Gwalior

JaiVilas Palace, Gwalior

Gwalior

Gwalior gets its name from a famous saint Gwalipa who cured the Kachwaha clan chieftain from Leprosy. Situated in the state of Madhya Pradesh, around 321 km from Delhi, Gwalior holds a special position in the chapter of Indian history. The history of Gwalior dates back to 8th century. Due to its position right between north India and south India, the city was captured many times by different dynasties like Tomars, Lodhis, Mughals and Marathas to gain power of this strategic location. This princely state still retains its royalty, with Scindias having their dynastic seat here. This city now is seen as a symbol of valor, strength, and glory.

Gwalior is also famous for the Tansen Music Festival that is held every year in the month of November and December. Many renowned prodigies of classical music perform here attracting huge number of music lovers. The festival takes place at the famous Tansen Memorial. The handicrafts industry of Gwalior has a talented crop of craftsmen catering to varied tastes of tourists and souvenir hunters alike. While exploring the charms of Gwalior, one can shop for exquisite handicrafts and antique showpieces that are great memorabilia to take home. There are many government run shops inside the Gwalior fort as well which offer a huge variety.

Attractions Of Gwalior

History itself is the main attraction in Gwalior. Every monument, every structure speaks about the ages that they have survived and events that they have stood witness to. Gwalior fort is the best example of historical monument which is now one of the most celebrated forts in India. There are many grand palaces and museums as well that makes Gwalior an interesting tourist destination.

Gwalior Fort

Built by Raja Man Singh Tomar, Gwalior Fort has dominated the skyline of Gwalior since 15th century. Intricately designed, this was virtually an unconquerable structure, probably the safest in entire India. The beauty of its might fascinated many rulers and the fort became the subject of many poetic works. Babar, the famous Mughal ruler, once tabbed Gwalior Fort as 'the pearl' amongst the fortresses in India. The overall area covered is around 3sq. km. and the longest length is 2.4 km from north-east to south west. The walls of the fort are built of solid sandstone, which rise to a height of 35 feet. Sitting high on the hill, the fort provides an unmatched and picturesque view of the Gwalior City nestling beneath.

Teli Ka Mandir

This magnificent temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Built in 9th century, the temple is one of the oldest temples in Madhya Pradesh. Situated in Gwalior Fort, it is more than 100 feet high making it the tallest building in the fort. The structure perfectly embodies architectural styles of Dravidians and Indo-Aryans. The roof of the temple is built in Dravidian style whereas the walls and the decorations on it are predominantly Indo-Aryan.

Jai Vilas Palace

Jai Vilas Palace has turned out to be a great landmark for Gwalior City. This magnificent palace currently serves as a residence to the Scindia Family. The Palace from both inside and outside gives us a peek into the luxurious lifestyle of royal people in India. The structure of Jai Vilas Palace is Italianate to which, Tuscan and Corinthian architectural style add extra grandeur. The Durbar hall inside the palace is the main attraction. There are two mammoth chandeliers on the ceiling of this spacious room that weigh a couple of tonnes. Before they were on the ceiling, ten elephants were used to examine the strength of the roof.

Other attraction of the palace are a silver train with cut glass wagons which served guests as it moved around on miniature rails on the table. The Scindia Museum also showcases swords worn by Aurangazeb and Shah Jehan, jeweled slippers of Chinkoo rani and many personal momentoes of Scindia Family. This 35-room museum is open on all days except on Mondays from 10 AM to 5 PM

When to go

One can visit Gwalior at any time of the year however October to March season is the best. Summers in the city are a bit harsh as the temperature can easily sore above the 40 C mark. Similarly the winters here are a bit nippy with temperature dropping to single digits regularly.

 Getting There

By Air-Gwalior has its own airport and receives regular flights from Delhi, Bhopal and other major cities of India. Air Deccan, Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Air Sahara and Alliance Air are the major operators in Gwalior.

By Rail- Gwalior railhead is an important station on Delhi - Mumbai and Delhi - Chennai routes. All major trains have a stop in Gwalior.

By Road- Gwalior is well connected to all the cities of Madhya Pradesh by regular state transport buses. There are buses coming to Gwalior from Delhi, Jaipur and Chandigarh.

Local Transport- Taxis and three wheeler autos are the best way to move inside the city. Hire a taxi or an auto only from prepaid booth. You can also take a ride in a shared auto carries around six to seven persons.