ABSTRACT
This largest state in the Indian republic borders on seven other states: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. Since the country was reorganized along linguistic lines in 1956, Madhya Pradesh has included seventeen Hindi-speaking areas as well as the former Rajasthani-speaking Sironj district. The state comprises twenty former princely states and 1,300 smaller estates (jāgīr). These had been seats of patronage for many diverse performing arts traditions, all of which over time contributed to the region’s rich musical and theatrical culture. The seven river systems (Chambal, Betwa, Som, Narmada, Tapi, Mahanadi, and Indravati), together with the imposing Satpura and Vindhya mountain ranges and the tropical forests covering one third of the state, have also had a perennial influence on artistic expression.
