Formerly, the city of Indore was known by many different names. The first expected name of the city was Indreshwar which was named after the Indreshwar Temple in the city. Before this name was used, it was known as Ahilyanagari (The city of Queen Ahilyabai Holkar).
Year 1607 to 1794 - Ahilyanagari,
Year 1800 to 1950 - Indhur,
Year 1958 till Present - Indore
The present name, Indore, originated from the Indreshwar temple constructed in 1741 by Ved Manuj.
Indore has a transitional climate between a tropical wet and dry climate and a humid subtropical climate. Three distinct seasons are observed: summer, monsoon and winter. Summers start in mid-March and can be extremely hot in April and May. Average Summer temperatures may go as high as 42-44.c (100.4 °F) but humidity is very low. Due to Indore's location on the southern edge of the Malwa Plateau, a cool breeze (also referred to as Shab-e-Malwa) in the evenings makes summer nights quite pleasant. The monsoon season starts in late June, with temperatures averaging around 26 °C (79 °F), with sustained, torrential rainfall and high humidity. The average rainfall is 36 inches. Winters start in mid-November and are dry, mild and sunny. Temperatures average about 4–15 °C (39–59 °F), but can fall close to freezing on some nights. In summer temperatures can be sometimes as high as 48–50 °C (118–122 °F) and in winters it can be as low as 2 °C (36 °F).
Indore gets moderate rainfall of 35 to 38 inches (890 to 970 mm) during July-September due to the southwest monsoon
Indore has a large student population and is an educational centre. Most primary and secondary schools in Indore are affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE); however, a number of schools have affiliation with ICSE board, NIOS board and the state level M.P. Board.
Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV), is the major & oldest university of Indore, offering courses in more than 20 fields ranging from law to pharmacy to management at both graduate and postgraduate level.
Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, one of the oldest medical college in country offers varied range of courses in medical sciences.
Having both Indian Institute of Management and Indian Institute of Technology in Indore making it the only city in the country to have both of these institutions.
Indore city has a variety of cultures. Over the years the city of Indore has welcomed people from all castes, creed and colour. People from all corners of the country have migrated & settled in the heart of Madhya Pradesh for their livelihood, education or just for its peaceful culture. People here know to maintain harmony by intermixing and enjoying their life, irrespective of castes or region and by respecting every religion. A city with abundant social life, Indore was included in the Guinness Book of World Records for holding the largest tea party in the world.
Indore is famous for its culinary range and is known for its wide variety of Namkeens, Poha & Jalebi, Chaats (snacks), Kachoris and Samosas, cuisines of various types in different restaurants, and Bengali, Muslim, Rajasthani, continental and confectionery sweets, as well as exotic dishes such as Dal-Bafla, Nihari Gosht and Bafla-Gosht - a delicacy of Indore and Malwa Region.
