Rau

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Rau is a suburb of Indore city in Madhya Pradesh, India. It forms part of the Indore Metropolitan Region and sits on National Highway 52 (formerly NH3), along the Mumbai-Agra Road between Mhow and Indore’s Rajendra Nagar. A road from Rau also leads toward Pithampur. The area is about 530 meters above sea level and has a subtropical climate with hot, dry summers (up to 45°C), a monsoon season with about 800 mm of rain, and cool winters (down to 5–6°C).

As of 2017, Rau had a population of about 40,055 with a literacy rate around 63%. It is connected to Indore, Mhow, and Pithampur by a network of city buses. The nearest railway station is Rau on the Akola–Ratlam line, while Indore Junction is about 14 km away. Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport in Indore serves the area.

Rau falls under the Indore parliamentary constituency and has its own Rau Assembly seat. The current MLA is Madhu Verma. The Nagar Parishad is led by chairman Pappi Vijay Patidar, and there is a police station on AB Road.

Education and research are major features of Rau. The Indian Institute of Management Indore (IIM Indore) is located here, along with many engineering and management colleges affiliated with AICTE and UGC. Other institutions include IPS Academy, the State Institute of Hotel Management Indore (on the Rau bypass), and the Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology. A government college in Rau offers programs in BA, B.Com, and BSc.

Industries in Rau include trolley and agricultural-implements manufacturing, with companies like Shakti Pumps and Oriental Chemicals having a presence in the area. Notable places include Umiya Dham temple, Mamaji Ka Dhaba, Mashal Hotel, Nakhrali Dhani, and Vikas Namkeen.

Rau is known for the Dussehra (Vijayadashami) festival, which marks the end of Navratri. During Navratri, the nine-night festival culminates with special celebrations, including traditional Mata ki Sawari in some communities.