Vidisha is a district of Madhya Pradesh, state of central India. The district derives its name from the head quarter town of Vidisha. Previously it was called Bhilsa, but after 1956, it was called as Besnagar and after that, it was changed to Vidisha. It is one of the famous historical places of Madhya Pradesh.

History of Vidisha District
There is a reference of Vidisha in the Indian Epic, Ramayana. It is stated that Shatrughna`s son , Shatrughati was placed in the charge of Vidisha. But in Bramhincal literature`s religious observance, the place is called Bhadravati, the residence of Yuvanashva who supplied the famous horse to Yudhishthir during his Ashwamedha sacrifice.

The history of Besnagar can be finding three kilometers away from Vidisha. There is also mention of Besnagar in Buddhist, Jain and Bramhincal literature in various forms such as Vessanagar, Vaisyanagar. Tradition connects the city with Raja Rukmangada who neglects his own wife for the Apsara `Visva`, for which the town was named Visvanagar after her.

The several Indian Royal Dynasties like the Mayuran Empire, Sunga Dynasty, the Kanvas, the Nagas, the Vakataka Dynasty, the Guptas, the Kalchuries of Mahismati, the Parmars, the Chalukyas, Mughal, Maratha Empire, and the Peshwas were the dynasties who ruled over Vidisha. Later in the year 1904, Vidisha was raised to a district having two Tehsils of Vidisha and Basoda until the formation of Madhya Bharat in 1948. In the year 1949, the town and the district were formed as Vidisha.

Geography of Vidisha District
Vidisha district located of Madhya Pradesh extends between 23ø 21`, 24ø 22` Latitude North and 77ø 15`, 78ø 18` altitude East. The district is situated in the eastern part of the fertile Malwa Region. It is bounded in North by Guna district, South by Raisen district and east by Sagar District. The tropic of Cancer passes through the southern stretch of the district about 2 kilometers south of the district head quarter. The total area of the district is 2,742 square kilometes.

The climate of the Vidisha is normally dry. During summer the temperature is upto 46 degree Celcius and the minimum temperature may drop down to 10 degree also. The average rainfall of the district is 1,229.9-mm.The river Betwa or Vetrawati and Bes are the main rivers of flows through Vidisha

Demographics of Vidisha District
In 2011, Vidisha District had population of 1,458,212 of which male and female were 768,799 and 689,413 respectively. The population density of Vidisha district in 2011 is 198 people per sq. km. While on the contrary, in 2001, Vidisha district density was at 165 people per sq. km. Vidisha district administers 7,371 square kilometers of areas. The average literacy rate of Vidisha in 2011 was 72.08. Now in 2011, the total literate in Vidisha District were 884,829. Out of which male and female were 527,959 and 356,870 respectively.

Culture of Vidisha District
Vidisha people mostly use western Hindi (Malvi and Bundelkhandi) and Gondi as spoken language.Shivratri and Ramnavami are the important festivals of Vidisha people. Festivals of Orchha, Malwa, and Panchmarhi are famous among tribals. Bhagoriya festival is the important festival of tribals.Tansen festival , Gwalior Samaroh, Ustad Alauddin Khan festival are the musical festivals every year organized by the Govt. of Madhya Pradesh. It also includes Maihar, Kalidas Samaroh, and Ujjain Samarohas with dance functions.

Education of Vidisha District
There are several schools and Colleges of the district two law colleges such as LBS Law College and SSL Jain Law College and a Civil Engineering Technology Development Cente are also available.

Economy of Vidisha District
Most of the people of this district are farmers. Betwa River is the main source of irrigation for the production of high quality Wheat, Gram and Soyabin. It is a major tourist place, which also provide livelihood for few section.

Tourism in Vidisha District
Udayagiri Cave- Udaygiri caves are three kilometer away from Vidisha.This is a group of rock- cut- cave sanctuaries. It was built during the region of Chandragupta II (4th to 5th A.D). The caves possess the distinctive feature of Gupta art and its unique vitality. It reveals the first use of cement in India.

Vidisha Museum-This museum has a superb collection of Besnagar`s earliest antiquities, dating from ninth centuries.

Khamba Baba
This pillar bears an inscription, which states that, it is a Garuda Pillar, raised in honour of Vasudeva by Heliodorus, a resident of Taxila. Who had been sent to the court of Bhagabhadra as an envoy of the Indo-Bactrian Monarch, Antialkidas. This pillar reveals the relation between Greek kingdoms and India.

* Gyraspur- It is 41 kilometer from Sanchi Stupa, Gyraspur is a place of considerable importance of the medieval period. Here, the ruins of Athakhumbe and Chaukhumbe are found which are the main pillars of two famous temples of that period.

Udayapur
It is 90 kilometer away from Bhopal. There is a Nilakantheswara temple, which is a fine example of Parmara architecture of the 11th century AD. The temple consists of garbha-griha, sabha mandap and three pravesha mandaps.

Bijamadal, Sahi Masjid and Mandal, Sher Khan Ki Masjid and Pisnari-ka-mandir are some famous monuments of Udaypur.

Vidhisha District is well connected with all the stares of India. Vidisha is a railway station on the Delhi- Chennai, Delhi- Mumbai main line of the central railway at a distance of 56 kilometer from Bhopal.Vidisha is well connected by roadways to major towns and cities of Madhya Pradesh. Regular bus service is available from Bhopal to Vidisha.