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The Mughal
emperor Babar referred to the Gwalior Fort as “the pearl amongst fortresses in
India” and although you may beg to differ, you will probably agree that this, the
dominating feature of Gwalior’s skyline, is definitely a citadel worth seeing. With a
turbulent and pretty eventful past, the Gwalior Fort spreads out over an area of 3 square
km, bounded by solid walls of sandstone, which enclose three temples, six palaces and a
number of water tanks.
Regarded as North and
Central India’s most impregnable fortress, the Gwalior Fort was built by Raja Man
Singh Tomar in the 15th century. |
In the five hundred
years since then, the fort has changed hands many times- it has been held by the Tomars,
Mughals, Marathas and British, who finally handed it over to the Scindias. Today it’s
a must-see sight on any Gwalior itinerary, and just the ride up to the fort gives you a
taste of what’s coming: the southern path is bounded by rock faces with intricate
carvings of the Jain tirthankars. As you enter the fort, you’ll see lots more
to impress and interest you: palaces and temples, impressive gates and historic water
tanks.
Of the temples in the
Gwalior Fort, the most famous are the Teli-ka-Mandir- a 9th century
Dravidian-style shrine which is notable for its profusely sculpted exterior; the Saas-Bahu
Temples- two pillared temples which stand next to each other, one larger than the other;
and the Chaturbhuj Mandir, a Vaishnavite shrine dating back to the 9th century.
Among the fort’s
most prominent palaces is the amazingly ornate Man Singh Palace, built by Man Singh in the
15th century. Embellished with a vivid pattern in tile and paint, the palace
spreads over four levels, and despite its picture-pretty appearance, has a somewhat gory
history: Mughal emperor Aurangzeb imprisoned and later murdered his brother Murad here.
Equally grisly is the Jauhar Kund, which marks the spot where the women of the harem burnt
themselves to death after the defeat of the king of Gwalior in 1232.
Other palaces within
the Gwalior Fort which are worth seeing include the Karan Palace, the Jahangir Mahal, the
Shahjahan Mahal and the Gujri Mahal (the latter built by Man Singh for his favourite
queen, Mrignayani).
Best time to go
The best time to visit Gwalior is the winter, from the end of October to
early March. The last weeks of December and early January are the coldest time of the year
here, and can be a good time to visit Gwalior. Summers should be avoided, if possible, as
it gets extremely hot. For those who are musically inclined, the annual Tansen Festival- a
celebration of Indian classical music- is held in Gwalior every November, and is worth
attending.
Getting there and around
If you’re short on time, Gwalior is best
reached by plane- the domestic airport has connections to Delhi, Mumbai, Bhopal and
Indore. A wider range of options are offered by the railways, with regular trains to and
from many of India’s larger cities. A number of trains on the main rail routes
between Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Chennai halt at Gwalior, and for people arriving from
Delhi, there are daily superfast services on the Taj Express and the Shatabdi Express:
both enable convenient day-trips from Delhi to Gwalior. There are, in addition, frequent
connections to other cities in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, including
Bhopal, Indore, Agra, Mathura, Jaipur and Bikaner.
A good network of roads
link Gwalior to the rest of the country, and a bus service operates between Gwalior and
other major cities, such as Delhi, Bhopal and Agra.
Within Gwalior, the
options for public transport are many, from metered taxis, private cabs, auto rickshaws,
cycle rickshaws, tongas (horse drawn carts) and city buses to rattletrap three
wheeled tempos. For those who’d prefer more comfortable means of transport, hired
chauffeur-driven cars are available.
Accommodation
There is a fairly wide variety of hotel
accommodation to choose from in Gwalior – at the top end are posh properties with
bars, coffee shops and swimming pools; at the other end of the spectrum are budget hotels.
Gwalior also has a couple of heritage hotels, converted from former palaces of the royal
family; and there are modestly priced but comfortable guesthouses and hotels run by the
Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (the MPTDC). |
