MALWA PLATEAU

plateau in north central India, bounded by the Gujarat Plains on the west, the Vindhya Range on the south, the Madhya Bharat Plateau and Bundelkhand Upland on the north, and the Vindhya Range on the east. Of volcanic origin, the plateau comprises central Madhya Pradesh state and southeastern Rajasthan state. The name Malwa is derived from the Sanskrit term Malav and means part of the abode of Laksmi (goddess of wealth). The plateau was ruled successively by the Maurya, Gupta, and Paramara dynasties; many Buddhist temples and monuments (e.g., the Sanchi Stupas), noted for their architecture and sculpture, were built. The plateau was conquered by the Muslims in AD 1390 and became part of the Maratha empire; then in 1817 it passed to the British. The Malwa Plateau has an elevation of from 1,650 ft (500 m) to 2,000 ft; erosion has carved the lavas into isolated mesas found throughout the plateau, together with an occasional sandstone hill. The western part of the region is drained by the Mahi River, the middle section by the Chambal River, and the eastern part by the Betwa River and the headwaters of the Dhasan and Ken rivers. Other rivers include the Parbati, Sipra, Chambal, Gambhir, and Choti Kali Sindh, their valleys flanked by terraced slopes. Vegetation is of the savanna type with scattered teak and sal (Shorea) forests. The regional economy is mostly agricultural; cereals, pulse (legumes), oilseeds, and cotton are the main crops. Industries produce cotton textiles, ginned cotton, sugar, vegetable oil, lumber, and paper. The Chambal Valley Development Scheme provides water for irrigation and hydroelectric power. Ratlam has ceramic factories, Bhopal and Ujjain have engineering industries, and Indore has a foundry. Many trunk roads pass through the region; there are airports at Indore and Bhopal.