Gwalior

Excursion

[ Gwalior Fort | Jain Sculptures | Jai Vilas Palace | Tansen's Tomb | Sun Temple | The Gujari Mahal Archaeological Museum | Municipal Corporation Museum | Datia | Sonagiri | Pawaya | Chambal | Wildlife in Gwalior | Tansen Music Festival ]

Gwalior Fort
The Gwalior Fort stands on a steep mass of sandstone, dominating the city and this is its most magnificent monument. It has been a scene of momentous events like imprisonments, battles and jauhars. Steep road goes winding upward to the fort and it is flanked by statues of Jain Tirthankaras carved into rocks. The magnificent outer walls of the Fort still stand, as one of the most invincible forts of India. And it is two miles in length and 35 feet high. This imposing structure inspired Emperor Babar to describe it as the "Pearl amongst the fortresses of Hind."

• Within the fort are some marvels of medieval architecture. The 15th century Gujari Mahal is a monument of love by Raja Mansingh Tomar for his Gujar queen, Mrignayani. After he had wooed and won her, Mrignayani demanded for a separate palace with a constant water supply from the River Rai. The outer structure of the Gujari Mahal has survived in an almost total state of preservation; the interior has been now converted into an archaeological Museum.
  
  
• Also built by Raja Mansingh Tomar is the Man Mandir Palace, built between 1486 and 1517. The tiles that once adorned its exterior have not survived, but at the entrance, traces of these still remain. Vast chambers with fine stone screens were once the music halls, and behind these screens, the royal ladies would learn music from the great masters of those times. Below the circular dungeons once housed the state prisoners of the Mughals. The Emperor Aurangzeb had his brother, Murad, imprisoned, and later executed, here.
  
  
• Close by is the Jauhar Pond, where the Rajput 'ranis' committed mass 'sati' after their consorts had been defeated in battle. Though the major portions of the Fort were built in the 15th century, references to this gigantic complex can be traced back to 425 AD. Older than the city is the Suraj Kund within the Fort walls, the original pond, where the Saint Gwalipa cured Suraj Sen.
  
  
• The Teli ka Mandir is a 9th century edifice, towering at 100 ft high. This is a Pratihara Vishnu temple of a unique blending of architectural styles. The shape of the roof is distinctively Dravidian, while the decorative embellishments have the typically Indo-Aryan characteristics of Northern India.
  
  
• The graceful little Sas-Bahu-ka-Mandir built in 11th century is a dedication to Lord Vishnu.
  
  
• Another landmark is the historic Gurudwara Data Bandhi Chhod built in the memory of Guru Hargobind Sahib, the 6th Sikh Guru who was imprisoned here by Jehangir for over two years. At the time of his release, he wanted 52 Hindu kings who were his fellow prisoners, released with him. Jehangir was very impressed with the Guru and agreed to his condition.
  
  
• And, finally, within the Fort complex, is Gwalior's unique gift to modern India, the Scindia School. Acknowledged as one of the finest schools in India, its aim is that the country's young citizens receive the best educational grounding surrounded by historical monuments, which constantly inspires them.

   

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Jain Sculptures
The long ascent on the southern side climbs up through a ravine to the fort gate. Along the rock faces flanking this road are many Jain sculptures, some impressively big. Originally cut into the cliff faces in the mid-15th century, they were defaced by the forces of Babur in 1527 but were later repaired.

The images are in five main groups and are numbered. In the Arwahi group, image 20 is 17m-high standing sculpture of the first Jain tirthankar (revered teacher or saint), Adinath, while image 22 is a 10m-high seated figure of Nemnath, the 22nd Jain tirthankar. The south-eastern group is the most important and covers nearly 1Km of the cliff face with more than 20 images

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Jai Vilas Palace
The Jai Vilas Palace, being splendour of a different kind, is currently the Scindia residence. About 35 rooms have been made into the Scindia Museum and these rooms, has a regal lifestyle, bringing the past alive. Jai Vilas being an Italianate structure combines the Tuscan and Corinthian architectural modes. The imposing Darbar Hall has two central chandeliers, weighing a couple of tonnes, and hung only after ten elephants had tested the strength of the roof. Ceilings picked out in heavy draperies and tapestries, fine Persian carpets, and antique furniture from France and Italy are features of these spacious rooms.

The eyecatching treasures include a silver train with cut-glass wagons which served guests as it chugged around on miniature rails on the tables; a glass cradle from Italy used for the baby Krishna each Janmashtami; silver dinner services and swords that were once worn by Aurangzeb and Shah Jehan.

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Tansen's Tomb
Tansen, one of the 'nine Jewels' of Akbar's court, and the father of Hindustani classical music, lies buried in Gwalior. The memorial to this great musician has a natural simplicity about it, and is built in the early Mughal architectural style. More than a monument, the Tansen's Tomb is part of Gwalior's living cultural heritage; it is the venue of a music festival on a national scale held annually in November-December. Leading musicians of the country gather here to give performances during the festival. More opulent than Tansen's Tomb, is the sandstone memorial of the Afghan prince, Ghous Mohammed, also designed on early Mughal lines. The screens are exquisite, which use the pierced stone technique, as delicate as lace.

• The earliest freedom fighters, Tatya Tope and the unconquerable Rani of Jhansi, are commemorated in memorials in Gwalior. There are cenotaphs at major public crossings, memorials to Scindia kings and queens. Throughout the city, there are such reminders, of the great men and women of Gwalior who are always honoured.

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The Gujari Mahal Archaeological Museum
This museum houses rare antiquities, some of them dating back to the 1st century AD. Even though the fanatics Mughals have defaced many of these, their perfection of form has survived the ravages of time. Particularly worth seeing is the statue of Shalbhanjika from Gyraspur, the tree goddess, epitome of perfection in miniature. The statue is kept in the custody of the museum's curator.

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Municipal Corporation Museum
The Kala Vithika is another treasure house of the arts. The Municipal Corporation Museum has a very fine natural history section. The old ancestral house of the legendry Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan has recently been converted into 'Sarod Ghar' - Museum of Music by the Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan Memorial Trust under the patronage and the guidance of his great son and sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan. The museum has been rebuilt keeping in mind the old traditional architecture of Gwalior and houses in it ancient instruments of the great Indian Masters of yesteryears.

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Datia
This is a town on the Delhi-Chennai main line and 69 km from Gwalior. A town of great historic significance, Datia's seven-storeyed palace built entirely of stone and brick by Raja Bir Singh Deo in 1614, is considered to be one of the finest examples of Bundela architecture in the country. Within the palace are some fine wall paintings of the Bundela School. An interesting blending of cultures can be seen in the Gopeshwar Temple, which is Datia's other attraction.

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Sonagiri
This sacred Jain hill lies 3 km to the North West of Datia and is 5 km from the railway station. There are 77 Jain temples, built in rows on the hill and its slopes, and it dates back to the 17th century. Of these temples, one is dedicated to Chandranatha, the 8th of the 24 Tirthankaras. And this temple is quite a large and the most beautiful one of them all. A large annual fair is held here in the month of Chaitra (April).

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Pawaya
In ancient times this place was also known as Padmavati. It is a fascinating complex of ruins, 68 km away, on the Gwalior-Jhansi road. Pawaya's ruins still have affirmation of the fact that it was the capital of the Nag Kings, in 3 AD. And the lifesize statue of Chaksha Manibhadra of 1 AD is the most eminent feature of the Pawaya ruins. The ruins of the medieval fort built by the Parmars and the nearby Dhoomeshwar Mahadeo temple are Pawaya's other attractions.

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Chambal
This place is a rugged, raw, untamed wilderness right in the heart of India, flowing through a total length of 435 kms. The River Chambal is one of the country's most beautiful and least polluted rivers.

1.The National Chambal Sanctuary was formed to protect the river, complete with its varied flora, aquatic life and avian fauna. The Chambal River, which is the mainstay for the entire wildlife of the sanctuary, harbours a variety of aquatic lives like the elusive Ganges River Dolphin, Crocodile (muggar), Gharial (Gavelia Gangeticus), Freshwater Turtles, River Otters and various other species of fishes. All of which can quite easily be seen by tourists within the sanctuary area, especially in the middle reaches in the downside of Rajghat Bridge on National Highway No. 3.

2. The Crocodile centre at Deori Moreno nearby is the only kind in the entire state of Madhya Pradesh and has recently been opened to the public. The centre helps to breed and rehabilitate the crocodiles and gharials in the Chambal. Due to which, the river now boasts of a population of over 1600 Gharials and 200 Crocodiles. Active efforts are now on to protect the Ganges River Dolphins, (platanista Gangetica). The rare Ganges River Dolphin, the sole member of the cetaceans group are called as the Queens of Chambal and are one of the main attractions of the sanctuary. The Chambal Sanctuary is one of their safest breeding areas. The surrounding environment of the river is a true bird watchers delight. During November - March season, one can see atleast 150 species of migratory and resident birds' flock at the shores of the river. Species of birds in abundance are the bar-headed Geese, Brahmini Duck, common Tea, Pelicans, Flamingoes and Cormorants. One can have an easy sighting of the Indian Skimmer.

Tourists to the sanctuary can enjoy its many sights by motor boats specially provided by the Forest Department of Madhya Pradesh. Stringent measures to protect the fragile ecosystems of the sanctuary are followed by the authorities. The visitors are also advised not to disturb, spoil the serenity of the surrounding environment or help in poaching activities directly or indirectly.

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Wildlife in Gwalior
The Gwalior Zoo has some rare species of Indian wildlife kept in natural surroundings. The Kuno-Palpur Sanctuary includes Tiger, Leopard, Sambar, Chital, Nilgai, Chinkara, Black Buck; whereas the Chambal Ghariyal Sanctuary includes Gharial, Crocodile, Turtle, Dolphin, Otter, Migratory Birds. And the Ghatigaon Sanctuary encompasses Tiger, Leopard, Sambar, Chital, Nilgai, Chinkara, Black Buck.

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Tansen Music Festival
The Tansen Tomb is a part of Gwalior's living cultural heritage. It is the venue of the annual Indian classical festival held in this city in November-December. Renowned classical singers of the land entertain the audiences through five impressive nightlong sessions of the classical ragas.

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