Shajapur District is a district of Madhya Pradesh state of central India. The town of Shajapur is the district headquarters.
Shajapur District is part of the Malwa Plateau. The district is situated in the northwestern part of the state and lies between latitudes 32"06' and 24" 19' North and longitudes 75" 41' and 77" 02' East. The district is bounded by Ujjain District to the west, Dewas and Sehore to the south and Rajgarh to the north. Shajapur district is part of Ujjain Division.Shajapur district in Ujjain division was brought during 1981 census. The district is identified from the Headquarters town Shajapur named after honor of Shahjahan the Mughal Emperor who halted here in 1640. It is said that the original name was Shahjahanpur, which subsequently reduces to Shajapur. Since the formation of the Gwalior state, it has remained a district.
History
The district was formerly a district of Gwalior State. When Gwalior acceded to the Government of India after Indian Independence in 1947, Shajapur District, along with the rest of Gwalior State, became part of Madhya Bharat. Madhya Bharat was merged into Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 1956.
Sundersi is a town in Shajapur district on the banks of the Kalisindh River, known for its iconic Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple, mirroring the one found in Ujjain. According to local legends, the historical ties between Sundersi and Ujjain run deep. It is said that Sundarabai, the sister of the renowned King Vikramaditya of Ujjain, entered into wedlock with Bhagwat Singh, the illustrious ruler of Sundersi. The town itself was established by King Sudarshan in 1032 BC, adding to its ancient lineage and rich heritage. As one explores the divine ambiance of the Mahakaleshwar temple and takes in the tranquil beauty of the Kalisindh River, the intertwining tales of love, royalty, and spirituality weave a captivating tapestry that leaves a lasting impression on visitors.
Geography
The entire district is a part of the Deccan Traps flood basalts of the Cretaceous-Paleocene. Alluvium of the recent period is, however, found along the river Parbati in a narrow strip. The district has deep black and shallow black brown and alluvial soils of the northern region. Shajapur is a part of central Madhya Pradesh plateau and Ratlam plateau.
Agar-Malwa (Baijnath Dham) This is the western part of the district covering the major areas of Agar malwa tehsil. There is a hill tract in the west of Badod town showing scattered hillocks in a north-south direction. The presence of hills in the center has affected the drainage pattern. The height of this tract varies between 500 and 545 meters above the mean sea level and it slopes towards the north. Dudhaliy and Kachhol are the main streams in the west, originating from the hill tract and draining towards the west. Chhoti Kali Sindh, which is the main perennial stream of the region, flows northwards on the western border of the region.
Shajapur forested upland
The region stretches from north to south in the middle of the district covering considerable portions of Agar Malwa and Shajapur tehsils and a small part of Susner tehsil. It is a part of the Malwa plateau with typical topography. There is a continuous chain of hills throughout the entire region. The height of the region varies between 450 and 530 meters above the mean sea level. The surface height decreases towards the north. Since it is an upland area, a number of seasonal streams originate from this zone and drain mostly towards the east. Lakundar and Ahu are the main streams flowing from south to north in this region. The streams that join the Lakundar river on its left bank, originate from this hill tract. The Ahu river drains along the western border of the region. The hilly terrain is covered with forest.