Gwalior Sightseeing, Quick Facts, History, Packages, Tours & Excursions

Sightseeing Highlights:

The Fort:

The first thing you see when you enter Gwalior is the magnificient 15^th century fortress towering over the city. Addressed as The pearl amongst the fortresses of India by Emperor Babar, this fort has witnessed many a ruling dynasties, great battles and significant events.

Covering an area of 3 sq km, it is home to three temples, six palaces and a number of water tanks. Built by the ruler Raja Man Singh Tomar, it is located on a hilltop, with a winding road, dotted with rocks carvings of various Jain tirthankaras, leading to the walls of the fort.

The walls of the fort itself are magnificent running 2 miles in length and standing 35 feet tall. Inside, you set eyes on some of the finest pieces of architectural beauty.

Temples:

Within the fort, the most notable temples to see are, the Teli Ka Mandir, dating back to the 9^th century and dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Its architecture is a blend of Dravidian and Indo-Aryan influences and is the structure is 100 ft high. The other temples are the Saas-Bahu Temples, standing side-by-side, one larger than the other. The larger temple has intricate and beautifully sculpted patterns and figures.

Palaces:

There are two main palaces within the fort. The Man Mandir Palace was also built by Raja Man Singh. Adorned with patterns of animals, flowers and human forms, in tile and paint, it runs into four levels, with the lowest being the dungeons that imprisoned many a Mughal prisoner. It is a beautiful structure with a haunting past. It is the scene where Mughal emperor Aurangzeb imprisoned and murdered his own brother Murad. Also nearby is the Jauhar Kund or the pond where Rajput women committed mass suicide or jauhar by burning themselves to death after the defeat of their men at war. 

The beautiful Gujari Mahal, is the palace built by Raja Man Singh as a token of his love for his Gujar queen Mrignayani. This today houses an Archaeological Museum containing Hindu and Jain artifacts.

Around the Fort:

Another famous place to visit is Ghous Mohammed, located in the city. The tomb of an Afghan prince, this is a must see for its sheer craftsmanship. Made of sandstone, its screens have been designed using the pierced stone technique giving it a look as delicate as lace.

Adjoining is the famous musician and father of Hindustani Classical Music, Tansen's Tomb. Its architecture is very Mughal, and today it is the venue to an annual music festival, where a great many musicians countrywide congregate to perform.

Jai Vilas Mahal:

The Palace of the Scindias, the erstwhile rulers of Gwalior, is a must-see. Part of this palace is still occupied by them, while the remaining 35 rooms have been converted into a museum called Jivaji Rao Scindia Museum that showcases various antiques, artifacts and mementos of the family.

Others:

The Tansen Festival held in the months of November or December, near the tomb of Tansen, is an annual festival of Hindustani classical music attended by music lovers from allover India.

A famous dance form of this region is of Baredi or Yadav performed on the morning of the festival of Diwali.

Shopping in Gwalior:

Gwalior is said to be the home of the oldest bazaars in Madhya Pradesh as well as the famous Chanderi saris. If you want to take back souvenirs, a lot of handicrafts shops offer artistic stone carvings and artifacts. Try the shops on the lanes near Chowk at Bara, and at Rajwara, Laskar, and Patankar Bazaar.

Excursions:

Shivpuri, 112kms away, is famous for the Chhatris built in memory of the various Scindia rulers. These conical shaped monuments are have exteriors covered with carvings.

The Madhav National Park at Shivpuri is a small wooded park set in the Vindhyas. You can see chinkara, chital, nilgai, sambar, chausingha, blackbuck, sloth bear, leopard, langur and the rare tiger here.

The famous Tigra Dam, 23 kms from the city, is a picturesque picnic spot.

For some fascinating ruins head to Pawaya, 68 kms from Gwalior, where you can catch the statue of Chaksha Manibhadra, built in 1 AD, and the ruins of the fort of Parmars.

Datia, 69 kms from Gwalior, is said to date back to the time of the Mahabharata. The famous monument here is the Palace of Raja Bir Singh Deo, built in 1614 out of brick and stone, and seven storeys high. The other attraction here is the Gopeshwar Temple.

Sonagiri, 3 kms from Datia has as many as 77 Jain temples, aligned in rows on the hillside, dating back to the 17^th century. Of these you must visit the Chandranatha temple dedicated to the 8^th Tirthankara.

Tourism Info:

Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation
Tansen Residency,

6th Gandhi Road,

Gwalior

Tel: (0751) 2340370.

Tourist Office,

Railway Station, Gwalior

Known for its rich cultural heritage, the city of Gwalior has played an integral role in Indian history from ancient times, through the medieval era, and later during the Moghul and British colonial rule. The bustling city atop a hill, is dominated by the Gwalior fort which has been the battleground for many struggles for power. Today Gwalior is an important tourist destination due to its historical and architectural significance, as well as for being a pre-medieval centre of Jainism.

Gwalior according to ancient history was Gopalkash, said to be the same place where Bhima from the epic Mahabharata attained victory. Archeological excavations reveal that the city dates back to the middle Stone ages and Iron Age. The actual city was founded back in the 8^th A.D. by Suraj Sen, the head of the Kachwaha clan. Legend has it, that a sage called Gwalipa, cured him of leprosy and thus the king named his city Gwalior.

The city became the seat of power for many dynasties to come. From the 11^th - 15^th century, the medieval era saw the rule of Rajputs. This was followed by intervention by the Mughals, who were dethroned by the Rajput ruler Raja Man Singh, but only for a short while. The rule of the Mughals gave way to succeeding dynasties of the Jats, Marathas, the British, and finally it was the Scindias who wrested power out of the British hands. The famous Rani of Jhansi fought against the British during the First War of Indian Independence where she succumbed to battle.

This fort city is located on the border of Madhya Pradesh and also houses a major air base called Maharajpura. A city known for its rich cultural heritage and patronage towards art and architecture, it has also been influenced by two very important cultures of Bundeli and Braj. Gwalior was acknowledged by the Guinness Book of Records, in the category of World's Largest Indoor Mural, for a mural created by five local artists at the auditorium of Shyam Vatika, in 2005. It is also known for musical greats beginning with the legendary Tansen to present-day sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, who hail from this city.