GWALIOR And AROund

GWALIOR and around
Delhi to GWALIOR
By Road:
327 kms
Gwalior ¤ Chambal ¤ Morena
Chambal WS ¤ Kuno WS
By Rail:
3.5 hrs by Shatabdi
Express
By Air: 50 mins flying
Map not to scale
Gwalior is not only a great weekend destination in itself but is
also the gateway to the vast unexplored ravines of Chambal,
the National Chambal and Kuno Wildlife Sanctuaries and the
archaeologically significant temples near Morena. In fact, those
who do not mind a little hectic travel, can also squeeze in a visit to
Shivpuri (116 kms) known for the stunning Scindia cenotaphs and
the Madhav National Park, or Orchha (128 kms).
Suggested circuits
Delhi-Gwalior
Delhi-Gwalior-Kuno WS
Delhi- Gwalior- Chambal WS
Delhi- Gwalior-Morena
Delhi-Gwalior-Orchha/Shivpuri (pp 46-55)
time
Distances from
Gwalior (in kms):
Morena
Chambal
Kuno WS
Chambal WS
43
46
120
145
Gwalior
It is advisable to
hire a car for the
tour of the fort,
especially during
the warmer months.
However, during
the winter months,
walking through
the sprawling fort
can be a wonderful
experience.
Gwalior is a town that beckons visitors with
its history and romance. It is surrounded by
vast, unending plains that are sporadically
dotted with hills, all of which are covered with
a carpet of green after the first monsoon rains.
The region can get very hot in summer, and
the best time to visit Gwalior is during the
winter months.
Gwalior Fort
Presiding over the city from atop a 100-m high
hill is the Gwalior Fort, that Emperor Babur
visited in 1528 and described as ‘the pearl
among the fortresses of Hind’. Legend has it
that the fort was founded by Suraj Sen, the 8th
century chieftain, in honour of Gwalipa, a
hermit who had cured him of leprosy.
There are two ways of entering the fort,
one by the motorable road through
Urwahi Gate and the other through
Hathi Gate, which involves a kilometre
long walk from the bottom of the fort.
Inside the fort are beautiful examples of
medieval architecture and the well-known
Scindia School. The steep road from Urwahi
Gate is flanked by massive sculptures of Jain
tirthankaras carved on to the rock-face in the
mid-15th century. Among these sculptures are
the massive 17-m tall standing Adinath and
the 19-m tall Parshvanath.
The most impressive structure within the
fort is Man Mandir Palace, the magnificent
sandstone structure built by Raja Man
Singh Tomar (r. 1486-1517). It has six colossal
cylindrical towers capped with cupolas,
which, in their heyday, were gilded with
copper and gold leaves.
ABOVE: Gigantic
images of Jain
Tirthankaras flank the
road leading up from
the Urwahi Gate
BELOW: Spectacular
ramparts of the
Gwalior Fort
'Of all the Rajas' buildings, Man Singh's is the best
and the loftiest. ...'
Baburnama (transl. Annette S Beveridge)
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WEEKEND getaways in MADHYA PRADESH
Gwalior and Around
temple has a north Indian style
shikhara topped by a vaulted
Dravidian roof.
Figures of coiled serpents,
amorous couples and garuda
adorn the temple walls. Because
of its Dravidian look, it is also
called Telengana ka Mandir.
One must spend some time here
to appreciate this remarkable
structure, even if your guide
wishes to hurry you along.
Interiors of the
Man Mandir Palace
with its stunning blue
mosaic
ABOVE:
Facing page TOP to
bottom: The imposing
Teli ka Mandir;
Gurdwara Data Bandi
Chhod; Teli ka Mandir
seen from across
the sarovar in the
gurdwara
Timings: 10 am to 6pm
Charges: `5 (Indians);
`100 (foreigners)
A single ticket gives
entry to the Man Singh
Palace, Archaeological
Museum, Teli ka
Mandir, Saas-Bahu
Temples and Data
Bandi Chhod gurdwara
Separate `5 ticket for
Vikramaditya Palace,
Kirti Mandir, Jahangir
and Shah Jahan Mahal.
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Arguably one of the most beautiful Hindu
palaces, the outer ramparts of Man Mandir
Palace are stunningly decorated with glazed
tiles in blue, green and yellow with images of
tigers, elephants, proud peacocks and a unique
running motif of yellow geese. Emperor
Akbar, impressed by its architecture, is said
to have borrowed several features from the
palace in his own buildings in Fatehpur Sikri
and elsewhere.
The subterranean chambers of the palace
are worth a visit. Originally these served as
the zenana (women’s) quarters. Later, during
Mughal rule, these underground chambers
were used as prison cells where Aurangzeb’s
son, Muhammad, his brother Murad, and the
sixth Sikh Guru, Hargobind Singh, among
others, were held captive.
The much-revered Gurdwara
Data Bandi Chhod, just across
from Teli ka Mandir, was
built to commemorate Guru
Hargobind Singh’s incarceration
in the fort by the Mughal
emperor, Jahangir. After two
years of captivity, when the
guru was released, he procured
the release of the 52 rajas also
imprisoned in the fort. The
fort’s name, ‘Bandi Chhod’, is
thus an allusion to this incident
and literally means ‘liberator of
prisoners’.
Situated near the Lakshman
Gate, the ancient Chaturbhuja
Mandir, dedicated to Vishnu,
is the only monolith rock-cut
temple within the fort.
Also worth visiting is the Archaeological
Museum, just across from Man Mandir Palace,
exhibiting artefacts recovered from Gwalior
and around (Timings: 10 am to 5 pm).
Also inside the fort is the 8th-9th century
Teli ka Mandir, that gets its name from the
popular belief that it was built by members
of the teli (oil merchant) caste. A pastiche of
different architectural styles, the 23-m high
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WEEKEND getaways in MADHYA PRADESH
The
elaborately carved
Saas Temple
BELOW: The chhattri
of Bhimsingh Rana, a
Jat ruler who briefly
occupied Gwalior in
1761, also stands in
the fort complex
ABOVE:
Gwalior and Around
The Saas-Bahu Mandir nearby, literally
meaning the ‘temple of mother-in-law and
daughter-in-law’, was built by king Mahipala
around 1093, supposedly for his mother and
wife. The larger of the two, the Saas temple,
is profusely sculpted and has an elaborately
carved lotus on its ceiling. The smaller Bahu
temple, has a pyramidal roof and an opensided porch.
While the Saas temple is dedicated to Vishnu,
the Bahu temple is dedicated to Shiva. It is
believed that the pair of temples was originally
known as Sahasra Baahu (meaning thousandarmed) and were dedicated to Vishnu.
In the northeast corner of
Gwalior Fort is Gurjari Mahal,
built by Man Singh for his
Gujjar queen, Mrignayani.
According to a local legend,
Man Singh’s first encounter
with Mrignayani was when he
saw her trying to disentangle
two warring buffaloes with
bare hands. Impressed by her
courage and enchanted by her
beauty, he asked her to be his
queen. The Gurjari Mahal
Archaeological Museum
houses interesting artefacts,
some dating to 1st century AD.
Gurjari Mahal Museum
Timings: 10 am to 5 pm
Entry fee: Rs 2
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In Lashkar, the new part of Gwalior which lies
south of the fort, is Jai Vilas Palace (1872-74), the
opulent residence of the Scindias, the erstwhile
royal family of Gwalior. Thirty-six of its rooms
have been converted into a museum.
The ceiling of the Durbar Hall is plated with
56 kgs of gold, and holds two chandeliers,
weighing 3.5 tonnes each. Local lore has it that
before the chandeliers were hung, ten elephants
were made to parade on the roof to see if it
could sustain the weight. The Banquet Hall is
equally ostentatious, with a railway track on the
dining table, for a silver train that carried afterdinner brandy and cigars for the guests.
Jai Vilas Palace with
its plush interiors
Gurjari Mahal Museum
Timings: 9.30 am to
5.30 pm
Mondays closed
Entry fee: Rs 25
Camera charge: Rs 30
The palace grounds also house the 120year old Usha Kiran Palace, the erstwhile
residence of Jiyaji Rao Scindia, which has
been converted into a heritage hotel run by
the Taj Group.
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Gwalior and Around
WEEKEND getaways in MADHYA PRADESH
ABOVE: The
Chambal
Distance from Gwalior: 46 kms
In Hazira, in the old part of
Gwalior, is a walled complex
with beautiful green lawns
that encloses the exquisitely
crafted Tomb of Mohammad
Ghaus. Ghaus is believed
to have been a 16th century
Afghan prince who became
Sufi saint and helped Babur in
annexing Gwalior Fort.
Mohammad Ghaus’
tomb
The tomb is also
the location of the
annual Tansen Music
Festival, held during
November-December.
Renowned Indian
musicians from
across the country
pay homage at the
grave of the musical
legend.
40
Mohammad Ghaus’ tomb is striking for its
intricate jaali work. It stands in an enclosed
compound with smaller tombs, including
that of the legendary singer, Tansen. There
is a tamarind tree near it, and people believe
that chewing the leaves of this tree confers the
person with a sweet voice.
A few kilometres from this complex is Surya
Mandir, dedicated to the Sun god. Built in
the late 1980s, it is set in a lovely garden and
is a replica of the magnificent Sun Temple in
Konark, Orissa.
Music aficionados should definitely pay a visit
to the splendid Sarod Ghar, a museum devoted
to the promotion of Indian classical music,
established by the sarod maestro Ustad Amjad
Ali Khan in his ancestral home. The museum
houses an impressive collection of photographs
and documents. The central courtyard of the
Museum functions as an open-air auditorium.
Bordering the states of Rajasthan and Uttar
Pradesh, the Chambal belt of northern Madhya
Pradesh is notorious for its jagged ravines
that once provided shelter for outlaws and
dacoits. These ravines, spread over an area of
37,000 sq kms, were formed due to centuries of
erosion by rainfall and by the swift current of
Chambal river and its tributaries. Though no
longer the hideaway of dacoits, the rugged and
labyrinthine cliffs continue to beguile popular
imagination.
intriguing
Chambal ravines.
The sight of huge
rugged mud-cliffs
rising majestically,
and stretching
for kilometres, is
spellbinding
For centuries, Chambal dacoits have captured popular imagination
as local heroes, baaghis (rebels) who helped the downtrodden, or
as ruthless gunmen (and women) who killed mercilessly in their bid
to avenge old feuds. One of the most notorious dacoits to have
operated from Chambal was Phoolan Devi, also known as ‘Queen
of the Ravines’ or as ‘Chambal ki
Rani’. Phoolan Devi went on to
become a Member of Parliament
after her surrender and was shot
dead in 2001. Shekhar Kapur’s 1994
film 'Bandit Queen' is based on her
life.
In 2012, the Chambal ravines were
featured in Bollywood again, in the
movie 'Paan Singh Tomar'. The film
was a biopic on the life of Paan Singh
Tomar, an Indian athlete-turneddacoit, who operated here.
Poster for the movie, Paan Singh Tomar,
shot in Chambal ravines
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WEEKEND getaways in MADHYA PRADESH
Gwalior and Around
Recent excavations at Bateshwar, two
kilometres from Padhavali, have revealed
a group of nearly 60 temples built during
the reign of the Pratihara dynasty. The
District Archaeological Museum here houses
many artefacts recovered from various
archaeological sites across the district.
The fascinating 14th century Ekattarso
Mahadev Temple at Mitaoli, 25 kms from
Morena, is believed by some to be a Chausath
Yogini temple. Situated on top of a hillock,
Intricately carved
interiors of the Vishnu
temple at Padhavali
ASI conservation
work in progress at
the Bateshwar temple
complex
Morena
Distance from Gwalior: 43 kms
Though the ravines of Chambal are what gave
the land its notorious fame, the region has
several significant archaeological sites. Most of
these sites are close to Morena town, which in
itself does not have much to offer.
About 25 kms from Morena town is Padhavali,
with a beautiful Vishnu temple, believed by
some historians to belong to the Gupta period.
It consists of a central dome erected on pillars,
instead of the usual outer wall. Presently there
are no statues or idols within the temple. The
only thing to suggest that the building was
originally a temple is the ceiling, which is
intricately carved with gods and goddesses
from the Hindu pantheon, as well as scenes
from the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
it comprises a circular cloister, built around
an open courtyard, and has an uncanny
resemblance to the Parliament House in New
Delhi. It consists of a series of small cells, each
with an open flat-roofed mandapa enshrining a
linga. A smaller circular shrine, also housing a
linga stands in the centre of the courtyard.
The circular temple at
Mitaoli
Another Shiva shrine, Kakanmath at
Suhaniya village, 35 kms from Morena,
is recorded to have been built by
Kachchhapaghata ruler Kirttiraja (r. 1015-1030),
to fulfil the wish of his queen Kakanwati. The
once-grand temple is in such a ruinous state
that it looks as if it is about to collapse any
moment. However, even in this dilapidated
state the remains of the temple are quite
impressive, especially the rich quality and
variety of its sculptures.
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Gwalior and Around
WEEKEND getaways in MADHYA PRADESH
Timings:
9am to 5pm
Closed July-Sept
Charges:
Entry Fee: Rs 10
Boat ride: Rs 490
For more info
contact the forest
superintendent’s
office at 0753228791819
Gharial, also called the
fish-eating crocodile
National Chambal (Gharial)
Wildlife Sanctuary
Distance from Gwalior: 145 kms
National Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary,
about two hours’ drive from Gwalior, covers
approximately 5,400 sq kms of area across
the three states of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar
Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Chambal river runs through the sanctuary
and is home to the endangered Indian
gharial, with over 200 adult gharials thriving
here (according to last count). Smoothcoated otters, over 15 species of tortoise, the
threatened Gangetic dolphin and various
kinds of fish are also found in
this river.
A boat ride offered here is the
best way to view the wildlife:
gharials basking on the rocks,
mugger crocodiles stealthily
floating under the surface of
the water, and the occasional
ripples formed on the water by
the Gangetic dolphin.
The sanctuary is home to several
species of animals including
spotted deer, barking deer, nilgai,
chinkara, dhole or wild dogs and
leopards. In addition to these,
reptiles like the Indian monitor
lizard, python, cobra, viper and
krait are found here. Some fresh
water crocodiles are also known
to reside along the Kuno river.
The fact that this is not a tourist
hotspot ensures that the forest is
pristine and unspoiled by man.
After decades of debate, it has been decided
that Kuno will serve as an alternate sanctuary
for the endangered Asiatic lion, that is
presently restricted to the Sasan Gir National
Park in Gujarat. With its dry deciduous forests,
Kuno is seen as having the most suitable
habitat for the lion.
The forest rest house in Palpur, which is about
25 kms from the sanctuary gate, offers basic
facilities. The PWD rest house in Sesiapura
is an old colonial structure with a railway
carriage as a dining room.
If lucky, one may
sight the everelusive leopard in the
sanctuary
Timings:
9 am to 5 pm
Closed July-Sept
Charges:
Entry Fee: Rs 15
Charges for still
photography and
videography extra
Where to Stay
Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary
Distance from Gwalior: 120 kms
Hog Deer posing for a
photograph
Established in 1981, this is a relatively lesser
known sanctuary spread over an area of
345 sq km. A part of the erstwhile Gwalior
state, the sanctuary was named after Kuno, a
tributary of Chambal, that runs through it.
Gwalior (STD: 0751)
Usha Kiran Palace
(Taj Hotels)
Jayendraganj, Lashkar
Ph 2444000
Email: ushakiran.
gwalior@tajhotels.com
Gwalior Regency
Near Bus Stand
Ph 2340670/71/72
Email g.regency@
hotmail.com
Hotel Adityaz
Airport Road
Opp Deendayal Nagar
Ph 2472333/444
Email info@aditya.hotels.
gwl
Central Park
Madhav Rao Scindia Marg
Ph 2232440/43
Email thecentralpark@
sify.com
Tansen Residency
(MPSTDC)
Gandhi Road
Ph 0751-4010555
Email tansen@
mptourism.com
Regency Square
New Bus Stand Road
Ph 2344116, 2343521
Email
hotelregencysquare@
gmail.com
Hotel Landmark
Manik Vilas Colony
Ph 4011271/72
Email info@
hotellandmarkgwalior.
com
Hotel Grace
Manik Vilas Colony
Ph 2340111/110
Email bookings@
hotelgrace.in
Royal Inn
City Centre
Ph 2340892
Sita Manor
Opp Akashvani
Gandhi Road
Ph 4010485
Email sitamanor@
rediffmail.com
Hotel Sunbeam
City Centre
Ph 2210201
Surya Hotel
Jayendraganj
Lashkar
Ph 2424344
Email
hotelsuryaregency@
gmail.com
Hotel Shelter
Padav
Ph 2376209
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