaj (Editor-in-Chief and Volume Editor)
Centre for Policy Studies, Chennai, 2012
M.P. Council of Science and Technology, Bhopal
ISBN 81-86041-37-0 hb (English)
ISBN 81-86041-44-3 hb (Hindi)
Price Rs.1000/- hb