Indore originally planned and built by Rani Ahilyabai, a courageous queen of the medieval Holkar dynasty, lies to the extreme west of Madhya Pradesh, literally the central state. The city, which is centred around the confluence of the rivers Saraswati and Khan, derives its name from the 18th century Indreshwar temple. The city has several other interesting monuments associated with the rule of the Holkars.

The city is a major textile-producing centre and 35 km away is Pithampur, an industrial area where most of the major vehicle-producing companies of the country have factories. Pithampur is often referred to as the Detroit of India and Indore is said to be its gateway.