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For long I had wanted to visit the arid Gwalior zone – the seat of the erstwhile Scindia family. Despite its rocky terrain, Gwalior has been coveted by the Tomars, the Mughals, the Marathas and the British. This desire led to many battles till the Scindias were given charge of the place by the British.
Named after a sage, Gwalipa, who is said to have resided on the hilltop where the impregnable Gwalior Fort now stands. The fort has dominated the turbulent and bloody history of Gwalior. Coveted by all-powerful rulers, the fort was called "the pearl amongst of the forts of Hind" by Babur, the Mughal Emperor when he set his eyes on it. He dreamt of occupying the fort and ruling Hindustan from its lofty precincts. As our vehicle traversed the ravine leading up to the fort, the awe-inspiring Hindu and Jain sculptures on the rock face that led to the citadel were a visual delight. Flanking the road is a series of the huge 15th-century sculptures standing like sentinels guarding the path to the fort. The 24 tirthankaras once adorned these cave shelters, of which only about 20 remain intact. The deformed faces are a testimony of the devastation caused by the victorious Mughal army as it entered the fort. The imposing fort with its seven gates, lofty battlements and towers is extraordinarily beautiful. The blue tiles reflecting the rising sun turn the facade into an exotic artwork.
Daunted by the huge size of the fort, we hired the services of a young guide. He began by telling us how the town name into being. Sometime in the fourth century, Kachhwaha ruler Suraj Sen happened to pass the place while hunting in the region. The thirsty king was offered water from the Suraj Kund by sage Gwalpa, who resided in the area. Suraj Sen, who was suffering from leprosy, was miraculously cured of the ailment by drinking the water. The step well still exists. The king was also told that the descendants would rule the place as long as they suffixed their name with the title ‘Pal’. Suraj Sen became Suraj Pal and the next 83 rulers were Pals. The 84th ruler disobeyed the ruling and lost the empire. According to our guide, there are about five prominent temples and seven palaces in the Gwalior Fort. The Teli ka Mandir, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, was constructed by an oil vendor, is one of the oldest but the simplest. Its tall shikhara is indicative of Dravidian architectural influence. Surprisingly, there are two saas-sahu temples. Although most people refer to them as the saas-sahu temples, after a little research I discovered that they are named after Sahasrabahu, a brave young man from the region. The saas-sahu temples are adorned with beautiful pillared halls and exquisite sculptures, some of which are quite erotic in nature. Fables and legends are dime a dozen in the fort. Stories of love, passion, hatred and intrigue echo through the seven palaces of the Fort. A powerful king’s love for the queen caused the construction of the Gujari Mahal. Mrignayani, a valiant Gujjar woman, demanded equal status, water from her favourite river and all were granted to her by the enamoured king, Raja Man Singh, including the dedication of a classical raga which he called Gujari Todi. Tragic stories echo through the beautiful Chit Mandir Palace built for the pleasure of Raja Man Singh. The painted murals and frescoes of this palace have been witness to the cries of many prisoners in the dungeons below. The Sikh guru, Guru Hargobind, was also imprisoned by Emperor Jahangir in these dungeons and later Aurangzeb imprisoned, tortured and murdered his brother, Prince Murad Baksh in these cells. There was also Jauhar Kund, the place where Rajput women committed sati after the defeat of their husbands in battle. Not much is known about the Vikramaditya Mahal that stands between Man Mandir and Karan Mandir with constricted corridors connecting the palaces. The Karan Mahal, a two-storied palace with a long pillared hall, is a desolate place. The Jai Vilas Palace, a splendid white coloured palace built by Maharaja Jiyaji Rao Scindia came much later. Designed by a British, it blends European architectural elements with Indian ones. A part of it still remains as the residence of Scindias while some rooms have been converted into a museum. The star attraction of the museum is a pair of mammoth crystal chandeliers and a tiny silver train that was used to serve drinks to the guests at banquets thrown by the ruler. Led by our guide, we walked to the modest tomb of Tansen, with its famous tamarind tree. As per legend, the leaves of this tree have the power to make the voice as mellifluous as that of the great singer. The annual Tansen music festival is hosted at the humble site. Resisting the temptation to grab a handful of the leaves, we made our way towards the ornate tomb of Ghaus Mohammed with exquisitely crafted delicate screens. Our tryst with Gwalior Fort was far from over. We still had the sound-and-light event to witness and go shopping for the famous handicrafts and handlooms the city promised. Gwalior’s cuisine, including famous bhutte ki kees, kachori, mawa-bati and malpua is another not-to-be-missed attraction. Factfile
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