All Topics  
Gwalior

 
Gwalior

   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link






 

Gwalior



 
 
Gwalior (Hindi
Hindi

Standard Hindi, also known as High Hindi, Nagari Hindi or Literary Hindi is a Standard language register of Hindi. It is one of the 22 official languages of India, and is used, along with English language, for administration of the central government....
: ???????? ),(Marathi: ????????? ), is a city in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a States and territories of India in central India. Its capital is Bhopal. Madhya Pradesh was originally the largest state in India until November 1, 2000 when the state of Chhattisgarh was carved out....
 in India
India

India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, the List of countries by population country, and the most populous liberal democracy in the world....
. It lies 76 miles (122 km) south of Agra
Agra

Agra is a city on the banks of the Yamuna in the northern States and territories of India of Uttar Pradesh, India. It finds mention in the epic Mahabharata when it was called Agrabana, or Paradise....
 and has a population of over 12 lakh
Lakh

A lakh is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to 100000 . It is widely used both in official and other contexts in Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Pakistan, and is often used in Indian English....
 (1,200,000). The Gwalior metropolitan area is the 46th most populated area in the country.

Gwalior occupies a strategic location in the Gird
Gird

Gird is a list of regions of India of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. It includes the districts of Bhind District, Gwalior District, Morena District, Sheopur District, and Shivpuri District....
 region of North India
North India

Northern India is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage. The dominant geographical features of northern India are the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Himalayas, which demarcate the region from Tibet and Central Asia....
, and the city and its fortress have served as the center of several of North India's historic kingdoms. At present also its strategic location is marked by the presence of major air base at Maharajpura.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Gwalior'
Start a new discussion about 'Gwalior'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Gwalior (Hindi
Hindi

Standard Hindi, also known as High Hindi, Nagari Hindi or Literary Hindi is a Standard language register of Hindi. It is one of the 22 official languages of India, and is used, along with English language, for administration of the central government....
: ???????? ),(Marathi: ????????? ), is a city in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a States and territories of India in central India. Its capital is Bhopal. Madhya Pradesh was originally the largest state in India until November 1, 2000 when the state of Chhattisgarh was carved out....
 in India
India

India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, the List of countries by population country, and the most populous liberal democracy in the world....
. It lies 76 miles (122 km) south of Agra
Agra

Agra is a city on the banks of the Yamuna in the northern States and territories of India of Uttar Pradesh, India. It finds mention in the epic Mahabharata when it was called Agrabana, or Paradise....
 and has a population of over 12 lakh
Lakh

A lakh is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to 100000 . It is widely used both in official and other contexts in Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Pakistan, and is often used in Indian English....
 (1,200,000). The Gwalior metropolitan area is the 46th most populated area in the country.

Gwalior occupies a strategic location in the Gird
Gird

Gird is a list of regions of India of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. It includes the districts of Bhind District, Gwalior District, Morena District, Sheopur District, and Shivpuri District....
 region of North India
North India

Northern India is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage. The dominant geographical features of northern India are the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Himalayas, which demarcate the region from Tibet and Central Asia....
, and the city and its fortress have served as the center of several of North India's historic kingdoms. At present also its strategic location is marked by the presence of major air base at Maharajpura. Gwalior is the administrative headquarters of Gwalior district
Gwalior District

Gwalior District is a Districts of Madhya Pradesh of Madhya Pradesh state in Central India India. The historic city of Gwalior is its administrative headquarters....
 and Gwalior division
Gwalior Division

Gwalior Division is an administrative subdivision of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. It includes the districts of Ashoknagar District, Datia District, Guna District, Gwalior District, and Shivpuri District....
.

Origin of name

Gwalior's history is traced back to a legend in 8th century AD when a chieftain known as Suraj Sen was struck by a deadly disease and cured by a hermit-saint Gwalipa. As a gratitude for that incidence, he founded this city by his name.

Demographics

India census
Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population....
, Gwalior had a population of 826,919. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Gwalior has an average literacy rate of 70%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 76%, and female literacy is 63%. In Gwalior, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Geography

Gwalior is located at . It has an average elevation of 197 metres (646 feet). Gwalior is a historical Indian city - is located on the periphery of Madhya Pradesh State, 321 km (199.5 Miles) from Delhi and 121 km (76 Miles) from Agra.

Climate


Gwalior has a sub-tropical climate with hot summers from late March to early June, the humid monsoon season from late June to early October and a cool dry winter from early November to late February. The highest recorded temperature was 47oC and the lowest was -1oC.

Summers start in late March, and along with other cities like Nagpur
Nagpur

Nagpur is the largest city in central India and second capital of the States and territories of India of Maharashtra. It is headquarter of Nagpur district and Nagpur division and is third largest city by population of Maharashtra....
 and Delhi
Climate of Delhi

The climate of Delhi is a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate with high variation between summer and winter temperatures and precipitation....
 are among the hottest in India
India

India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, the List of countries by population country, and the most populous liberal democracy in the world....
 and the world. They peak in May and June with average daily temperatures being around 33-35oC (93-95oC) , and end in late June with the onset of the monsoon
Monsoon

A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind that lasts for several months. The term was first used in English in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and neighboring countries to refer to the big seasonal winds blowing from the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea in the southwest bringing heavy rainfall to the region....
. Gwalior gets 970 mm (39 in) of rain every year, most of which is concentrated in the monsoon months from late June to early October. August is the wettest month with about 380 mm (15 in) of rain. Winter in Gwalior starts in late October, and is generally very mild with daily temperatures averaging in the 14-16oC (58-62oF) range, and mostly dry and sunny conditions. January is the coldest month with average lows in the 5-7oC range (40-45oF) and occasional cold snaps that plummet temperatures to close to freezing.

Gwalior can be visited from late October to early March without much discomfort, but the months from April to June should be avoided due to the extreme heat. The monsoon months see sustained, torrential rainfall and risk of disease, they should also generally be avoided.

Transportation infrastructure

The city is well connected via rail, road and air transport services.

Air
AIR

Air is the part of Earth's atmosphere that humans breath and as such Air .Air may also refer to:...
 

Air Deccan
Air Deccan

Kingfisher Red, formerly known as Simplifly Deccan and previously as Air Deccan, is an airline based in Bangalore, India. It is India's first low-cost carrier and is a subsidiary of Kingfisher Airlines....
 to and from Delhi
Delhi

Delhi , sometimes referred to as Dilli , is the List of most populous cities in India metropolis in India and, with over 11 million residents, the List of metropolitan areas by population....
, Indore
Indore

Indore .The family retained its possessions of royalty, which included having an elephant, Nishan, Danka and Gadi even after the advent of Holkars and also retained the right of performing the first puja of Dushera before the Holkar rulers....
 and Bhopal
Bhopal

Bhopal Historically, Bhopal was also the capital of the Bhopal . The city attracted international attention as a consequence of the Bhopal disaster, when the Union Carbide plant leaked deadly methyl isocyanate gas during the night of December 3, 1984....
 to Gwalior's airport. Indian Airlines Delhi to Jabalpur line also stops at Gwalior.

Railways

The Gwalior Junction GWL is part of the Jhansi Division of the North Central Railways.

Gwalior's main station is one of the major commercial railway stations of the North Central Railway
North Central Railway

The North Central Railway is one of the sixteen Indian Railways zones in India. It is headquartered at Allahabad and comprises reorganized Allahabad division of Northern Railway , Jhansi division of Central Railway , and new Agra railway division....
 of Indian Railways
Indian Railways

Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is the state-owned railway company of India, which owns and operates most of the country's rail transport....
, which zonal Head Quarter is centered in Allahabad
Allahabad

Allahabad also known as Prayag is a city in the north Indian States and territories of India of Uttar Pradesh, situated at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers....
. The station has won awards from Indian Railways for clean infrastructure in 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1992. Express trains such as the Bhopal Express, Chennai Rajdhani , Taj Express
Taj Express

The Taj Express was started in 1964 to serve tourists traveling from Delhi to Agra. It reduced the traveling time from over three hours to around two and a half hours....
 and Bhopal Shatabdi
Bhopal Shatabdi

Bhopal Shatabdi is an Indian Railways train running between New Delhi and Bhopal. It is currently the fastest train in India. The train commenced service in 1988 and was the first Shatabdi train to be introduced....
 stop at Gwalior.

Gwalior is, perhaps, one of the only few places where there are both narrow gauge and broad gauge railways tracks are still operational. A unique aspect about Gwalior narrow gauge is that the width of the track is smallest among all the narrow gauge tracks in India
India

India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, the List of countries by population country, and the most populous liberal democracy in the world....
.

Gwalior is well connected via train services to all parts of the country including 4 metros. There are direct trains to Mumbai
Mumbai

Mumbai— formerly Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. The city proper has approximately 14 million people and, along with the neighbouring suburbs of Navi Mumbai and Thane, Mumbai forms the World's largest urban agglomerations according to the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects report with around 19...
, Delhi
Delhi

Delhi , sometimes referred to as Dilli , is the List of most populous cities in India metropolis in India and, with over 11 million residents, the List of metropolitan areas by population....
, Kolkata
Kolkata

, Indian renaming controversy , is the Capital of the Indian States and territories of India of West Bengal. It is located in East India on the east bank of the River Hooghly....
 (Howrah), Chennai
Chennai

Chennai , formerly Indian renaming controversy , is the fourth largest metropolitan area of India and the capital city of the Indian states and territories of India of Tamil Nadu....
, Trivandrum, Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad is the largest city in the Indian state of Gujarat and one of the List of most populous metropolitan areas in India in India, with a population of approximately 52 lakhs ....
, Pune
Pune

Pune ,Pune is the administrative capital of Pune district and the 7th Metro city of India.Pune is known to have existed as a town since 937 AD....
, Jammu
Jammu

Jammu is one of the three regions comprised by India northernmost States and territories of India of Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu borders Kashmir to the north, Ladakh to the east, and Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south....
, Lucknow
Lucknow

Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, the most populous States and territories of India of India. It has a population of 4,875,858. Lucknow is also the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
, Bhopal
Bhopal

Bhopal Historically, Bhopal was also the capital of the Bhopal . The city attracted international attention as a consequence of the Bhopal disaster, when the Union Carbide plant leaked deadly methyl isocyanate gas during the night of December 3, 1984....
 and other major towns. Gwalior is the main station serving most of the important and long distance trains. There are two other stations within the city limits, named Birla nagar and Sithouli. These stations interconnect to other stations and also serve the short distance trains connecting Gwalior to nearby towns and villages.

There are other narrow gauge stations within the city, named Goshipura and Motijheel. Gwalior lies on the longest functional broad gauge line in India between Delhi
Delhi

Delhi , sometimes referred to as Dilli , is the List of most populous cities in India metropolis in India and, with over 11 million residents, the List of metropolitan areas by population....
 and Mumbai
Mumbai

Mumbai— formerly Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. The city proper has approximately 14 million people and, along with the neighbouring suburbs of Navi Mumbai and Thane, Mumbai forms the World's largest urban agglomerations according to the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects report with around 19...
.

Roads

Gwalior is fairly well connected to other parts of Madhya Pradesh and India with national and state highways. The Agra-Bombay national highway (NH3) passes through Gwalior. The Agra-Bombay Road runs though the city connecting it to Shivpuri on one end and Agra on the other. The city is connected to the Jhansi
Jhansi

Jhansi is a city of Uttar Pradesh state of northern India. Jhansi is a major road and rail junction, and is the administrative seat of Jhansi District and Jhansi Division....
 by the National Highway 75, towards the south of the city. In the Northern, the city is connected to the holy city of Mathura
Mathura

Mathura is a holy city in the Indian States and territories of India of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately 50 km north of Agra, and 150 km south of Delhi; about twenty kilometers from holy Vrindavana....
 via National Highway 3. There are bus services to and from all major and minor cities near Gwalior. The prominent one being Bhopal
Bhopal

Bhopal Historically, Bhopal was also the capital of the Bhopal . The city attracted international attention as a consequence of the Bhopal disaster, when the Union Carbide plant leaked deadly methyl isocyanate gas during the night of December 3, 1984....
, Agra
Agra

Agra is a city on the banks of the Yamuna in the northern States and territories of India of Uttar Pradesh, India. It finds mention in the epic Mahabharata when it was called Agrabana, or Paradise....
, Delhi
Delhi

Delhi , sometimes referred to as Dilli , is the List of most populous cities in India metropolis in India and, with over 11 million residents, the List of metropolitan areas by population....
, Jabalpur
Jabalpur

Jabalpur, also known as Sanskardhani, is a city in the States and territories of India of Madhya Pradesh in India. Jabalpur is one of the important cities of Central India....
, Jhansi
Jhansi

Jhansi is a city of Uttar Pradesh state of northern India. Jhansi is a major road and rail junction, and is the administrative seat of Jhansi District and Jhansi Division....
, Bhind, Morena, Datia, Jaipur
Jaipur

Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital of Rajasthan States and territories of India, India. Historically rendered as Jeypore, Jaipur is the former capital of the princely state of Jaipur State....
 and Indore
Indore

Indore .The family retained its possessions of royalty, which included having an elephant, Nishan, Danka and Gadi even after the advent of Holkars and also retained the right of performing the first puja of Dushera before the Holkar rulers....
.

Local transport

Gwalior's public transport system consists of tempos and horse drawn tongas (which run fixed routes much like a bus system) and auto rickshaw taxis. Recently the municipal corporation has launched Gwalior City Bus covering some routes in the city.

The tempos and auto-rickshaws, are often cited as a cause of pollution and road congestion, and the local government has plans to replace the tempos with vans that shall run on Liquefied Petroleum Gas. However, taken in itself, this solution ignores the congestion and pollution caused by private cars, which is far more significant especially considering that the impact of private cars is actually caused for the benefit of a very small section of the city's population.

History

In the AD 6th Century the White Huns controlled Gwalior. In the 10th Century it was taken by the Kachwaha Rajputs. Qutb-ud-din Aybak
Qutb-ud-din Aybak

Qutb-ud-din Aybak was a :Category:Turkic rulers of medieval India , the first Sultanate of Delhi and founder of the Slave dynasty . He served as sultan for only four years, from 1206 to 1210....
 captured the city in 1196. Shamsud-din Altamsh took control of the area in 1232. By the 15th century the city had a noted singing school which was attended by Tansen
Tansen

Miyan Tansen or Ramtanu Pandey is considered among the greatest composer-musicians in Hindustani classical music. He was an extraordinarily gifted vocalist, known for a large number of compositions, and also an instrumentalist who popularized and improved the rabab ....
. It first fell to the British in 1780, but was one of the cities taken during the Sepoy Rebellion.

Today Gwalior includes the former city of Lashkar. Laskar was the capital of Gwalior state
Gwalior state

Gwalior State was an Indian kingdom ruled by the Sindhia dynasty. The state took its name from the old town of Gwalior, which, although never the actual capital, was an important place because of its strategic location and the strength of its fort....
 one of the princely states of India during the British Raj
British Raj

British Raj primarily refers to the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; it can also refer to the period of dominion, and even the region under the rule....
. It then served as the capital of Madhya Bharat
Madhya Bharat

Madhya Bharat , also known as Malwa Union was a former states and territories of India in west-central India. Madhya Bharat was created in 1950 from 25 former princely states, which were formerly part of the British Raj's Central India Agency....
 from 1950-1956.

Buildings and Architecture


At the heart of Gwalior is its fortress (Gwalior Fort
Gwalior Fort

Gwalior Fort in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India, stands on an isolated rock and contains a number of historic buildings. The face is perpendicular and where the rock is naturally less precipitous it has been scarped....
), built by Raja Man Singh Tomar, of the Tomar dynasty. This formidable structure had the reputation of being one of the most invincible forts of India
India

India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, the List of countries by population country, and the most populous liberal democracy in the world....
. It occupies an isolated rock outcrop. The hill is steepended to make it virtually unscalable and is surrounded by high walls which enclose buildings from several periods. The old town of Gwalior lies at the eastern base of the fortress. Lashkar
Lashkar

Lashkar, a Persian language word meaning "military camp", can refer to:* A town in Madhya Pradesh that is now part of the Gwalior municipality....
, formerly a separate town that originated as a military camp, lies to the south, and Morar
Morar

Morar is a small village in Lochaber, Scottish Highlands, Scotland, with a population of 257 . The name Morar is also applied to the wider district around the village....
, also a formerly separate town, lies to the east . Gwalior, Lashkar and Morar are presently part of Gwalior Municipality.

Massive Gwalior Fort, popularly called Gibraltar of India overlooks the city. The great Mughal Emperor Babur reputedly described it as, "The pearl in the necklace of the forts of Hind". This forts architecture is the only one in India , which shows Chinese influence , as Chinese dragons that have been crafted at the hilt of the pillars. This influence was due to trade between china and India.

In the east of the city are two magnificent examples of early Mughal architecture. One is mausoleum of, 16th century Sufi saint Ghous Mohammed, and another is tomb of Mian Tansen, a great singer and one of the 'Nine Jewels' of Emperor Akbar's court. Right next to them is the Gujari Mahal, which according to the local stories says that the maharaj made for his 9th queen, he was married to eight queens, but none were able to produce a heir for him, thus he finally married a milkman’s daughter called “naani”, later she was renamed “mrignani” (meaning beautiful eyes), since she wasn’t of royal heritage, the maharaj had to make a separate palace for her, which is now called “gujari mahal”.

Close to the heart of the city is splendid Jai Vilas Palace, patterned on the style of the 'Palais de Versailles' in France combines Tuscan, Italian and Corinthian styles of architecture.

Rich in cultural heritage and architectural marvels, Gwalior has the added advantage of its proximity to Agra, the city of Taj Mahal, Khajuraho, the city of great temples and Delhi, the national capital.

Historically and architecturally, Gwalior is interesting first as a very ancient seat of Jain
Jainism

Jainism is one of the oldest Indian religions that originated in India. Jains believe that every soul is divine and has the potential to achieve God-consciousness....
 worship; secondly for its example of palace architecture of the best Hindu period (1486-1516); and thirdly as an historic fortress. Many historical places are found near the Dabra-Bhitarwar
Bhitarwar

Bhitarwar is a town and a nagar panchayat in Gwalior district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. The nearest Railway station is Dabra, and the nearest airport is Gwalior....
 Road. Prior to the founding of Gwalior the region was also known by its ancient name of Gopasetra. The great Apabhramsha poet Pandit Raighu
Raighu

Raighu was the last of the great Apabhramsha poets. He also supervised the pratishtha of the many, perhaps most of the Jain idols carved on the hill side in the Gwalior Fort during the rule of Tomara Dungarsingh....
 lived in Gwalior. Gwalior had an institutional seat of the Bhattaraka
Bhattaraka

A Bhattaraka is the head of traditional Jain institution. They are responsible for training of scholars, maintenance of libraries, managing the endowments, presiding over the installation ceremonies and running of Jain institutions....
s of Kashtha Sangh
Kashtha Sangh

Kashtha Sangha was a Digambar Jain monastic order once dominant in several regions of North and Western India. It is considered to be a branch of Mula Sangh itself....
 and later Mula Sangh
Mula Sangh

Mula Sangh is an ancient Jain monastic order . Mula literally means the "root" or the original order.Mula-Sangh has been the main Digambar Jain order....
.

According to history, the original fort of Gwalior was founded by the Bargujar
Bargujar

The Bargujar is one of the most ancient Suryvanshi Kshatriya races of India. They constituted the main force in Haraval Tukdi or the first line of offense in any battle....
 Kings during the 34th /35th centuary of Kali yuga as per puranas available with them. His palace is the most interesting example of early Hindu work of its class in India. Another palace of even greater extent was added to this in 1516. The Mughal
Mughal Empire

The Mughal Empire was a Muslim imperial power of the Indian subcontinent which began in 1526, ruled most of the Indian Subcontinent by the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and ended in the mid-19th century....
 emperors Jahangir
Jahangir

Nur-ud-din Salim Jahangir Born as Prince Muhammad Salim, he was the third and eldest surviving son of Mughal Empire Emperor Akbar. Akbar's twin sons, Hasan and Hussain, died in infancy....
 and Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan

Shihab-ud-din Muhammad Shah Jahan I , was the ruler of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent from 1628 until 1658. The name Shah Jahan comes from Persian meaning "King of the World." He was the fifth Mughal ruler after Babur, Humayun, Akbar, and Jahangir....
 added palaces to these two, the whole making a group of edifices unequalled for picturesqueness and interest by anything of their class in central India. Among the apartments in the palace was the celebrated chamber, named the Baradari, supported on 12 columns, and 45 ft (15 m) square, with a stone roof, forming one of the most beautiful palace-halls in the world. It was, besides, singularly interesting from the expedients to which the Hindu architect was forced to resort to imitate the vaults of the Muslims. Of the buildings, however, which so excited the admiration of the first Mughal emperor Babur
Babur

Babur was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal Empire of Indian subcontinent....
, probably little now remains.

Jai Vilas palace, in Lashkar is a marvellous palace museum, part of which is open to the public and gives a glimpse into the life of the royal family
Royal family

A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term "imperial family" more appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress regnant, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate in reference to the relatives of a reigning duke, grand duke, or prince....
.

The Fort area is also home of the Scindia School
Scindia School

The Scindia School is one of India's most prestigious boarding schools for boys, situated in a beautiful historic fortress known as Gwalior Fort, in the city of Gwalior, India....
, a well regarded institution founded by the late Maratha
Maratha

The Marathas are Indo Aryans speaking castes of Hindu warriors and peasants hailing mostly from the present-day state of Maharashtra, who created the expansive Maratha Empire, covering a major part of Indian subcontinent, in the late 17th and 18th centuries....
 Maharaja Madho Rao Scindia
Madho Rao Scindia

Madho Rao Scindia , was the 5th Maharaja Scindia of Gwalior. He acceded to the throne in 1886 and ruled to his death in 1925. He was noted by the British Government as a progressive ruler of a princely state....
 of Gwalior in 1897.
Gwalior2341
A striking part of the Jain remains at Gwalior is a series caves or rock-cut sculptures, excavated in the rock on all sides, and numbering nearly a hundred, great and small. Most of them are mere niches to contain statues, though some are cells that may have been originally intended for residences. One curious fact regarding them is that, according to inscriptions, they were all excavated within the short period of about thirty-three years, between 1441 and 1474. One of the colossal figures is 57 ft (17 m) high, which is taller than any other in northern India.

Gwalior fort also has the Gurudwara Data Bandi built in the memory of the sixth Sikh
Sikh

Sikh is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism. The term has its origin in the Sanskrit ' "disciple, learner" or ' "instruction"....
 Guru Har Gobind
Guru Har Gobind

Guru Har Gobind also Sacha Badshah was the sixth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and became Guru on 25 May,1606 following in the footsteps of his father Guru Arjan Dev....
. This Gurudwara is particularly large and grand, built entirely of marble with coloured glass decorating the main building. Recital of the Guru Granth Sahib
Guru Granth Sahib

The Guru Granth Sahib , or Adi Sri Guru Granth Sahib, is the holy scripture and the final Guru#Classification of gurus of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 pages, compiled and composed during the period of Sikh Gurus, from 1469 to 1708....
 creates a peaceful and sacred atmosphere. Moghul kings used to visit gwalior usually.

Art and culture


Gwalior is a well acknowledged place of art, associated with historic as well as contemporary evidence. In August 2005 a mural created by Aasutosh Panigrahi
Aasutosh Panigrahi

Aasutosh Panigrahi is an artist and a Guinness World Record holder. He presently holds the record for World's Largest Indoor Mural. The award was acknowledged by Guinness World Records in August 2005....
 along with five other artist, was acknowledged as World's Largest Indoor Mural by Guinness Book of Records.

Gwalior holds an unparalleled reputation in Sangeet
Sangeet

The term sangeet has several definitions - all of which are derived from its Sanskrit origins....
 Greatest ever classical singer ( Dhrupadiya) was Baijnath Prasad alias Baiju Bawra
Baiju Bawra

Baiju Bawra is an award-winning 1952 Bollywood movie. Made in the Hindi language and directed by Vijay Bhatt, it stars Bharat Bhushan and Meena Kumari....
 lived in Gwalior for his whole life under the patronage of Man Singh. Baiju was born in Chanderi and was cremated there only, got the training of music in Brindaban Under great Swami Guru Haridas ji. He was Court Musician of Gwalior along with Nayak Charju, Bakshu, and others.

Tansen
Tansen

Miyan Tansen or Ramtanu Pandey is considered among the greatest composer-musicians in Hindustani classical music. He was an extraordinarily gifted vocalist, known for a large number of compositions, and also an instrumentalist who popularized and improved the rabab ....
, Born in Behat
Behat

Behat is a town and a nagar panchayat in Saharanpur district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India....
, trained in music at Vrindavan
Vrindavan

Vrindavan , or Vraj in Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh, India is a town on the site of an ancient forest which is believed to have been the region where Lord Krsna, from Hinduism#Scriptures and theology scriptures spent his childhood days....
, Served to Raja Ramchandra Waghela of Bandhawgarh, then went to Agra
Agra

Agra is a city on the banks of the Yamuna in the northern States and territories of India of Uttar Pradesh, India. It finds mention in the epic Mahabharata when it was called Agrabana, or Paradise....
 under the patronage of Akbar. After the death of Tansen in Fatehpur Sikri
Fatehpur Sikri

Fatehpur Sikri is a city and a municipal board in Agra district in the States and territories of India of Uttar Pradesh, India. It was the political capital of India's Mughal Empire under Akbar's reign, from 1571 until 1585, when it was abandoned, ostensibly due to lack of water....
 and crimation in Agra the ashes were buried in Gwalior. Tansen Samaroh is held every year in Gwalior.

Ustad Natthu Khan, Hassu ?Khan, Haddu Khan , Nissar Hussain, Rehmat Khan, Shankarrao Vishnu Pandit, RamkrishnaBuwa Vaze, Rajabhaiyya Poonchhwale, Krishnarao Pandit, lived here and spread the magic of music. Renowned artiste Mrs. Malini Rajurkar, who is keeping the flame of Hindustani music alive today, also belongs to Gwalior.

Sarod
Sarod

The sarod is a stringed musical instrument, used mainly in Indian classical music. Along with the sitar, it is the most popular and prominent instrument in Hindustani classical music....
 Maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan
Amjad Ali Khan

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan is a highly acclaimed Indian sarod player and composer....
 is also from the royal city of Gwalior. His grandfather Ghulam Ali Khan Bangash became a court musician in Gwalior.

Now, one of the great Hindustani classical singer Dr. Ishwar Chandra Karkare who is fourth generation of artists poets and musician family lives here and his classical music is full of spiritual joyousness.

Culturally Gwalior is the confluence of two rich cultures Bundeli and Braj. Bundelkhand covers Gwalior, Bhind, Morena, Sagar, Shivpuri, Guna, Sheopur and adjoining areas.

Ahiri Dance


This dance is related to people who have traditionally been in the business of cattle herding. In different parts of the state these people are known by different castes such as Ahir, Baredi, Gwal, Rawat, Raut, Gwala etc. These people believe that they are the descendents of Lord Krishna. Since this site is about Gwalior, here I am giving description of Baredi or Yadav dance of Bundelkhand only. If you wish to know more about dances in other parts of the state you are most welcome to contact me.

Baredi or Yadav dance of Bundelkhand


This dance has been associated with the biggest Hindu festival "Diwali". On the night of Diwali people worship Laxmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and cattle. Next day on the occasion of "Padva" or "Parva" cattle are sent to jungles or ranches after being decorated with flowers and garlands. They are given special dishes as food. Yadav dance is performed on the same occasion.

Dancers dance in a circular path while singing songs. Sometimes they sit or lie down on earth and suddenly they restart their dance. Rhythm of the song is very low in starting and increases with time. Music instruments are started only when two lines of the song are finished. Primarily these are two line couplets. Sometimes these are in form of questions and answers. This dance continues till Kartik Purnima.

Dress Dancers, instrument beaters and their associates wear a clean turban on head. Some people like to put on Dhoti up to knees (long cloth wore by men enwrapping their waist). Some people specially dancers wear colorful shorts. Dancers also keep bunch of peacock feathers.

Music Instruments Mradang, Dholak, Ramtula, Dhapli, Manzira, Jhanz etc. are used in this dance.

Saharia Dances


Saharias are tribal people who live in jungles. They work in farms and also collect medicinal plants from jungles. There are several dances of Saharias. Some of the important ones are: Lur Dance, Lanhgi Dance, Dul-Dul Ghodi Dance, Raya Dance, Ada-Khada Dance.

Lur dance of Saharias


This dance is performed on the occasion of marriage starting from the day of ritual of "Haldi" (In this ritual whole body is pasted with turmeric and after sometime it is removed so the body is cleaned) till the arrival of Barat (Bridegroom comes to the house of the bride with his relatives and friends for marriage ceremony).

Lanhgi dance of Saharias


This dance is also known as Danda(baton) dance because Saharias dance with small batons in their hands with which they strike at each other and perform Lanhgi dance. Only men are allowed in it. This dance is performed on the occasion of Bhujarias, Teja ji puja and Aekadashi etc.

Dul-Dul Ghori dance


This dance is performed on the occasion of marriage by males. In this dance a hollow case of ghori (mare) is prepared of bamboo sticks. The dancer stands in the hollow place and dances.(depicts various movements of mare.) There is also a joker in women clothing. People sing folk songs during the dance.

Folk Poets


Jagnik


Jagnik was a folk poet of 11th-12th century. At that time some poets used to write biographies of folk warriors. These biographies were called "Raso". Jagnik wrote "Parmal raso" or "Alha khan" Which contains the description of 52 battles fought by Bundeli war heroes Alha and Oodal. The style of singing alha khand has a unique distinction and it is very popular in the region. Dholak, timaki, jhinka, and majira are its musical instruments. People who sing alha are called "Alhet". Lalloo vajpayi is a very famous alhet.

Ghar

Ghar was a folk poet of Mughal period. His couplets are full of humor and normally have a message for common men. One of his poem is:

?? ??? ???? ???
??? ????? ???
??? ??? ?????? ??
?? ?? ???? ???
Ghar chod paidal chale Teer chalave been Thati dhare damade ghar Jag mai bhakua teen


In this poem Ghag is saying there are three types of fools in this world. First who would walk on foot even if they have a horse i.e. not using the resources. Second who would use Been (a sort of music instrument) in lieu of arrow i.e. doing wrong work. Third who would keep their savings in the house of a son-in-law because son in laws demand dowry in India.

Children Games


Cheel Pata Pat Ghaghar Gholi This is a game of girls. This game is particularly played in moonlight. In this game girls sit in courtyard in such a way that their ankles and the feet meet together. In this position they sing "cheel pata pat ghaghar gholi" and clap once then they move a bit aside. Suddenly a girl say "furra" and all the girls climb to the courtyard wall the girl who does this in the last has to give "dav". Giving "dav" means the girl has to touch some other girl. Other girls try to run away from that girl. This game continues till that girl touches some other girl.

Aati Pati


This is a game of boys. All the boys stand in a circular path and choose a leader of the group. The leader of the group puts his hand on the chest of the boys one by one while saying " Aati-pati mar gadha ki chhati, Tera ladka mera nati, Ja le aa babul ki pati". On whomsoever this line end, needs to bring a leaf of Babul (Acacia Arabica). In the mean time rest of the boys hide themselves. When the boy returns with a leaf, he needs to find a boy. If he does then the boy who got discovered will go to bring new leaf and so on.

Main festivals

All national festivals, Diwali, Holi, Makara Sankranti, Eid-ul-Fitr, Rakhi and other local ones like Nag-Panchmi, Ahilya Utsav, Ganesh Utsav, Garba (Navratri Utsav), Dussehara, Durga Puja are celebrated with equal enthusiasm. Last decade has seen a rise in celebration of events like Valentine's Day, Rose Day and New Year's Eve.

Gwalior also celebrates Rang Panchami quite differently. This festival is celebrated five days after Dulendi or Holi. This is also celebrated like Dulendi, but colors are mixed with water and then either sprinkled or poured on others.

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in a unique way in Gwalior city. Gwalior's Peoples were arrange a carnival of floats (known as "Jhanki" in local Hindi language) in various places of city.

Makar Sankranit - is a 'Kite Festival' where people fly kites and competitions are held to cut each other's kites in sky on 14 January each year.

Sports


Gwalior boasts the sports university, Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE). Gwalior is also home to the cricket stadium Roop Singh Stadium
Roop Singh Stadium

Captain Roop Singh Stadium, is a cricket ground in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. The stadium has hosted 10 One Day International. Of the 10 matches played so far, the 1st one was that played between India and Westindies on 22nd January 1988....
, named after the hockey player Roop Singh. The ground has witnessed many One Day International (ODI) Cricket matches including several Day-night encounters. It has an international swimming pool named Taran Puskar.

Areas of the city


The Old Town

The old town of Gwalior, commonly called Hazira, which is of considerable size, but irregularly built, lies at the eastern base of the rock. It contains the tomb of the Sufi saint Khwaja Khanoon & Mahommed Ghaus, erected during the early part of Mughal emperor Akbar’s reign, and the tomb of Mian Tansen, a great singer and one of the 'Nine Jewels' of Akbar's court. A town called by his name Ghauspura situated near the tomb of Mohaommed Ghaus.

Close to the heart of the city is splendid Jai Vilas Palace, patterned on the French palace of Versailles
Versailles

Versailles , formerly de facto capital of the kingdom of France, is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and is still an important administrative and judicial centre....
. The town has a museum situated in the Gujari Mahal.

Lashkar


Lashkar is derived from the Persian
Persian language

name=Persian|nativename=|pronunciation=[f??r'si]|image=|caption=Farsi in Perso-Arabic script |states= Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Bahrain....
 lashkar, meaning army, or camp, as it was originally the camp, and later the permanent capital, of the Scindia
Scindia

Scindia, anglicized from Shinde, and also spelled as Sindhia, Sindia, is a Maratha family in India which included rulers of the Gwalior State in the 18th and 19th centuries, collaborators of the colonial British government during the 19th and the 20th centuries until India became independent, and politicians in independent...
 dynasty of Gwalior state
Gwalior state

Gwalior State was an Indian kingdom ruled by the Sindhia dynasty. The state took its name from the old town of Gwalior, which, although never the actual capital, was an important place because of its strategic location and the strength of its fort....
. Jayaji Chowk is the central focus of Lashkar, with a large square, a former opera house, banks, tea, coffee and juice stands and a municipal market building. Thriving bazaars surround the chowk.

Many jewellery shops are situated near Jayaji Chowk aka Maharaj bada. A source of water for the city Tighra is 10 km north of here. The Gajra Raja Medical College, founded in 1946 by the Maharaja Jiwaji Rao Scindia and the Maharani Vijayaraje Scindia, is situated in Lashkar on Palace Road, near Katora Taal, together with a group of many hospitals.

Gwaliorfortviewcrop

Morar

Morar
Morar

Morar is a small village in Lochaber, Scottish Highlands, Scotland, with a population of 257 . The name Morar is also applied to the wider district around the village....
, formerly a separate town, lies three miles (5 km) east of the old city. It was formerly a British military cantonment
Cantonment

A cantonment is a temporary or semi-permanent military quarters. The word cantonment is derived from the French language word :fr:canton meaning corner or district....
. Morar was the scene of the most serious uprising in Central India. By 1900 it had become a centre for local trade and had an important training industry, with a population of 19,179 in 1901.

The second Temple of the Sun in India is situated in Morar at Residency Road after The Konark Sun Temple. This Sun Temple was built by the Aditya Birla Trust.

The cantonment area makes up a large area of Morar which is official residences for the Indian Army. It has many canteens for Army personnel. Near it is located one of the schools in Gwalior: The St. Paul's School.

Morar is generally a rural farming town. There is a big Galla Mandi. There are some beautiful places in Morar also and the area is known as the green part of Gwalior because much of the area is still rural.

Places of Interest


The Fort


Standing on a steep mass of sandstone, Gwalior Fort dominates the city and is its most significant monument. It has been the scene of momentous events, imprisonment, battles and jauhars . A steep road winds upwards to the fort, flanked by statues of the Jain tirthankaras, carved into the rock face. The magnificent outer walls of the fort still stand, two miles (3 km) in length and 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 ".the fort is called as johar tower.

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, Mrignayani. The outer structure of Gujari Mahal has survived in an almost total state of preservation; the interior has been converted into Archaeological 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, the epitome of perfection in miniature . The statue is kept in the custody of the museum's curator, and can be seen on request.

Dargah Hazrat Khwaja Khanoon Sahib Gwalior


Dargah Hazrat Khwaja Khanoon sahib R.A. is 500 years old. It is situated just bottom of the Gwalior Fort. Hzt Khwaja Khanoon Sahib was born in 1434 A.D. in Nagore shariff. His ancestors had come from Khurasan and settled in nagore shariff. The real name of Hazrat Khwaja Khanoon Sahib is Sayiduddin, but his father used to call him 'Khanoon' and the name stuck, Right from the early boyhood Hzt. Khanoon led an extremely pious and austere life. To serve the parents, to respect the elders and to obey the Pious and the En­lightened were the cherished principles of his life.

Man Mandir Palace


Built between 1486 and 1517 by Babur.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 passing of the centuries. Vast chambers with fine stone screens were once the music halls, and behind these screens, the royal ladies would learn music from the great masters of the day. Below, circular dungeons housed the state prisoners of the Mughals. Emperor Aurangzeb had his brother , Murad imprisoned , and later executed here. Close by is Jauhar Pond, where in the Rajput tradition, the Ranis committed mass sati after their consorts had been defeated in battle. At Man Mandir Palace, a poignant ambience of those days of chivalry and heroism still lingers in the silent chambers. A superbly mounted Son-et-Lumiere here brings it all alive every evening.

Gurudwara Data Bandhi Chhod


Built in the memory of Guru Hargobind Saheb , the 6th Sikh Guru who was imprisoned here by Emperor Jehangir for over two years. It is located on the Gwalior Fort.

Gopachal Parvat


Situated on the Mountain Area at slopes of Gwalior Fort carries unique statue of Jain Tirthankars. The largest Idol of Bhagwan Parshwanath on Lotus is the largest statue(in single stone piece) in the world, being high and in width. 26 Jain statues in a series give a beautiful and attractivce picturescue. Built between 1398 to 1536 by Tomar Kings - these Jain Tirthankars Statues are a species of Architecture and a treasure of Old Indian heritage and culture.

Sun Temple


Located near the Residency at Morar, the newly constructed Sun Temple takes its inspiration from the famous Konark Sun Temple in Orissa.

Sarod Ghar


This Museum of Music has been set up in the old ancestral house of the legendary Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan. It houses ancient instruments of the great Indian Masters of yesteryears.It also houses an impressive collection of photographs and documents. Sarod Ghar is a unique institution devoted to promoting Indian classical music, heritage and culture.Through this 'window' to the past , music lovers can gain a better understanding of the evolution and history of our classical music and a deeper perspective and insight into the context of the art as it exists today.

Jai Vilas Palace and Museum


A splendor of a different kind exists in the Jai Vilas Palace, current residence of the Scindia family. Some 25 rooms have been turned into the Jivaji Rao Scindia Museum, and in these rooms , so evocative of a regal lifestyle, the past comes alive. Jai Vilas is an Italianate structure which combines the Tuscan and Corinthian architectural modes. The imposing Darbar Hall has two central chandeliers weighing a couple of tonnes, and were hung only after ten elephants had tested the strength of the roof. Ceilings picked out in gilt, heavy draperies and tapestries , fine Persian carpets and antique furniture from France and Italy are the features of these spacious rooms. Eye catching treasures include : a silver train with cutglass wagons which served guests as it chugged around the table on miniature rails; a glass cradle from Italy used for the baby Krishna each Janmashtami, silver dinner services and swords that were once worn by Aurangzeb and Shah Jahan. Also on display are gifts from practically every country in the world. These are ,besides, personal mementoes of past members of the Scindia family : the jeweled slippers that belonged to Chinkoo Rani , four-poster beds, hunting trophies and portraits. The Scindia Museum offers an unparalled glimpse into the rich culture and lifestyle of princely India.

Sun City

SunCity an amusement, the newly built attraction of gwalior. It lies on the way to LNIPE. Almost the biggest amusement park in state. It includes a variety of rides, cafe, hotel and a dhaaba(so called), worth enjoying.

Dindayal City Mall

Dindayal city mall is the symbol of modern Gwalior.It is the biggest mall of Madhya Pradesh state. state with FUN REPUBLIC multiplex.It has many international brands like Mcdonalds,Pizza Hut,Levis,Lee cooper,Spykar,Reebok, Koutons, Crisp Corner etc. It has Big Bazaar of the future group also.Gwalior has a SALASAR MALL with Multiplex at City centre.

Healthcare


Gwalior is prominent for its health care facilities with leading hospitals and pharmaceutical companies. The prominent hospitals of Gwalior include J.A. Hospital, Kamla Raja Hospital, Sahara Hospital, Cancer Hospital & Research Institute, Dewan Memorial Hospital & Research Institute. Cancer Hospital & Research Institute is nationally acclaimed medical center in Oncology. Alok Nursing Home is one of the leading private nursing homes, providing health services in both gynecology and obstetrics. The hospital is located in Raghvendra Nagar, near City centre bridge and is well equipped with all sorts of modern gadgets.

See also


  • Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary
    Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary

    Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary or Palpur-Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary lies in the Sheopur district of north western Madhya Pradesh, a state in central India....
  • Asiatic Lion
    Asiatic Lion

    The Asiatic Lion is a subspecies of the lion which survives today only in India where it is also known as the Indian lion. They once ranged from the Mediterranean to India, covering most of Southwest Asia, and hence it is also known as the Persian lion....
  • Wildlife conservation
  • Extinction
    Extinction

    In biology and ecology, extinction is the death of every member of a species or group of taxon. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species ....
  • in-situ conservation
    In-situ conservation

    In-situ conservation means "on-site Conservation movement". It is the process of protecting an endangered species plant or animal species in its natural habitat , either by protecting or cleaning up the habitat itself, or by defending the species from predators....
  • Gir Forest National Park
    Gir Forest National Park

    The Gir Forest National park and Wildlife Sanctuary is the sole home of the pure Asiatic Lions . The Hindi name is "??? ??". Measuring about 258 km? for the fully protected area and 1153 km? for the Sanctuary, the area is considered to be one of the most important protected areas in Asia due to its supported species....
  • Gwalior State
    Gwalior state

    Gwalior State was an Indian kingdom ruled by the Sindhia dynasty. The state took its name from the old town of Gwalior, which, although never the actual capital, was an important place because of its strategic location and the strength of its fort....
  • Jiwaji University
    Jiwaji University

    UniversityJiwaji University , Hindi: ?????? ??????????, is an affiliating university situated in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India. The name comes from that of George Jivajirao Scindia of Gwalior....
  • List Of Colossal Sculpture In Situ
    List of colossal sculpture in situ

    This is a list of colossal sculptures that were carved in situ or in place, sometimes referred to as "living rock". This list includes two colossal stones that were intended to be moved, however they were never broken free of the quarry they were carved in ,therefore they would be considered carved in situ....


External links