Shivpuri is a city and a municipality in Shivpuri district located in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The city is a popular tourist attraction in the monsoon season as it has a number of minor waterfalls and lakes. The city is known for its lush greenery, thick dense forests and also as the summer capital of the Scindia rulers of Gwalior. It is in the Gwalior Division of northwest Madhya Pradesh and is the administrative headquarters of Shivpuri District. It is situated at an altitude of 1,515 feet (462 m) above sea level. Shivpuri district shares border with Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh towards the east and Rajasthan towards the west. It has nine tehsils: Badarwas, Karera, Kolaras, Narwar, Pichhore, Pohri, Bairad, Shivpuri and Khaniyadhan. Shivpuri was the summer capital of the rulers of Gwalior - the Scindias. The kings used to spent their summer here in Madhav Vilas Palace to escape the gorging heat of Gwalior. Therfore, the city came to be known as 'mini Shimla'. The rulers had constructed the famous Chattri, George Castle and the Madhav Vilas Palace in Shivpuri. The vast dense forests of Shivpuri served as the hunting grounds for the Scindias and the Britishers. In 1564, Mughal emperor Akbar came with his hunters to catch elephant herds from the dense forests of Shivpuri and Gwalior.