Fast Facts
Location : Madhya Pradesh
Attractions : Gwalior Fort, Archaeological Museum, Man
Singh Palace, Sas-bahu Temples, Municipal Museum, Teli Ka Mandir, Jai Vilas
Palace, Tomb of Muhammad Ghaus etc.
Best Time To Visit : October to March
Introducing Gwalior
Gwalior is a city in the extreme north-west of Indian state of Madhya
Pradesh, only 122 kms south of Agra. A historic city, Gwalior is known for
its very old magnificent fort which houses a number of ruined palaces and
interesting temples. In fact, the history of the Gwalior Fort goes back over
a thousand years and it remained the centre of power for rulers of various
dynasties. Apart from special mention in India's medieval history and
freedom struggles, Gwalior city also enjoys an important position with
regard to education.
Gwalior City consists of two parts namely the older and newer parts. Old
Gwalior town is off to the north of the massive Gwalior Fort, which was
built by Raja Man Singh Tomar of the Tomar dynasty. New Gwalior town is
known as Lashkar and stands to the south-west of the Gwalior Fort. Morar is
also a part of newer town which lies to the east of the fort. Due to its
proximity to Agra - the city of Taj Mahal, Khajuraho - the city of ancient
temples and Delhi - the national capital, Gwalior draws thousands of
tourists every year.
Rich in cultural heritage and architectural marvels, Gwalior is a must
visit place in central India. So, on your next trip to India don't forget to
include the city of Gwalior in your itinerary. Come to Gwalior and see its
old as well as new attraction on your own and return to your home with some
lifelong memories.
How to Reach Gwalior
By Air : Gwalior has its own airport which has flights
from Delhi, Mumbai and Bhopal. From the airport auto-rickshaws, taxis and
mini-buses are available for the city.
By Train : Gwalior railway station on the main
Delhi-Mumbai rail line and is well-connected to Delhi, Agra, Mumbai and
other cities of India. A number of express and super-fast trains run to
Gwalior from various parts of the country. From Delhi the express or mail
trains take about six hours to reach Gwalior. Trains are also available
between Gwalior and Agra, and the journey takes only about two hours.
By Bus : National Highway and State Highways connect
Gwalior with cities of Madhya Pradesh and neigbouring states. Regular bus
services are available from Gwalior to Delhi, Agra, Indore, Ujjain, Bhopal,
Jabalpur and Khajuraho.
Local Transport : Taxis, auto-rickshaws and tempos are
available as modes of local transport in Gwalior.
Places Where You Can Stay
Plenty of accommodation options are available in Gwalior. Most of Gwalior's
hotels are located between the railway station and Lashkar, the main
shopping area. Most famous hotels of Gwalior include Usha Kiran Palace
Hotel, Hotel Ambika, Hotel Banjara, Hotel Bhagwati, Hotel Fort View, Hotel
Regency, Hotel India, Hotel Man Mandir, MPTDC Tansen, Hotel Safari, Hotel
Ashok, Hotel Gujri Mahal and Hotel Shelter.
Tourist Attractions in Gwalior
Gwalior Fort : Gwalior Fort is the chief attraction of the
Gwalior city. You can approach the fort from the south-west or the
north-east, either on foot or by a taxi or an auto-rickshaw. The fort hill
rises in between 100 mts to 200 mts, while the fort walls which continue
around almost the entire hilltop are 10 mts high and imposingly solid. From
the fort walls you will get superb view of the crowded streets of the older
part of the town and the surrounding plains. Gwalior fort houses a number of
interesting things to see that include Archaeological Museum, Man Singh
Palace, Karan Palace, Shah Jahan Palace, Sasbahu Temples, Teli Ka Mandir
etc.
Archaeological Museum : Archaeological Museum lies within
the Gujari Mahal Palace, at the beginning of the north-east ascent to the
fort. The museum has a fine collection of Hindu and Jain sculptures and
copies of the Bagh Caves frescoes. Archaeological Museum is open 10am to 5pm
daily, close of Mondays.
Man Singh Palace : Man Singh Palace or Man Mandir is a
delightfully whimsical structure and forms the entrance to the fort. It is
also known as Chit Mandir or Painted Palace, because of the tiled and
painted decorations. Man Singh Palace was built by Man Singh between 1486
and 1516 and repaired in 1881. Painted in blue, with hints of green and
gold, but it still looks very beautiful today. Man Singh Palace has four
storeys, two of them underground and all of them now deserted.
Sas-bahu Temples : Sas and Bahu temples i.e.,
mother-in-law and daughter-in-law's temples stand close to eastern wall
about mid-way along the side of the fort. Both the Sas and Bahu temples are
similar in style and date from the 9th to 11th centuries AD. There is no any
idol of god inside the temples, only the larger temple has an ornately
carved base and images pf Lord Vishnu over the entrance gate. You may view
the Gwalior city from the temple courtyard.
Teli Ka Mandir : Teli Ka Mandir lies on the opposite side
of the fort, beyond the Suraj Kund tank. This temple probably dates from the
9 th century AD is made of Dravidian and Aryan style and has a peculiar plan
and design. The roof is Dravidian while the decorations, the sculptures of
the whole temple is Indo-Aryan. A Garuda tops the 10mtr high doorway of the
temple, which is also the highest structure in the fort.
Pratihar Vishnu Temple : Pratihar Vishnu Temple is the
highest temple in the fort. At the entrance of the temple there is a Garuda.
Municipal Museum : Municipal Museum is located opposite to
Moti Mahal. You will find the impressive collections of Mughal, Rajput and
Maratha coins in this museum. The museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm,
closed on Mondays and public holidays.
Jai
Vilas Palace : Situated in the new town, Jai Vilas Palace was built in
1872-74 on the occasion of the arrival of Prince of Wales. Jai Vilas Palace
was the palace of the Scindia family and the family still lives in a portion
of the palace. A large part of the palace is used as a museum which has the
collections of Maharaja Jiyaji Rao. The museum also displays articles made
of Belgium cut glass, poison checking plate, furnitures of Italy and France,
swing chair, glass made swing for little Sri Krishna, many stuffed animals,
swords of Shahjahan and Aurrangzeb. Scindia Museum is open from 10am to 5pm,
except Mondays.
Old Town : The Old Town of Gwalior lies on the north and
north-east of the fort hill. To the north-east of the fort near Gwalior gate
you will see the statue of great Maestro Tansen. Jami Masjid is another
attraction of the old city. The mosque was made of sand stone was founded by
Mohammed Khan in 1661 AD. On the eastern side of the town, see the tomb of
Muhammad Ghaus, a saint who played a major role in Babur's acquisition of
the fort. An very good example of early Mughal architecture, the tomb has
hexagonal towers at its four corners and a dome which was once covered with
glazed blue tiles. Close to this tomb lies the smaller tomb of Tansen, a
classical singer much admired by Mughal Emperor Akbar.
Sarod Ghar : Sarod Ghar is a museum of music
which has been established in the old ancestral house of the legendary Ustad
Hafiz Ali Khan. The museum houses ancient instruments of the Great Indian
Masters and also has an impressive collection of photographs and documents.
Sun Temple : Sun Temple is located near the Residency at
Morar. A new constructed temple, the Sum temple takes its inspiration from
the popular Konark Sun Temple in Orissa.
Gurudwara Data Bandhi Chhod : Gurudwarad Data Bandhi Chhod
is situated on the Gwalior Fort. It is built in the memory of Guru Hargobind
Saheb, the 6th Sikh Guru who was imprisoned here by Emperor Jehangir for
over two years.
Gopachal : Set on the mountain area at the slopes of
Gwalior Fort, Gopachal houses the unique statues of Jain Tirthankars.
Erected between 1398 and 1536 by Tomar Kings, these Jain Tirthankars Statues
are excellent pieces of architecture and a treasure of rich Indian heritage
and culture.
Tourist Attractions Around Gwalior
Shivpuri : Shivpuri is 117 km south-west of Gwalior and
famous for the Madhab National Park. Actually the old summer resort of
Scindia Kings, Shivpuri had been converted to national park in 1958. Madhab
National Park is known for its beautiful forests and wild animals. Almost
one km interior of the deep forest there is Sakhya Sagar Lake. The park is
open throughout the year but you should avoid summer in April - June and
July - September for rain.
Shopping in Gwalior
Any trip to Gwalior is incomplete without some shopping. Gwalior is known
for traditional handicrafts, clothes and several other contemporary items.
You may purchase suiting of Gwalior, Brocade, Chanderi Sarees, Gold and
Silver ornaments, pottery articles, dolls made of cloths from the markets of
Gwalior. Perfumes of Gwalior are also very popular and you may buy them as a
souvenir of Gwalior trip. Visit the State Govt Emporium Mriganayani which
offers a variety of items. For sarees and other clothings visit the famous
outlets of Kothari, Ganpatlal, Krishnalal and M P Khadi Sangha at Sarafa
Bazaar.
