Vidisha District is a district of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. The city of Vidisha is the administrative headquarters of the district. Vidisha or Besnagar as it is called in the Pali scriptures, once the prosperous capital of the western dominions of the Sungas, contains some remarkable antiquities that throw light on the considerable architectural development of the period. Situated in the fork of the Betwa and Bes rivers, Vidisha, 10 km from Sanchi, occupies an important place amongst the ancient cities in India. In the 6th and 5th centuries BC, it rose to become an important trade centre and a bustling city under the Sungas, Nagas, Satvahanas and Guptas. The Emperor Ashoka was governor of Vidisha, and it finds mention in Kalidasa's immortal Meghdoot.

The District is situated in Eastern part of the fertile Malwa Region. The Tropic of Cancer passes through the Southern stretch of the District about 2 km South of the District Head Quarters. It is bounded in the North by Guna District in the South by Raisen District and in the East by Sagar District.

Vidisha History

The district was created in 1904 by joining the tehsils of Vidisha and Basoda, which were then part of Gwalior state. After India's independence in 1947, the former princely state of Gwalior became part of Madhya Bharat state, which was formed in 1948. Vidisha District was enlarged in 1949 by the addition of the small princely state of Kurwai. The district took its present form in 1956, when Madhya Bharat state, Bhopal state, and the tehsil of Sironj, then part of Rajasthan state and previously part of the princely state of Tonk, were both merged into Madhya Pradesh state. Sironj tehsil and the small pargana of Piklone from Bhopal state were merged into Vidisha District.

Vidisha Climate
   
  The climate of the District is generally dry except during the South West. The nights are generally pleasant and justify the praise by the Mughals for a Shab-E-Malwa famous through out the India. The monsoon in generally during June and continues the end of September. The year may be divided into four seasons. The cold season from December to February is followed by the Hot season till mid-June. The period from mid-June to about the end of September constitute the South-West Monsoon. October and November may be termed the post monsoon or retreating monsoon. The average annual rainfall in the district is 1,229.9 m.m. During the summer season on individual days the maximum temperature goes above 460C. After October both the day and night temperatures steadily decreases till January which is the coldest month. The district is affected by cold waves during the cold season in association with the western disturbances passing across the northern part on India and the minimum temperature may drop down occasionally to a degree or so above the freezing point of water and frosts may occur. 

Tourism Vidisha     
   
The District Head Quarters town as it stands today is different from the old town of Vidisha or Besnagar. Till 1956, its name was Bhilsa. After that it was renamed as Vidisha for its close proximity to that glorious city of great antiquity.

Tourist places in Vidisha
Udaigiri Caves
Holiodorous Pillar
Bijamandal OR Vijayamandira Temple
Gyaraspur
Maladevi Temple
Hindola Torana
Bajramath Temple
Shalbhanjika
Udayeshwara Temple
Badoh-Pathari
Gadarmal Temple
Dashavtar Temple
Sola-Kambi Temple
Sironj Town
Jain Images
Girdhari Temple