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“Here lies buried the musical master Tansen… on this pavilion the Gujjar queen Mrignayani would recite the Dhrupad with Baiju Bawara… from here the beautiful Roopmati would listen to the Narmada and look down upon Baz Bahadur’s palace before he fled and she drank poison…”. Don’t be surprised if you get goose pimples walking down the streets – so intense is the sense of history here.
Orchha, Mandu and Gwalior, the historic towns of Madhya Pradesh. Unlike Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh’s other historic towns live their pasts in unused monuments, ballads and heightened sensibilities.
Only Gwalior has survived as a living monument. The Scindia clan that ruled from the fort still owns it and thanks to their political clout, Gwalior has maintained a stronghold in the scheme of things. The musical traditions too have survived and Gwalior gharana’s illustrious torchholder is Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, the sarod maestro. (Incidentally, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was born in Gwalior.)
THE LEGEND
The story goes that Suraj Sen, a Rajput chieftain was hunting in the hills around Gwalior. Hopelessly lost and terribly thirsty, he came across a hermit named Gwalipa who directed him to a pool. After drinking the healing waters of this ‘kund’, Suraj Sen was cured of a long-time ailment – leprosy. In gratitude, he built a tank and a fort on the site and named the city after the hermit.
HISTORY
For a brief period in history Gwalior stood witness to Turkish invasion and tragic Rajput defeats. The men of the fort rode out to their last battles and women immolated themselves in ‘jauhar’. However, the Rajputs reconquered the fort and with the Tomar dynasty firmly in the saddle, Gwalior was on the threshold of a glorious era. During the reign of Man Singh Tomar, Gwalior was a thriving centre of Indian classical music and art. The exquisite ‘Man Mandir’ or Palace of Dreams, was built in his time and so began the most romantic epoch of the Gwalior Fort. The story of Man Singh and his Gujjar wife Mrignayani is beautifully played out in the Son-et-Lumeire now. Music was their mutual passion and the legendary Baiju Bawra their common guru.
During the Mughal rule, the fort had become a royal prison. Aurangzeb imprisoned his brother and subsequently executed him here. Then came to power the last dynasty to rule Gwalior – the Marathas under Mahadji Scindia. In between, the fort passed briefly into the hands of the British, Laxmibai of Jhansi and Tatiya Tope. It were the Scindias who restored Gwalior to its former glory. The imposing Jai Vilas Palace, situated in the city below the hill top fort, is proof of the Scindia sway.
The late Madho Rao Scindia, the architect of modern Gwalior, made it one of the best-administered former princely states. Part of the palace is still lived in by the scions of the family (when they are not in Delhi hobnobbing with other political bigwigs), and another part has been turned into a museum – which has quite a collection: Belgian cut-glass furniture, stuffed tigers, German bubble car, a room full of erotica and a model railway car that carried cigars and brandy after dinner.
PLACES TO SEE
The Fort: The Gwalior fort occupies the whole of the top surface of the enormous rock it sits on. It is quite like an island, parked some 300 feet above the sprawling city that surrounds it. The foundations of the fort were laid some 1000 years ago, although there are other structures and temples within its walls that are much older. Suraj Sen made the spring into a vast tank which he named Suraj Kund which still exists today.
Gujari Mahal: Gujari Mahal is a symbol of the romantic era of the history of Gwalior. This 15th century fort was built by Raja Man Singh Tomar as an expression of love for his beautiful gujjar Queen Mrignayani. Though the outer structure of the fort has been preserved almost totally, the interior is in a deteriorated conditon.
It has been converted into an archeaological museum housing rare antiquities, some of them as old as the 1st century AD. There is a large collection of Hindu and Jain sculptures and copies of the Bagh Caves frescoes. Quite a lot of the exhibits have been defaced by the Mughals. The statue of Shalbhanjika, the tree goddess in miniature, which was excavated in Gyraspur, is kept in the custody of the curator and one should make it a point to see it , as it is beautiful piece of sculpture.
Man Singh Palace: It was built by Raja Man Singh between 1486 and 1517. It has four levels, two of them underground. The underground levels were used as prison cells during the Mughal period. Emperor Aurangzeb had his brother Murad imprisoned and later executed here. Nearby is the Jauhar Pond, where the queens committed sati after their consorts had been defeated in battle.
The palace gives one a feeling of being transported back in time, to an era of palace intrigue, chivalry, and heroism.
Teli ka Mandir: This huge temple, which was built in the 9th century, rises majestically to a height of a 100ft. Constructed by the Pratihara’s, the temple is the outcome of a blending of architectural styles. The Indo-Aryan style of Northern India and the Dravidian style of Southern India have been incorporated here. The roof of the temple has been constructed in the Dravidian style, whereas the innumerable decorations with which the temple is covered, are in the Indo Aryan style.
Sas Bahu ka Mandir: These graceful 11th century temples are also dedicated to Vishnu. The base of the larger temple has ornate and intricate carvings. The entrances have figures of Vishnu over them.
Jai Vilas Palace: The current residence of the Scindia family, the splendour of this palace is so evocative of a regal lifestyle, one is transported to the times of the kings and queens. All the impressions of royalty one gleans from books and movies seem to come alive here. 35 rooms of this palace have been converted to a museum. This palace is an Italian structure which combines the Tuscan and the Cornithian architectural modes. The main Durbar Hall is painted in gold which is said to weigh 58 kgs.
There are also the personal mementoes of past members of the Scindia family: the jewelled slippers worn by Chinkoo Rani, four-poster beds, hunting trophies and portraits. The Scindia palace offers a glimpse into the rich culture and lifestyle of princely India.
Tansen’s Tomb: Tansen needs no introduction to followers of Indian classical music. This great musician and one of the nine jewels or ‘Nav Ratans’ of Akbar’sCourt, Tansen lies buried in Gwalior. The memorial has a pristine simplicity and is built in the early Mughal architectural style. More than a monument, the tomb is a part of Gwalior’s cultural heritage: it is the venue of a music festival on a national scale held annually in November-December, to which flock the lovers of classical music.
Memorials: There are memorials dedicated to Tatya Tope and Rani of Jhansi, the earliest freedom fighters of the nation. There are cenotaphs at major public crossings, memorials of Scindia kings and queens. Throughout the city there are these reminders of a proud past, of the great men and women of Gwalior who have done the city proud. These brave people live on in the memory of the citizens of Gwalior through the memorials dedicated to them.
GETTING THERE:
By Air: Regular flights connect Gwalior with Delhi, Agra, Bhopal, Indore and Mumbai.
By Rail: Gwalior is on the Central Railway's main Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Chennai lines. All south-bound trains connecting Gwalior include the Taj, Shatabdi, Kerala, Goa, GT, Malwa, Mahamaya and Jhelum Expresses.
By Road: Gwalior is connected by regular bus services to Agra, Mathura, Jaipur, Delhi, Lucknow, Bhopal, Indore, Jhansi, Khajuraho, Rewa, Ujjain and Shivpuri. Taxis can also be hired from these places for Gwalior.
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