town, western Madhya Pradesh state, central India. The town lies just west of the Lakunda River. It is on the Agra-Mumbai (Bombay) road and is connected with Guna, Indore, and Ujjain.

It was founded about 1640 CE by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahān (Shāh Jahān), its name being a derivation of Shahjahanpur. A well-preserved fort contains the palace of Tara Bai, a Maratha (Marāṭhā) queen. The town is a major road junction and an agricultural market. The chief industries are cotton ginning, processing and bailing; the production of flour; and the manufacture of bricks. Shajapur conducts trade with Indore and Ujjain. There is a college affiliated with Vikram University. A fruit research farm is nearby.

Shajapur lies on the fertile Malwa Plateau, watered by the Kali Sindh and Newaj rivers. Cotton, millet, wheat, peanuts (groundnuts), and tobacco are the chief crops. Jaina remains are scattered throughout the region. Pop. (2001) town, 50,075.