Gwalior, The City Of Music
A birthplace of legendary musicians like Tansen and Baiju Bawara, it’s no surprise that Gwalior is called the ‘City of Music.’ It’s a city where forts and palaces spill secrets about the kings, queens, and warriors of yore. Gwalior bears witness to architectural styles from different cultures and periods, fusing a rich heritage and past that makes it a must-visit destination for any history lover.
Dig the past and enjoy the present in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.
The city got its name during the rule of Suraj Sen, a Rajput warrior who laid the foundation of Gwalior Fort. During his reign, a saint named Gwalipa was passing the region and met the king who was afflicted with a skin disease. Gwalipa asked Suraj Sen to take a dip in the sacred pond (now called Suraj Kund). The king was cured instantly and paid tribute to the miracle by naming the city Gwalior after the sage.
An ancient inscription is testament to legends which say that this region has been occupied since 525 AD. The Gwalior area was ruled by Huns, Pratihars, Kacchwahs, Ghoris, Tomars, Mughals, the East India Company, and eventually by the Scindias before it was merged into the Republic of India.
Start your visit to Gwalior by driving up to the fort and wandering through some historical highlights or watch an excellent son-et-lumiere bring Gwalior’s storied past to life on a starlit night.
What to see
Some of Gwalior’s major attractions:
Gwalior Fort
Built in the 6th century AD by the Rajput warrior Suraj Sen, Gwalior Fort’s impressive structure and planned setting is an outstanding example of medieval architecture. Babur, the Mughal Emperor was so awestruck by its magnificence, that he called Gwalior the pearl among the fortresses of Hind. The striking scale of the fort stands sentinel to a splendid history etched on every stone, surface, and facade. Gwalior is considered the most unconquerable fortress in all of north and central India with a 10-metre-high wall circling an 820 m wide fortress that runs 204 km from the north-east to the south-west.
Historians and archaeologists say the fort is over a thousand years old! It is an exceptional combination of Hindu, Rajput, and Mughal architectural styles. These variations in style indicate that various dynasties ruled the region.
In 1398, the Tomars captured the fort. Raja Mansingh Tomar, the most celebrated king of the Tomar clan, constructed many palaces, gateways, and temples, such as the Teli Ka Mandir and Sas Bahu Temple inside the fort. In the 15th century, Raja Mansingh also built the Mansingh Palace which is famous for its amazing blue-tiled mosaic work.
Gujari Mahal
Gujari Mahal is another attraction within the fort complex born from a romance between Raja Mansingh and a Gujjar woman called Mrignayani. Legend has it that Raja Mansingh was on a hunt in Rai village when two tussling buffaloes blocked the road. According to the legend, Mrignayni grabbed the buffaloes by their horns and separated them. The king, fascinated by her bravery and natural beauty, wanted to marry her although he already had eight wives.
The ‘Maan Kutuhal’ documents the many Raga-Raginis that the besotted Raja – a lover of music and literature – composed for his beloved Mrignayni. Mansingh built the Gujari Mahal as a residence for his Queen who wanted her own palace. One of the conditions for their nuptials was that Mansingh had to bring water from the Rai River to the palace – Mriganyani would only drink water from this river. So Mansingh constructed an underground canal through which water was supplied to her palace from the Rai River. Writer Vrindavan Lal Verma immortalized their love affair in his novel ‘Mrignayni.’
Mahal to Museum
The Mahal now has been converted into an archaeological museum. It has 28 galleries filled with antiquities, a collection of coins, images of Ram, Sita, and other gods and goddesses, and a statue of a Shalabhanjika, whose smile is considered to be as beautiful and mysterious as the Mona Lisa. Shalabhanjika was discovered in pieces during an excavation at Gyaraspur of Vidisha district. She was faceless, her arms and legs lost. Later, her face was upon further excavation and restored.
The treasures in the museum include Bagh Cave paintings, monuments to India, and around 6,000 artifacts. A narrow stairway leads to a large hall where the Gujjari Queen played music; it now contains paintings of India’s greatest singers including Tansen.
A narrow flight of stairs leads to a courtyard carved with intricate stone statues of gods and goddesses and pieces of floral-patterned pillars and walls of stunning architectural beauty.
Moti Mahal
In the 18th century, Maharaja of Gwalior Jayaji Rao Scindia built the majestic Moti Mahal . It is considered one of the most magnificient historical buildings in Gwalior. During Scindia’s rule, it was used as the Assembly Hall of Madhya Bharat. For more than 130 years, it has been the center of state power in central India. The walls of Durbar Hall, the seat of administration where important decisions were taken, and 300 other rooms are decorated with beautiful paintings.
Many rooms and columns have pure gold work, and the Durbar Hall has 15 kg of gold on its walls and ceilings. The Belgium-cut chandelier in the Durbar Hall has 120 bulbs. The outer building has a carving of the Scindia dynasty crest – the sun god with a cobra snake snaking up both sides.
The palace is named for Motilal Nehru who visited when Ravishankar Shukla took the oath as the first Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.
