The Gwalior fort, one of the biggest forts in India, is located at the distance of 3.2 km from the city of Gwalior in the central state of Madhya Pradesh in India. To mark the importance of this fort, the Indian Postal Service has issued a postage stamp. In the history of North India, this citadel and the city holds its own significance in the kingdoms of different rulers. According to the great Mughal Emperor Babur (1483-1531), the Gwalior fort is “The pearl in the necklace of the forts of Hind”.
Erected on a deserted hillock of ocherous sandstone and basalt in the conical shape somewhere in the 8th century, it seems that the fort is ignoring the current city, but offers a scenic view of the old city on its east. Being enclosed by hills and accompanied by the non-perennial Subarnarekha River, it seems like a amphitheatre when one views it at a distance of 1-6 km.
The name Gwalior comes from a saint’s name, Gwalipa. A popular belief holds that the saint had cured the King of Gwalior, Suraj Sen from leprosy by giving him the water of the Suraj Kund or the Sun Tank in the fort.
773 A.D.
Construction of the fort by a local ruler named Surya Sena
1023 A.D.
Unsuccessful attack by Mahmud of Ghazni
1196 A.D.
Capture by Qutubuddin Aibak, the first Sultan of India; but lost in 1211 A.D
1231 A.D.
Capture by the Sultan Iltutmish, the slave dynasty ruler of Delhi.
1519 A.D.
Control taken by Ibrahim Lodi of the Lodi dynasty followed by Babur, the Mughal Emperor, his son Humayun, and Sher Shah Suri
1556 A.D.
Capture by Humayun followed by Akbar who made the fort a place of Imprisonment
1736 A.D.
Capture by Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana, the Jat king until 1756
1779 A.D.
Won by the Scindias who built a garrison
1780 A.D.
Control by Chhatar Singh, the Rana of Gohud
1784 A.D.
Recovery by Madhaji Scindia
Being erected on the long and narrow hill named Gopachal over sandstone rocks, the fort is as high as 35 feet with its wall on the hill’s irregular edge giving it an asymmetrical appearance. There are two access gates in the North East and South West. The main entrance gate is the Hathi Pol, meaning the Elephant Gate that is approachable after passing via six gates. It is named so because of its width and height such that even elephants could pass through it. The another large gate is the Badalgarh gate.
The fort complex is a home of many historic buildings, water tanks, 11 Hindu and Jain temples (7 are Hindu temples), and palaces. Among the palaces, some famous ones are the Man Mandir palace, the Gujari Mahal (currently an archeological museum), the Jahangir Mahal, the Karan Palace, and the Shah Jahan Mahal.
The water tanks in the fort have the capacity to provide water to 15,000 strong garrison, which specifies the manpower strength. On the south of the fort, there are carved rock temples of 21 Jain Tirthankaras (saint or Jain preacher/apostle). One of the notice worthy tirthankara’s statues is that of the Parshwanath (the 23rd apostle), 40 feet in height, who escape the annihilation of Babur after losing control over the fort.
Hathi Pol
This is the main entrance gate, but the last one in the sequence of seven gates. Built in stone on the southeast side of the palace, it comprises of the cylindrical towers decorated with cupola domes and carved parapets.
Man Mandir
This is the worth visiting Hindu palace built by Man Singh Tomar towards the northeast end of the fort. Housed with the circular towers and domed pavilions, the fort is also called a ‘painted palace’ or ‘Chit Mandir’ as southern façade’s walls are roofed at four levels. The painting style involves the turquoise, green, and yellow tiles inlaid with patterns of twisted tails of geese and crocodiles. The parapet wall exhibits elephants, peacocks, and trees. The two inner chambers are surrounded apartments that comprise of jalis and have a decorated carved façade using lotus petals, friezes, and projecting top balconies.
A distinct feature here is the Baradari, the hall or court of celebration erected by 12 column and a roof of stone. The prison dungeon is below this palace, which is the place where royal prisoners of the Mughal dynasty were killed. The fort’s name is also associated to sati performed in the Jauhar Kund Palace. Herein, the royal woman voluntarily dies in her husband’s funeral pyre. This had happened in 1232 A.D. when the Gwalior king was defeated.
Gujari Mahal cum Museum
This palace was built by Raja Man Singh for his beloved wife Mrignayani, a Gujar princess in the 15th century. She had insisted for palace of her own having periodic water supply via an adequate water pool feed by the Rai River. Currently, this has now become an archeological museum that exhibits rare relics of the Hindu and Jain sculptures of 1st and 2nd century B.C., small statue of Salabhanjika that is only displayed on acquiring permission, Terracotta articles, and replicas of frescoes of the Bagh caves.
Teli ka Mandir Temple
The Teli-ka-Mandir meaning the Oilman’s Temple was the oldest monument erected in the 8th century according to the style and decoration of the shrines. As it is a unusual blend of south Indian, North Indian, and Buddhist styles and that it has a sanctuary only, it is also named as a Brahmanical sanctuary. The Buddhist style is seen in the Chaitya kind of hall, torana adorned main gate with images of river goddesses and Garuda in addition to lotus and diamond designs, and a Buddhist roof on atop the Hindu temple.
Replanned in 1881-83, the rectangular shrine comprises of a tower in Nagari style. Originally, the external walls’ niches exhibited sculptures that are now replaced with a horseshoe arch or ventilator openings, depicting the north Indian style. The lotus and diamond designs on the top of the arch of the main gate were dedicated to Lord Vishnu, but now it is for Lord Shiva. Garuda, the highest monument in the fort, is dedicated to the Pratihara Vishnu; which has a fusion of Muslim and Indian style.
Sas-Bahu Temple
Built in the 10th century according to the inscription by a regional dynasty called the Kachchhapaghatas, one of the shrines was made short and other big – both dedicated to Vishnu originally. The meaning of this name is ‘mother-in-law and daughter-in-law’ shrines. Both pyramidal shaped temples being near to each other, the smaller one is more attractive and stylistic.
An amazing feature of these shrines carved out of red sandstone is that they are elevated by mere aid of beams and pillars without using arches nearly seven storeys high.
Other Monuments
The Chhatri of Maharajas Bhim Singh and Bhimtal
The Scindia School (originally for sons of Indian royals)
The Gurudwara Data Bandi dedicated to the sixth Sikh Guru Har Gobind
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