In Indian wildlife geography, Van Vihar National Park is located in which state of India?

Introduction / Context:
National parks are key components of India's protected area network, and questions about their locations are common in general knowledge and competitive exams. Van Vihar National Park is a well-known urban national park and zoo situated in Central India. Knowing the correct state where it is located helps candidates connect conservation efforts with specific regions and capitals like Bhopal.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question asks for the Indian state in which Van Vihar National Park is located. • Options include Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. • We assume familiarity with major Indian cities and protected areas.

Concept / Approach:
Van Vihar National Park and Zoo is located in Bhopal, which is the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. It lies along the banks of the Upper Lake (Bada Talab) and serves as a green lung for the city. Therefore, identifying the state where Bhopal is situated directly gives the answer to the question about the park's location.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Recall that Van Vihar National Park is an urban national park attached to the city of Bhopal. 2. Bhopal is the capital of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. 3. Therefore, the park is located in the state of Madhya Pradesh. 4. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are states further south and do not contain Bhopal. 5. Bihar is in eastern India and is also unrelated to Bhopal or Van Vihar. 6. Hence, the correct choice is ‘‘Madhya Pradesh’’.
Verification / Alternative check:
Official tourism and forest department sources describe Van Vihar National Park & Zoo as a prominent attraction of Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. It is often mentioned along with Bhoj Wetland and the Upper Lake as important ecological and recreational sites of the state. This confirms beyond doubt that the state is Madhya Pradesh, not any of the other options.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, Telangana, has its own parks but not Van Vihar in Bhopal. Option C, Andhra Pradesh, is a coastal state further south with different major cities like Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada. Option D, Bihar, lies in eastern India with national parks such as Valmiki, but no Van Vihar. These options are distractors that may confuse candidates who are unsure of Indian geography.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent error is to confuse Van Vihar with other parks whose names also contain ‘‘Vihar’’ or ‘‘Van’’, or to mix it up with national parks in neighbouring states. Another pitfall is weak association between Bhopal and Madhya Pradesh among students who have not memorised state-capital pairs. A simple memory aid is to associate Van Vihar with the ‘‘city of lakes’’ Bhopal and thus with the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.

Final Answer:
Van Vihar National Park is located in the state of Madhya Pradesh.