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                GWALIOR TRAVEL GUIDE

Gwalior occupies a strategic location in the Gird region of North India, and the city
and its fortress have served as the center of several of North India's historic
kingdoms. At present also its strategic location is marked by the presence of major
air base at Maharajpura. Gwalior is the administrative headquarters of Gwalior
district and Gwalior division.

The city is named after a sage called Gwaliap. A king once met this sage in a dense
forest, and the sage told him to build a city on that spot after his name.

At the heart of Gwalior is its fortress (Gwalior Fort), built by Raja Man Singh Tomar, of
the Tomar dynasty. This formidable structure had the reputation of being one of the
most invincible forts of India. It occupies an isolated rock outcrop. The hill is
steepended to make it virtually unscalable and is surrounded by high walls which
enclose buildings from several periods. The old town of Gwalior lies at the eastern
base of the fortress. Lashkar, formerly a separate town that originated as a military
camp, lies to the south, and Morar, also a formerly separate town, lies to the east.
Gwalior, Lashkar and Morar are presently part of Gwalior Municipality.

Massive Gwalior Fort, popularly called Gibraltar of India overlooks the city. The great
Mughal Emperor Babur reputedly described it as, "The pearl in the necklace of the
forts of Hind".

In the east of the city are two magnificent examples of early Mughal architecture. One
is mausoleum of, 16th century Sufi saint Ghous Mohammed, and another is tomb of
Mian Tansen, a great singer and one of the 'Nine Jewels' of Emperor Akbar's court.

Close to the heart of the city is splendid Jai Vilas Palace, patterned on the style of the
'Palais de Versailles' in France combines Tuscan, Italian and Corinthian styles of
architecture. Rich in cultural heritage and architectural marvels, Gwalior has the
added advantage of it's proximity to Agra, the city of Taj Mahal, Khajuraho, the city of
great temples and Delhi, the national capital. Historically and architecturally, Gwalior
is interesting first as a very ancient seat of Jain worship; secondly for its example of
palace architecture of the best Hindu period (1486-1516); and thirdly as an historic
fortress. Many historical places are found near the Dabra-Bhitarwar Road. Prior to
the founding of Gwalior the region was also known by its ancient name of Gopasetra.


PLACE TO VISIT

The Fort - Standing on a steep mass of sandstone, Gwalior Fort dominates the
city and is its most significant monument. It has been the scene of momentous
events, imprisonment, battles and jauhars . A steep road winds upwards to the fort,
flanked by statues of the Jain tirthankaras, carved into the rock face. The magnificent
outer walls of the fort still stand, two miles in length and 35 feet high, bearing
witness to its reputation for being one of the most invincible forts of India. This
imposing structure inspired Emperor Babur to describe it as " the pearl amongst the
fortresses of Hind ".

Gujari Mahal - Within the fort are some marvels of medieval architecture. The
15th century Gujari Mahal is a monument to the love of Raja Mansingh Tomar for his
intrepid Gujar Queen, Mrignayani. The outer structure of Gujari Mahal has survived in
an almost total state of preservation; the interior has been converted into
Archaeological Museum housing rare antiquities,some of them dating back to the
1st century A.D. Even though many of these have been defaced by the iconoclastic
Mughals , their perfection of form has survived the ravages of time. Particularly worth
seeing is the statue of Shalbhanjika from Gyraspur, the tree goddess, the epitome of
perfection in miniature . The statue is kept in the custody of the museum's curator,
and can be seen on request.

Man Mandir Palace - Built between 1486 and 1517 by Babur.The tiles that
once adorned its exterior have not survived , but at the entrance , traces of these still
remain. Within the palace rooms stand bare, stripped of their former glory, testifying
to the passing of the centuries. 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 the day. Below, circular dungeons housed the state prisoners of
the Mughals. Emperor Aurangzeb had his brother , Murad imprisoned , and later
executed here. Close by is Jauhar Pond, where in the Rajput tradition, the Ranis
committed mass sati after their consorts had been defeated in battle. At Man Mandir
Palace, a poignant ambience of those days of chivalry and heroism still lingers in the
silent chambers. A superbly mounted Son-et-Lumiere here brings it all alive every
evening.

Gurudwara Data Bandhi Chhod - Built in the memory of Guru Hargobind
Saheb , the 6th Sikh Guru who was imprisoned here by Emperor Jehangir for over
two years. It is located on the Gwalior Fort.

Gopachal Parvat - Situated on the Mountain Area at slopes of Gwalior Fort
carries unique statue of Jain Tirthankars. The largest Idol of Bhagwan Parshwanath
on Lotus is the largest statue(in single stone piece) in the world, being 47 feet high
and 30 feet in width. 26 Jain statues in a series give a beautiful and attractivce
picturescue. Built between 1398 to 1536 by Tomar Kings - these Jain Tirthankars
Statues are a species of Architecture and a treasure of Old Indian heritage and
culture.

Sun Temple - Located near the Residency at Morar, the newly constructed Sun
Temple takes its inspiration from the famous Konark Sun Temple in Orissa.

Sarod Ghar - This Museum of Music has been set up in the old ancestral house
of the legendary Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan. It houses ancient instruments of the great
Indian Masters of yesteryears.It also houses an impressive collection of
photographs and documents. Sarod Ghar is a unique institution devoted to
promoting Indian classical music, heritage and culture.Through this 'window' to the
past , music lovers can gain a better understanding of the evolution and history of
our classical music and a deeper perspective and insight into the context of the art
as it exists today.

Jai Vilas Palace and Museum - A splendor of a different kind exists in the
Jai Vilas Palace, current residence of the Scindia family. Some 25 rooms have been
turned into the Jivaji Rao Scindia Museum, and in these rooms , so evocative of a
regal lifestyle, the past comes alive. Jai Vilas is an Italianate structure which
combines the Tuscan and Corinthian architectural modes. The imposing Darbar
Hall has two central chandeliers weighing a couple of tonnes, and were hung only
after ten elephants had tested the strength of the roof. Ceilings picked out in gilt,
heavy draperies and tapestries , fine Persian carpets and antique furniture from
France and Italy are the features of these spacious rooms. Eye catching treasures
include : a silver train with cutglass wagons which served guests as it chugged
around the table on miniature rails; 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 Jahan. Also on display are gifts from practically every country
in the world. These are ,besides, personal mementoes of past members of the
Scindia family : the jeweled slippers that belonged to Chinkoo Rani , four-poster
beds, gifts from practically every country in the world, hunting trophies and portraits.
The Scindia Museum offers an unparalled glimpse into the rich culture and lifestyle
of princely India.


HOW TO REACH

By Plane - Gwalior is connected to Delhi and Bhopal and Indore by air.

By Train - Gwalior is very well connected to major cities across India by direct
train links. You can reach Gwalior from India's capital New Delhi, in 3 hours by New
Delhi-Bhopal Shatabdi Express(India's fastest train). This city is directly connected to
Jammu, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Dehradun, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Mumbai,
Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Kanyakumari,
Vishakhapattnam, Patna, Kolkata, etc.Gwalior railway station is a major Railway
station and comes under the jurisdiction of Jhansi Rail Divison. Train ticket
reservation is fully computerized and can be done at railway station itself. Another
convenient way of getting reservation is online reservation facility provided by
www.irctc.co.in site of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation. Auto
Rickshaw and Tempos (Shared Auto Rickshaw) are available from the station to
most parts of the city 24 hours. There is a pre-paid booth at railway staion for hiring
Auto-Rickshaw. It is advised to negotiate fare before hiring one. Taxis are also
available at railway station. .

By Road - Gwalior is situated on the North-South corridor of National Express
Highway.National highway No.3(Agra-Mumbai road) connects Gwalior To
Delhi,Agra,Indore and Mumbai.National Highway No.75 connects Gwalior to Jhansi,