Looming
majestically at a height of nearly 100 meters overlooking the city of Gwalior
is its most famous landmark - the magnificent Gwalior Fort, popularly known as
the Gibraltar of India.
Two
roads approach the fort. The preferred approach for walkers is the steep
winding road flanked by statues of Jain tirthankaras carved into the rock face
that takes you up to the Urwahi Gat. A Northeast entrance starts from the
archaeological museum and leads to the doors of the Man Singh Palace. The
solid fort walls of sandstone enclose several marvels of medieval architecture
including three temples, six palaces, impressive gates and a number of historic
water tanks.
Spread
over an area of 3 sq.km, the magnificent outer walls of the Fort still stand,
35 feet high and two miles in length making it one of the most impregnable
fortresses of Central and North India.
In fact, the Mughal emperor Babar referred to the Fort as ?the pearl amongst fortresses in India?.
Built
by Raja Man Singh Tomar in the 15th century, the Fort was annexed by different
rulers over the centuries - the Tomars, Mughals, Marathas and finally the
British who handed it over to the Scindias.
As you
take a guided tour of the fort complex, you will be overwhelmed by the enormity
of the history, the grandeur and the tragedies that the fort witnessed by way
of victories and defeats, battles and the historic jauhar. Jauhar Kund stands
today in Gwalior fort,
remembering a time 800 years ago when the brave women of the fort took their
own lives in order to protect their honour.
A
sparkling white gurudwara stands in memory of the great Sikh Guru Govind Singh
who was at one time imprisoned here. One of the dramatic moments in India?s freedom
struggle played out here during the 1857 revolt when the brave Rani of Jhansi,
Laxmibai died a valiant death within these ramparts.
Of the
temples in the Gwalior Fort, the most famous are the Teli-ka-Mandir- a 9th
century Dravidian-style shrine; the Saas-Bahu Temples- two pillared temples
which stand next to each other, one larger than the other and bear a strong
resemblance to Hoysala temple architecture; and the Chaturbhuj Mandir, a
Vaishnavite shrine dating back to the 9th century. The highest structure within
the fort is the Garuda.
Among the fort?s most prominent palaces is the
elaborately ornate Man Singh Palace,
built by Man Singh Tomar in the 15th century. Decorated beautifully in vivid
patterns of tile and paint, the palace spreads over four levels, and despite
its picture-pretty facade, the palace has a somewhat macabre history with its
lower levels being used as penitentiaries by the Mughals.
The
15th century Gujari
Mahal is a monument to the love of Raja Mansingh
Tomar for his Gujar queen, Mrignayani. The Gujari Mahal now houses the State Archaeological Museum.
From the northeastern Fort
Gate,
if you take the well-worn steps past the State Archeological Museum, you
will pass through many ancient gateways -. Hawa Gate, Elephant Gate (the actual
entrance of the fort), Hathiya Paur, Badalgarh Gate and Alamgiri Gate. Once you
have navigated through the various gateways, you will reach a couple of
Palaces, which are well worth a look-see; the Karan Palace, Jehangir Mahal, and
Shah Jahan Mahal.
Though
a major part of the Fort was built in the 15th century, some part of it dates
back to 425 AD. Predating the city is the ancient Suraj Kund,
the original pond where Suraj Sen was cured by the Saint Gwalipa (after whom Gwalior
gets its name).
The
poignant tales of chivalry and heroism comes alive through a superb Son-et-lumiere
every evening. In the silence of the ink blue night, the deep bass voice of
Amitabh Bachchan recounts legends and tales of great heroism and deep duplicity
and brings to life the story of the Gwalior Fort. Get awed by the grandeur and
shudder at the gory stories that unfold as the evening turns to darkness.
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