Historic And Ancient City of Gwalior

The previous three times that I have travelled to Madhya Pradesh it has been for wildlife safaris. All I can visualise, is the call of a deer and jeeps running helter skelter to spot the majestic tiger. Bandhavgadh, Kanha and Pench are the most visited tourist spots in the central state of India. But, this magnificent state has a lot more to offer. The sun temple in Khajurao is an 11th century temple dedicated to the sun god. It is also host to the annual dance festival in February. Then there are the cities of Bhopal and Indore. Bhopal is the state capital and is one of India’s greenest cities. Ruled by the Holkars, Indore has been voted numerous times for being one of the cleanest cities in India. It is known for its Rajwada palace and Lala Bag palace and for its ravishing food scene. Another attraction is Bhedaghat which is situated near the Narmada river and the ancient city of Ujjain known for its centuries old Mahakaleshwar temple are truly worth adding to your bucket list.

Last December, we were on a road trip from Delhi to Mumbai. We took this opportunity to drive through the state of Madhya Pradesh and stay a couple of nights in Gwalior. Being history buffs, we kind of have an obsession towards the forts of India, Kumbhalgarh in Rajasthan being one of my favourites. I had heard numerous stories about the fort in Gwalior so I was quite keen to explore Gwalior for a couple of nights. We made a reservation at the heritage hotel, Usha Kiran Palace

Heritage hotels have a unique charm and they take you back in time. Massive courtyards, antique colonial style furniture, interesting secret passages and escape tunnels give you glimpses of the lifestyles of kings and queens. Living that life for a couple of days, we truly felt pampered at the Usha Kiran Palace. The huge colonial bed with a mosquito net was the highlight.

Next morning we ventured out to see the city of Gwalior. Ruled over by lots of dynasties for decades such as the Rajputs, Pratiharas, Mughals, Suris, Jats, Marathas, Tomars and Scindias, their influence is seen in many regal structures that are part of the cityscape. For lovers of Indian classical music, Gwalior is host to an annual music festival. The Gwalior Gharana is one of the oldest Khayal Gharanas. Legendary musician, Tansen, originally Ramtanu Pande was a prominent figure of Hindustani classical music. He sang for the royal court of Gwalior. Baiju Bawara another great musician also belonged here and he too sang for the royal court of Gwalior.

Gwalior Fort

We couldn’t wait to get a glimpse of the most talked about Gwalior fort. It is situated on top of a hill and is considered one of the most majestic and eye catching fortresses of India. It was built as early as the 6th Century. The complete fort is built in sandstone by the Rajput Suraj Sen. The fort is massive with lots of history so it’s best to hire a guide at the entrance. It will take you back to the past and give you a glimpse of the numerous battles that have been fought under different rulers. 

The fort is known as the ‘pearl’ among the fortresses of India and is proclaimed to be the most impenetrable fort in this country. The construction of the Gwalior fort was in two different time periods and thus the history is very intriguing. It has stood the test of time with many battles. One such prominent battle was fought by an impressive Indian woman, Jhansi Ki Rani, Laxmibai in 1858. She fought a battle with Jayajirao Scindia whom she defeated which was critical for her battle with the British as Rani Laxmibai was a symbol of resistance against the British raj. Rani Laxmibai fought a lost battle till the very end and the British took over the fort for a couple of days.

The Tomars re-built and glorified the fort with intricate carvings and beautiful architecture which was further renovated by Madhavrao Scindia. Within the fort complex there are Jain temples, the famous Sas-Bahu (Sahastrabahu) temple, Man Mandir palace and a Hathi Pol which you will find in most forts in India. The Chaturbhuj temple in the forest complex had the first ever Zero written. The Teli-ka-mandir built in Dravidian style architecture is 100 feet tall and is a blend of South Indian and North Indian decorative motifs.

The Man Mandir palace is the most beautiful aspect of the fort. The detailed architecture and the blue ceramic tiles form the facade.

Jai Vilas Palace and Museum

The Jai Vilas palace is one of the most royal and grand palaces in Gwalior. It has magnificent European architecture. The architecture is a combination of Tuscan, Italian and Corinthian. It is the current residence of the Scindia family. The palace has a total of 400 rooms of which 40 rooms have been converted into a museum. At the entrance they will give you a headset which will take you through the history and talk about the rooms in the museum. 

The most popular hall is the Durbar Hall which consists of antiques and furniture of old times made of gold, depicting royal lifestyle. It has one of the largest chandeliers of the world and the heaviest in Asia. While the whole palace is magnificent in itself, the show stopper was the large centre dining table that had a silver mini train that circulates on a mini track. This train has rows and rows of empty compartments that are laden with food. The train moves from table to table, allowing diners to serve themselves from the compartments. Isn’t that the most interesting way of eating you’ve ever heard? The museum has a library with around 5000 books on various subjects that can be accessed for research. The museum also showcases swords used during war dating back to the Mughals and the original shield of Jhansi Ki Rani. 

We loved Gwalior. The vibe and history of the place truly take you back to the times of Kings and Queens. Gwalior is also the land of Chanderi and Maheshwari silk. India’s best Gajak, a traditional sweet made from jaggery and sesame is also worth a try. The Bada market in Gwalior has lots of shops and cafés and is bustling with people. You can begin here and explore your way to the other markets of Gwalior. 

Do look out for my blog on Gogunda Palace