Known for its rich Mughal history, Burhanpur has rarely been in the news. It is in this town that Mumtaz Mahal had died delivering her 14th child before she was buried in the Taj Mahal. Situated on the banks of river Tapti in Madhya Pradesh, the city has nurtured a unique tradition of 'night meetings' wherein public figures from all walks of life speak on contemporary social, economic and political issues.
Thousands of people throng Tilak Hall in the middle of the city for 3-5 nights during November each year. The 'night talk' on a contemporary subject is delivered by a subject matter expert, with a distinguished person chairing the session. Each session lasts well past midnight and this tradition has survived three decades. Far from engaging in prime time television soaps, over three thousand people listen to such 'night talks'.