Historically a center of the Kalchuri and Gond dynasties, Jabalpur developed a syncretic culture influenced by the intermittent reigns of the Maratha and Mughal empires. In the early nineteenth century, it was gradually annexed in British India as Jubbulpore and incorporated as a major cantonment town. Post-independence, there have been demands for a separate state of Mahakoshal with Jabalpur as its capital.
Jabalpur was also the epicenter of a major earthquake in 1997. Jabalpur is known for its picturesque marble rock formations (Bhedaghat) on the banks of the river Narmada. Because it is the army headquarters of five states (Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Bihar and Jharkhand), one sixth of the city is occupied by the Indian Army.
Jabalpur is also the birthplace of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Several important federal and state institutions are located in Jabalpur, including the Government NSCB Medical College Hospital, the premier technology institute Jabalpur Engineering College; the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing, Jabalpur; the Madhya Pradesh High Court; 4 Indian Ordnance Factories of the gigantic Ordnance Factories Board; the Madhya Pradesh