Chanderi is a beautiful historical town in Madhya Pradesh located in the picturesque Vindhyanchal hill range. Its geographic location is 24.42 N Longitude and 78.11 E Latitude. 360 meters above sea level. It is situated in an extremely healthy climate in the valley of the ancient Betwa river in the district of Ashok Nagar in Madhya Pradesh.
Chanderi is approachable by road from Lalitpur, Shivpuri, Gwalior, and Mungaoli. Lalitpur is the nearest railway station. It is by road about 210-km Southeast of Gwalior, and some 130-km from Jhansi.
The town is set in a valley surrounded on all sides by the Vindhyanchal range creating a setting that is both isolated and secure. Chanderi is a town that has retained its medieval nature and roots, yet is also stepping gingerly into the modern age. There have been many steps to designate Chanderi as a Heritage Town to help preserve the integrity of its many historic landmarks and Indian medieval culture.
During the rainy season the dense forest and mountain range become lush with plants, wildlife, natural brooks, and waterfalls. Rainfall here is between 700 to 1100 mm a year and in the summer temperatures can rise to 45 degrees and in winter down to 5 degrees.
Chanderi is excessively rich in lakes, water tanks, baolis (step wells). During the period of emperor Akbar, 1200 baolis were counted within Chanderi. There are approximately 375 monuments in Chanderi, but only 11 of them are under the protection of the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) and 5 monuments are under the protection of the Madhya Pradesh State Archaeological Department. Some of the monuments are also under private ownership or owned by the Local Government. The monuments of Chanderi date from the 4th Century A.D. to the 19th Century.
More than 50 percent of Chanderi's population is involved with hand loom cottage industries, making sari, and salwar kamees, and other dress fabric. The other industries here are bidi making, sand stone cutting.
Today the population of Chanderi is Muslim, Hindu and Jain. Current population is about 40,000. Chanderi is a Tehsil and Sub-Divisional head quarter.