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The
Gwalior
Fort
 Standing
on a steep of sandstone, Gwalior Fort
dominates the city and is its most
magnificent monument. It has been the scene
of momentous events such as
imprisonments, battles and jauhars. A steep
road winds upwards to the fort, flanked by
statues of the Jain Trithankaras, 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, Mrignayami. The outer structure
of Gujarai Mahal has survived in an almost
total state of preservation: the interior
has been converted into an Archeological
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, epitome of perfection in
miniature. The statue is kept in the custody
of the museum's curator, and can be seen by
request.
Man Mandir Palace
Built between 1486 and 1517 by Raja
Mansingh. 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 passage of the centuries. Vast
chambers with fine stone screens were
once music halls, and behind these screens,
the royal ladies would learn music from the
great masters of the day.
Madho Rao Scindia's Cenotaph
The glittering white marble surface of Madho
Rao Scindia's cenotaph is inlaid in the pietra
dura style, with lapis lazuli and onyx
to create a spectacularly rich effect,
heightened by the delicacy of the
trelliswork on the sides. The dowager queens
cenotaph has a noble dignity of line and
superb structural harmony, Both memorials
contain life-size images of the Scindias and
these are tended to with extreme devotion by
ceremonially dressed retains who perform the
rituals of placing flowers and incense
before the statues each day.
Suraj Kund
Though major portions of the fort were built
in the 15th century, reference to
this gigantic complex can be traced back to
425 A.D. Older than the city is the suraj
Kund within the fort walls, the original
pond where Suraj Sen, or Suraj Pal as he
was later known, was cured by saint Gwalipa.
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