Gwalior Fort
Encyclopedia
ċċċċċt̪--122.177.251.15 (talk) 13:02, 20 November 2011 (UTC)--122.177.251.15 (talk) 13:02, 20 November 2011 (UTC)--122.177.251.15 (talk) 13:02, 20 November 2011 (UTC)Gwalior Fort (Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...

: ग्वालियर क़िला Gwalior Qila) in Gwalior, in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....

, stands on an isolated rock, overlooking the Gwalior town, and contains a number of historic buildings. It is one of the biggest forts in India and a postage stamp has been issued by the Indian Postal Service
Indian Postal Service
The Department of Posts functioning under the brand name India Post , is a government operated postal system in India; it is generally referred to within India as "the post office"....

 to commemorate the importance of this fort. From historical records, it is established that it was built in the 8th century. The fortress and the city have been integral to the history of the kingdoms of North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...

. It is said that the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire ,‎ or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...

 Emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...

 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 dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother...

 (1483–1531) described it as, "The pearl in the necklace of the forts of Hind". The fort, also given the epithet "Gibraltar of India', provides a panoramic view of the old Gwalior town, which is to its east.

The fort’s history relates to two parts namely, the main fort and the Gurjari Mahal and the Man Mandir palace. The first part was built during the early Tomar rule, while the second part, the Gurjari Mahal (now a Museum) and the palace, was constructed by Raja Man Singh Tomar in the 15th century for his favourite queen, Mrignayani.

Gwalior Fort also occupies a unique place in the human civilization as the place which has the first ever recorded use of zero. Also referred as 'Shunya' in sanskrit, this site is of mathematical interest because of what is written on a tablet recording the establishment of a small 9th century Hindu temple on the eastern side of the plateau. By accident, it records the oldest "0" in India for which a definite date can be assigned.

Etymology

The word 'Gwalior' affixed to the fort is derived from the name of a saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...

 called Galava. It is said that the saint cured Suraj Sen, the king of Gwalior, of leprosy. The cure was provided in the form of water taken from the Suraj Kund or the Sun Tank located in the fort.

Topography

The hill fort, conical in shape, is built on a solitary hillock surrounded by other comparable hills in the south east, the south and the south west, which, when seen from a distance of 1–4 mi (1.6–6.4 km), presents the shape of an amphitheatre. A small river, non-perennial in nature, called the Subarnarekha flows close to the palace. The rock formations in the fort hill and in the Gwalior hill ranges consist of ocher
Ocher
Ocher may refer to:* A shade of brown—see Ochre*Ochyor , a Russian place name; alternatively romanized as "Ocher"...

ous sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...

, overlain by basalt. The rock formations of hill fort though a horizontally placed strata, forms almost a perpendicular precipice. The fort hill (342 feet (104.2 m) at the highest point) has a length of about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) and an average width of about 300 yard.

Early History

History of the fort is indelibly linked to the former kingdom of Gwalior, ruled by several Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...

 kings. The earliest dating of the fort is quoted to a publication of the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...

 on Gwalior, which traces it to an inscription of 525 AD in a Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...

 temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...

, which is said to have been built by the Hun (Huna
Huna
For other uses, see HunaHuna is a Hawaiian word adopted by Max Freedom Long in 1936 to describe his theory of metaphysics which he linked to ancient Hawaiian kahuna...

) emperor Mihirakula
Mihirakula
Mihirakula was the most important Sveta Huna ruler in India. He was the son of Toramana, the founder of Huna power in India. He ruled his horde from 502 to 530 ....

 (Sveta Huna ruler in 510 AD during the reign of Huns in India).

The Chaturbhuj temple (dediciated to a four armed Hindu god, a Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....

) temple, on the way to the fort is dated to 875 AD which has close identity with the Teli-Ka-Mandir, which is also dated to the 8th century.

Kacchawa Pal Dynasty

Historical research has dated construction of the fort to 727 AD (legend puts it as 275 AD) by a local chieftain of the area named Surya Sena Kacchawa, who was a local ruler of a village called Sihonia some 12 miles from the mountain where the fort stands today. On an hunting expedition the Kacchawa Thakur Surajsen met a hermit called Sage Gwalip (also called 'Galava' in some accounts) who gave him water and told him of a cure for his diseases from the water of a reservoir nearby which is called Surajkund now.
  1. King 'Suraj Pal' ruled 36 years, his son
  2. Rasak pal one year and his son
  3. Narhar Pal ruled 11 years and died in a hunting expedition. Narhar Pal raised the Mahadev Temple and founded Narhar Tela village. He was followed by
  4. 'Amar Pal' and he by his son
  5. 'Bheem Pal' who raised the Bheemeshwar Mahadev Temple. Bheem Pal ruled 36 years followed by
  6. Gang Pal who ruled 21 years, he built the famous gangola lake. His son
  7. Raj Pal ruled 10 years followed by
  8. Bhoj Pal who ruled some 9 years and built the famous shrine of Chaturbhuj Rai, a manifestation of Lord Krishna. It is famous as it is built on single stone. Bhoj Pal was followed by his son
  9. Padam Pal who ruled 9 years. He built the famous Lakshmi-Narayan Shrine. He was succeed by
  10. Anang Pal, who as legend says met Gwalip Sage who was responsible for the fortunes of his family. Gwalip sage gave him knowledge to forge Gold from ordinary metals and in his times 5 tola Gold Coins were circulated. He left the state to
  11. Indra Pal who ruled only 3 years and was notorious ruler. He was succeeded by
  12. Jeet Pal who ruled 14 years, he constructed Jeet Durga Temple. After him
  13. Basant Pal ruled 17 years followed by
  14. Dhund Pal who ruled 11 years,
  15. Lakshman Pal followed him and ruled only 4 years. His son
  16. Nahar Pal who ruled 2 years. He was followed by
  17. Bhandar Pal who raised the fort of Bhander and ruled 11 years. He was followed by his son
  18. Ajaz Pal who ruled 9 years. Followed by the long list of illustrious rulers:
  19. Aspal
  20. Sees Pal
  21. Bhoj Pal
  22. JBhairone Pal
  23. Gunpat Pal
  24. Chaura Sookh Pal
  25. Gaoo Munt Pal
  26. Nagish Pal
  27. Budh Pal
  28. Madh Pal
  29. Bir Pal
  30. Kant Pal
  31. Keerat Pal
  32. Danee Pal
  33. Bhip Pal
  34. HamirTal
  35. Chatar Pal
  36. Bhomindra Pal
  37. Dheer Pal
  38. Nagendra Pal
  39. Sudh Pal
  40. Sindhoo Pal
  41. Madhoo Pal
  42. Over Pal
  43. Budnu Pal
  44. Jay Pal
  45. Sandhan Pal
  46. Balbhadra Pal
  47. Gundharap Pak
  48. Saij Pal
  49. Devendra Pal
  50. Ramchandra Pal
  51. Dhondar Pal
  52. Saromand Pal
  53. Pardaman Pal
  54. Rasak Pal
  55. Deepak Pal
  56. Anant Pal
  57. Gaj Pal
  58. Jugdeesh Pal
  59. Gunjee Pal
  60. Ram Deve Pal
  61. Seewani Pal
  62. Hirchand Pal
  63. Birakh Pal
  64. Tilak Pal
  65. Bijay Pal
  66. Dhander Pal
  67. Nain Pal
  68. Herlaik Pal
  69. Pratap Rudra Pal
  70. Kaisar Pal
  71. Asad Pal
  72. Indra Pal
  73. Maun Pal
  74. Karam Pal
  75. Esar Pal
  76. Mon Pal
  77. Sagar Pal
  78. Bishambar Pal
  79. Ratan Pal
  80. Dhore Pal
  81. Budha Pal


From Suraj Pal the founder of the dynasty to Budha Pal the last on the above list there had been eighty four 84 kings who reigned during a period of nine hundred and eighty nine (989) years under the patronymic of Pal, a solid proof of the long continued peace enjoyed by India under her indigenous sovereigns. The son of Budha Pal rejoiced in the name of Tej Karan and the time had now arrived for the prophecy of the Saint Gwalpa, who had said that lineage of Suraj Pal would continue as long they used the patronym 'PAL'.

Ran Mul the Chief of Ambere (Jeypore) had a daughter who in course of time was united in wedlock to Tej Karan of Gwalior who soon became much attached to a wife that brought with her very costly dowry in the shape of horses elephants and other valuable property. Being of a very pre-possessing appearance he was offered while still a guest in the house of his father in law succession to the sovereignty of Ambere on condition of his consenting to make that capital his home as the reigning sovereign of that place had no male issue of the body to succeed him in the event of his demise. The ambitious and calculating Tej Karan at once closed with the offer the State of Gwalior at that time being less in extent and value than the renowned kingdom of Ambere During his absence from Gwalior the affairs of the latter principality were managed by one Ram Deva Prahar who after two years of successful administration formally applied to be recognized as the de facto ruler of the State The application was granted and the authority to rule and reign was thus duly transferred from the dynasty of Pal to the family of Pratihars.

Pratihar Rulers at Gwalior

The following is list of Pratihar rulers at Gwalior:
  1. Pramal Dev # Salam Dev
  2. Bikram Dev
  3. Ratan Dev
  4. Shobhang Dev
  5. Narsinh Dev
  6. Pramal Dev

Muslim Conquest

In 1023 AD Mahmud of Ghazni
Mahmud of Ghazni
Mahmud of Ghazni , actually ', was the most prominent ruler of the Ghaznavid dynasty who ruled from 997 until his death in 1030 in the eastern Iranian lands. Mahmud turned the former provincial city of Ghazni into the wealthy capital of an extensive empire which covered most of today's Iran,...

 attacked to capture the fort but was repulsed. In 1196 AD, after a long siege, Qutubuddin Aibak. the first Sultan of India took over the fort but he lost it in 1211 AD. It was reconquered in 1231 AD by Sultan Iltumish, the slave dynasty ruler of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...

. When Timurlane invaded Delhi and created anarchy in the region, Narasingh Rao, a Hindu chieftain captured the fort. The fort eventually went Sikander Khan who continued for some time.

Tomar Rulers

There were two Rajput brothers of the Tanwar clan of Rajputs named Parmal Deva(Veer Singh)and Adhar Deva from the village of Esamamola situated in the Perganna of Dandrolee. One night while it was pitch dark and the rain falling in torrents the Sultan happened to be standing at a balcony whence he beheld two soldiers standing on duty whilst the rest of their comrades were fast asleep. Both of them advanced towards the Emperor who on learning that they belonged to the detachment under the command of Sikandar Khan was much pleased with their conduct as evinced by their devotion to their duty. He permitted them to make any request which would be at once granted. They related their story which purported to be that they had always been true to their salt but were unable to serve the State diligently so long as their children were wandering in the jungle for want of a decent home. They concluded their recital in the true Rajput fashion with a request that Gwalior might be given to them as a place of residence for their families.

The Sultan commanded them to be present at the Durbar the next day when their petition would be granted without any further solicitation on their part. The sturdy Rajputs well acquainted with the ways of Oriental Courts represented the difficulties they were sure to encounter in attempting to have access to the Sultan in a formal Durbar. The Emperor however assured them of his good will towards them and when at the appointed hour the two brothers stood at a respectful distance from the Audience Hall the Sultan proving as good as his word summoned them both to his presence and gave them Gwalior as an Inam (Reward). They brought the mandate of the sovereign to the Syads - hereditary charge of the Fortress but these pious gentlemen did not consider it worth their while to pay much attention to the firman that would have deprived them of their hereditary possession.

The two Rajputs however continued their attendance on the Syads very submissively and at last hit on a stratagem to achieve the desired end as they had already ingratiated themselves by their submissive conduct into the favour of the Syads, the latter were asked to a dinner party to be given in their honour at a village named Raneepura whither the unsuspecting descendants of the grandsons of the Arabian Prophet repaired with their whole families. The food mixed with intoxicating drugs was served in the true Oriental style and the guests after partaking heartily of the meal that was to be their last on earth retired to rest in the tents placed at their disposal by their hosts when at a given signal a band of Rajputs who were concealed in a secluded place rushed in with swords in their hands and the poor sleeping innocents were murdered in cold blood for disobeying the mandate of their rightful sovereign.
  1. Vir Singh(Or Pramal Dev) or Bir Sing Deo AD 1375 (1432 V.S.). a Zamindar of Dandroli, captured fort from a Sayyid King of Gwalior.[36]
  2. Uddhharan Dev, Brother of VirSingh Dev, ruled for some time.
  3. Lakshman dev Tomar
  4. Viramdev AD 1400 (1457 V.S.) s/o Virsingh Dev.
  5. Ganapati Dev Tomar AD 1419
  6. Dugarendra (Dungar) Singh AD 1424, consolidated Gwalior as a major power of central India. Built the Ganesha Pole.
  7. Kirti Singh Tomar AD 1454 , Fought with Rana Kumbha of Mewar against Muhommadan Kings of Malwa (Mehmood Khilji).
  8. Mangal Dev was yougner son of Kirti Singh and had and estate of 120 villages in Dhodri and Amba of Tomargarh, he tried to recapture Gwalior after the fall of Tomars in AD 1516.
  9. Kalyanmalla Tomar AD 1479
  10. '[Man Singh Tomar] AD 1486, Musician and father fo Dhrupat Gharana. greatest of the Tomar Kings of Gwalior.
  11. Vikramaditya Tomar AD 1516, AD 1518- Ibrahim Lodhi captured Fort Gwalior.
  12. Ramshah Tomar AD 1526, Ousted from Gwalior, fought at Haldighati with Maharana Pratap.
    1. Salivahan Tomar - AD 1576 fought at Haldighati for Maharan Pratap.

Medieval History of Fort

It was only in 1519 that Ibrahim Lodi of the Lodi Dynasty won control of the fort. Subsequent to his death, Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire ,‎ or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...

 emperor Babar
Babur
Babur was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother...

 manipulated the situation and took control of the fort. But with his son Humayun
Humayun
Nasir ud-din Muhammad Humayun was the second Mughal Emperor who ruled present day Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of northern India from 1530–1540 and again from 1555–1556. Like his father, Babur, he lost his kingdom early, but with Persian aid, he eventually regained an even larger one...

's defeat at the hands of Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri , birth name Farid Khan, also known as Sher Khan , was the founder of the short-lived Sur Empire in northern India, with its capital at Delhi, before its demise in the hands of the resurgent Mughal Empire...

, the fort came under the reign of the Suri dynasty.

After Sher Shah Suri's death in 1540, his son Islam Shah shifted his capital from Delhi to Gwalior as it was considered safe from the frequent attacks from west. In the year 1553, when Islam Shah died his incumbent Adil Shah Suri appointed the Hindu warrior Hemu
Hemu
Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, Hemu Vikramaditya or simply Hemu was a Hindu Emperor of India during the sixteenth century, in medieval times...

 also known as Hem Chandra Vikramaditya
Hem Chandra Vikramaditya
Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, Hemu Vikramaditya or simply Hemu was a Hindu Emperor of India during the sixteenth century, in medieval times...

 as the Prime Minister-cum-Chief of Army of his kingdom. Adil Shah himself moved to Chunar as it was considered still safer. Hemu mounted several attacks from this fort to quell the rebellion in various parts of North India against the weak Adil Shah
Adil Shah
Adil or Adel Shah Afshar or Ali Qoli was Shah of Persia from 1747 until 1748.Subsequent to the assassination of Nader Shah in Fathabad , his nephew Ali Qoli declared himself Adil Shah , and shah of Persia...

 regime. The fort remained very active during 1553-56 as Hemu
Hemu
Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, Hemu Vikramaditya or simply Hemu was a Hindu Emperor of India during the sixteenth century, in medieval times...

 had fought and won 22 battles continuously, without losing any from this fort. After defeating Akbar's forces at Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...

 and Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...

 in 1556, Hemu established 'Hindu Raj' as a 'Vikramaditya' king, in North India and had his 'Rajyabhishake' or coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...

 at Purana Quila in Delhi as 'Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya on 7th Oct. 1556. The capital was shifted from Gwalior to Delhi once again and was operational from Purana Quila.

Then Akbar captured the fort and made it a special prison for important prisoners. In this prison fort in the Mughal Dynasty period, there was a saga of several unfortunate royal prisoners who were put to death; notably among them were: Akbar confining his first cousin Kamran
Kamran
Kamran is a Persian given name commonly used in Iran, Kurdistan, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and other countries with Persian influence...

 here and subsequently putting him to death; Aurangzeb imprisoning his brother Murad
Murad Baksh
Murad Baksh was the youngest son of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and empress Mumtaz Mahal, he was the Subedar of Balkh until he was replaced by his brother Aurangzeb in the year 1647....

 and later killing him; similarly Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...

 had his brother Dara Shikoh
Dara Shikoh
His Highness, The Imperial Prince Dara Shikoh was the eldest son and the heir apparent of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. His name دارا شكوه in Persian means "Darius the Magnificent"...

's sons, Suleman and Sepher Sheko, executed here.
Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji,

Rana Jat Rulers

The Jat people also briefly ruled at Gwalior Fort. Following the decline of Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire ,‎ or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...

, the Gwalior Fort was usurped by Gohad
Gohad
Gohad , also Gohud, is a city and a municipality in Bhind district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. A town of historical importance it is situated close to the city of Gwalior.-History:...

 dynasty by a Jat Rana King. The Jat rulers Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana
Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana
Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana was the most powerful ruler of princely state Gohad in northwestern Madhya Pradesh, India. According to Alexander Cunningham and William Cook, Bamraulia gotra jats from village Bamrauli in 1505 founded the city Gohad near Gwalior.Singhandev was the founder of Gohad state....

 (1707–1756) and Maharaja Chhatar Singh Rana
Chhatar Singh
Maharaja Chhatar Singh Rana was the ruler of Gohad Jat state in Madhya Pradesh, India. He became the ruler of Gohad after the fall of Bhim Singh Rana. Rana Bhim Singh had no son. Girdhar Pratap Singh became his successor in 1755. Girdhar Pratap Singh was son of Samant Rao Balju, a family friend of...

 (1757–1782) occupied the Gwalior Fort
Gwalior Fort
ċċċċċt̪--122.177.251.15 13:02, 20 November 2011 --122.177.251.15 13:02, 20 November 2011 --122.177.251.15 13:02, 20 November 2011 Gwalior Fort in Gwalior, in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, stands on an isolated rock, overlooking the Gwalior town, and contains a number of historic...

 thrice:
  • 1740 to 1756 by Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana
    Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana
    Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana was the most powerful ruler of princely state Gohad in northwestern Madhya Pradesh, India. According to Alexander Cunningham and William Cook, Bamraulia gotra jats from village Bamrauli in 1505 founded the city Gohad near Gwalior.Singhandev was the founder of Gohad state....

     ,

  • 1761 to 1767 by Maharaja Chhatra Singh Rana,

  • 1780 to 1783 by Maharaja Chhatra Singh Rana.


Following the decline of Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire ,‎ or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...

, the fort was usurped by Gohad
Gohad
Gohad , also Gohud, is a city and a municipality in Bhind district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. A town of historical importance it is situated close to the city of Gwalior.-History:...

 dynasty by a Jat Rana (King)). Thereafter, the fort's control underwent a series of changes. In 1736, Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana
Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana
Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana was the most powerful ruler of princely state Gohad in northwestern Madhya Pradesh, India. According to Alexander Cunningham and William Cook, Bamraulia gotra jats from village Bamrauli in 1505 founded the city Gohad near Gwalior.Singhandev was the founder of Gohad state....

, the Jat king won over Malwa and the Gwalior fort by defeating the Marathas and held the fort from 1740 to 1756. In 1779, it was won by the Sinde
Sinde
Sinde is an administrative ward in the Mbeya Urban district of the Mbeya Region of Tanzania. According to the 2002 census, the ward has a total population of 5,526....

 who stationed a garrison here. But it was usurped by the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...

. But in August 1780, the control went to Chhatar Singh
Chhatar Singh
Maharaja Chhatar Singh Rana was the ruler of Gohad Jat state in Madhya Pradesh, India. He became the ruler of Gohad after the fall of Bhim Singh Rana. Rana Bhim Singh had no son. Girdhar Pratap Singh became his successor in 1755. Girdhar Pratap Singh was son of Samant Rao Balju, a family friend of...

, the Rana of Gohud who defeated the Marathas. In 1784, Mahadji Sinde ( Commander of Maratha Empire) once again recovered the fort. There were frequent changes in the control of the fort between the Sindes and the British between 1808 and 1844. However, in January 1844, after the battle of Maharajpur, the fort finally came under the control of the Sindes, more as protectorate of the British government.

History during War of Independence (1857)

But the most significant event in Indian history
History of India
The history of India begins with evidence of human activity of Homo sapiens as long as 75,000 years ago, or with earlier hominids including Homo erectus from about 500,000 years ago. The Indus Valley Civilization, which spread and flourished in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent from...

 that occurred at Gwalior fort was the sacrifice of Rani Lakshmibai
Rani Lakshmibai
Lakshmi Bai, the Rani of Jhansi was the queen of the Maratha-ruled princely state of Jhansi, situated in the northern part of India...

, the Rani of Jhansi. She has been hailed as one of the leading figures of the Indian Rebellion of 1857
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...

, and as a symbol of resistance to British rule in India. She is a legendary figure, regarded as India's "Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc
Saint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the...

". She fought many battles but two battles are most noteworthy. The first battle against the British was at Jhansi
Jhansi
Jhansi Hindi:झाँसी, , Marathi: झाशी, is a historical city of India. Jhansi is the administrative headquarters of Jhansi District and Jhansi Division. The original walled city grew up around its stone fort, which crowns a neighboring rock. This district is on the bank of river Betwa.The National...

 in April 1858 (Lakshmi Bhai was defeated) and she escaped to form a rebel group. The other more famous battle was fought at Gwalior fort against the Sinde's (feudatory of the British), which initially she and her confederates (Rani Jhansi( Widow of commander of Maratha Empire), the Peshwas and the Nawab of Banda) won on 1 June 1858 and Nana Saheb was installed as the Peshwa-Prime Minister of Maratha empire. But Sinde fled to Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...

. However, the British continued to relentlessly attack the Gwalior fort. In the battle that ensued on 16 and 17 June 1858, Lakshmi Bai led the troops of Jhansi
Jhansi
Jhansi Hindi:झाँसी, , Marathi: झाशी, is a historical city of India. Jhansi is the administrative headquarters of Jhansi District and Jhansi Division. The original walled city grew up around its stone fort, which crowns a neighboring rock. This district is on the bank of river Betwa.The National...

 and the Gwalior (left over forces) to defend the mountain passage to the fort and the city of Gwalior. In the cavalry charge made by the British, she was killed.

Structures

The fort and its premises are well maintained and have many historic monuments, Hindu and Jain temples (of 11 shrines, seven are Hindu temples) and palaces, out of which the famous are the Man Mandir palace, the Gujari Mahal (now an Archeological Museum), the Jahangir
Jahangir
Jahangir was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until his death. The name Jahangir is from Persian جهانگیر,meaning "Conqueror of the World"...

 Mahal, the Karan Palace and the Shahjahan Mahal.,
The fort, which has a striking appearance, has been built on the long, narrow, precipitous hill called Gopachal. The fort spreads over an area of 3 square kilometre. The fort, 35 feet (10.7 m) in height, is built over massive sandstone rocks. The fort wall is built all along the edge of the hill, though of uniform height, presents an irregular appearance due to the topogarphy of the land over which it has been built. It has two main access gates - one from the North East and the other on the South West. The fort rampart is laid all along the periphery of the hill connected by six towers or bastions. It is approached through the north east through a lengthy access ramp. The main entrance or gate to the fort, called the Hathi Pul (means "elephant gate" as elephants could pass through this gate), is accessed after passing through six other gates. Apart from the Hathi Pul gate to the Palace, there is another large ornate gate, inferred as the Badalgarh Gate. The Man Mandir palace or the citadel is located at the northeast end of the fort. Its construction is dated to the 15th century but refurbished in 1648. The fort precincts also have many monuments such as palaces, temples and water tanks. The water tanks or reservoirs created in the precincts of the fort could provide water supply to a 15,000 strong garrison, which was the estimated requirement of manpower to secure the fort. On the approach from the southern side, intricately carved rock cut temples of 21 Jain thirthankaras are seen set deep into the steep rock faces. One such statue of 40 feet (12.2 m) height, identified as that of Parswanath, the 23rd Jain thrithankara (or saint), escaped demolition ordered by Babar since he lost control of the fort.
Man Mandir

The prison dungeon is also located below this palace where many royal prisoners of the Mughal dynasty were incarcerated and killed.

The palace grounds have witnessed atrocities committed by Mughal emperors. Aurangzeb, initially, imprisoned his brother Murad at this fort and later killed him on the reasons of treason. Fort's name is also tagged to the sati
Sati (practice)
For other uses, see Sati .Satī was a religious funeral practice among some Indian communities in which a recently widowed woman either voluntarily or by use of force and coercion would have immolated herself on her husband’s funeral pyre...

 (voluntary burning to death of women of the harem
Harem
Harem refers to the sphere of women in what is usually a polygynous household and their enclosed quarters which are forbidden to men...

 at a funeral pyre
Pyre
A pyre , also known as a funeral pyre, is a structure, usually made of wood, for burning a body as part of a funeral rite...

) at the 'Jauhar Kund Palace' where sati was performed by the women folk of the royal family when the king of Gwalior was defeated in the year 1232 AD.

Hathi Pool
Main Entrance gate to the fort called Hathi Pool (The Elephant gate)
The Gate to Gwalior Fort Hathi Pol Gate to Man Mandir Palace,

The Hathi Pol Gate (or Hathiya Paur) is the main gate in the fort leading to the Man Mandir palace built by Man Singh. It is the last gate at the end of a series of seven gates. It is named after a life-sized statue of an elephant (hathi) that once adorned the entrance to the gate. The gate built in stone on the south-east corner of the palace has cylindrical towers. The towers are crowned with cupola domes. Carved parapets link the domes.
Gujari Mahal
Mythological statue guarding the palace Gujari Mahal as viewed from the fort
Gujari Mahal cum museum
Gujari Mahal, a palace that was built by Raja Man Singh for love of his wife Mrignayani, a Gujar princess, because she demanded a separate palace for herself with regular water supply through an aqueduct structure built from a nearby river source called the Rai River. This mahal is well maintained now as it has been converted into an archeological museum. The rare artifacts on display at the museum are the Hindu and Jain sculptures dated to 1st century BC and 2nd century BC, miniature statue of Salabhanjika
Salabhanjika
Salabhanjika refers to the sculpture of a woman, displaying stylized feminine features, standing near a tree and grasping a branch. The name of these figures comes from the Sanskrit śālabañjika meaning 'breaking a branch of a sala tree'...

 (shown only by special permission), Terracotta articles and replicas of frescoes seen in Bagh Caves
Bagh Caves
The Bagh Caves are a group of nine rock-cut monuments, situated among the southern slopes of the Vindhyas in Kukshi tehsil of Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh state in central India. These monuments are located at a distance of 97 km from Dhar town. These are renowned for mural paintings by...

.

Teli ka Mandir temple
Teli-ka-Mandir or Oil-pressers temple in the fort
Sculptures near Teli Mandir in the fort Gate of Teli Mandir in Gwalior fort


The Teli-ka-Mandir, or “Oilman’s Temple” or ‘Oil Pressers temple” is inferred to have been built in the 8th century, but 11th century has also been mentioned. Based on the sculptures and ornamentation in the two temples, Louis Fredric, an archeologist,has inferred that the two are eight century shrines. It is considered the oldest monument in the fort, which presents a unique blend of various Indian architectural styles (fusion of south Indian and North Indian styles) and is called a Brahmanical sanctuary. Basically, it has an unusual configuration: shrine-like in that it has a sanctuary only; no pillared pavilions or mandapa
Mandapa
A mandapa in Indian architecture is a pillared outdoor hall or pavilion for public rituals.-Temple architecture:...

; and a Buddhist barrel-vaulted roof on top of a Hindu mandir. Buddhist architectural influence has been identified on the basis of Chitya type of hall and elegant torana
Torana
For the Australian car, see Holden Torana.A torana is a type of gateway seen in the Hindu and Buddhist architecture of the Indian subcontinent.-Meaning and uses of torana:...

 decorations at the entrance gate. It was refurbished in 1881-83 with garden sculpture. In plan, it is a rectangular structure. It has a tower built in masonry, in nagari architectural style with a barrel vault
Barrel vault
A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve along a given distance. The curves are typically circular in shape, lending a semi-cylindrical appearance to the total design...

ed roof, 25 metres (82 ft) in height. In the past, the niches in the outer walls had sculptures installed in them but now have horse shoe arch or gavakshas (ventilator openings) with arched motifs, in north Indian architectural style. The gavaksha design, has been compared to trefoil
Trefoil
Trefoil is a graphic form composed of the outline of three overlapping rings used in architecture and Christian symbolism...

, a honey comb design with a series of receding pointed arches within an arch that allows a "play of light and shadow". The entrance door has a torana
Torana
For the Australian car, see Holden Torana.A torana is a type of gateway seen in the Hindu and Buddhist architecture of the Indian subcontinent.-Meaning and uses of torana:...

 or archway with exquisitely sculpted images of river goddesses, romantic couples, foliation decoration and a Garuda
Garuda
The Garuda is a large mythical bird or bird-like creature that appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology.From an Indian perspective, Garuda is the Hindu name for the constellation Aquila and...

. Diamond and lotus designs are seen on the horizontal band at the top of the arch, which is deciphered as an influence from Buddhist period. It was originally dedicated to Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....

, but later converted to the worship of Siva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...

. The details of the doorway design has been vividly described by an archeologist as:
The combination of vertical and horizontal bands produces a composition of rectangular shapes-all within one large rectangle surmounted by an elaborate honeycomb design of gavaksa motifs. The vertical bands on either side of the door are simple and restrained, and although the figures have been badly damaged, they still retain their graceful, rhythmical form and movement. The small group of dislike objects immediately above the doorway suggest the finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...

 or crown (
damalaka) of an Indo-Aryan Shikhara.


The highest monument in the fort is that of the Garuda
Garuda
The Garuda is a large mythical bird or bird-like creature that appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology.From an Indian perspective, Garuda is the Hindu name for the constellation Aquila and...

, dedicated to the Pratihara Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....

. This structure considered a fusion of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...

 and Indian architecture
Indian architecture
The architecture of India is rooted in its history, culture and religion. Indian architecture progressed with time and assimilated the many influences that came as a result of India's global discourse with other regions of the world throughout its millennia-old past...

 is seen close to the Teli-ka-Mandir (see picture). >>This is not the Teli ka makdir, But it was the temple of loard shive. The wersiper use to install a Bell Called in Hindi Taali.on full filing the desire.
Which again Taali was converted to word as Teli ka mander.
Due to ignoramnce of the local people.

Sas-Bahu temple
Sas-Bahu (Mother-in-Law -Daughter –in-Law temple) in the fort
Sas-Bahu temple Small Sas Bahu temple

In the 10th century, with the control of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty of Gwalior declining, a regional dynasty called the Kachchhapaghatas started wielding power. During their rule they built several monuments, which included two temples known by the name the 'Sas-Bahu temple' (meaning: “mother-in-law and daughter-in-law”); one small and one large (both are seen but in ruins, but the smaller one is more elegant and better preserved) located adjacent to each other. These temples were initially dedicated to Vishnu. An inscription on the larger of the two temples records its building date to 1093 AD. A unique architectural feature of these pyramidal shaped temples built in red sandstone is that they have been raised several stories high solely with the help of beams and pillars, and with no arches having been used for the purpose. The main temple looks dauntingly sturdy. The stylistic smaller Sas-bahu temple is a replica of the larger temple.

Other monuments

There are several other monuments built inside the fort area. These are: the Chhatri
Chhatri
Chhatris are elevated, dome-shaped pavilions used as an element in Indian architecture. Chhatris are commonly used to depict the elements of of pride and honor in the Rajput architecture of Rajasthan. They are widely used, in palaces, in forts, or to demarcate funerary sites...

 of Maharajas Bhim Singh and Bhimtal; the Scindia School
Scindia School
The Scindia School is Indian boarding school for boys, established in 1897, and situated in a historic fortress known as Gwalior Fort, in the city of Gwalior, India...

 (initially an exclusive school for sons of Indian princes and nobles), a renowned institution founded by the late Maratha 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. He was twice married, but had only issue by his second marriage in 1913, one son and one...

 of Gwalior in 1897; the Gurudwara Data Bandi constrcuted in memory of the sixth Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...

 Guru Har Gobind
Guru Har Gobind
Guru Hargobind Sahib, also Saccha Badshah was the sixth of the Sikh gurus and became Guru on 25 May 1606 following in the footsteps of his father Guru Arjan Dev. He was not, perhaps, more than eleven at his father's execution...

.

Access

While the fort is just 2 miles (3.2 km) from the Gwalior city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...

, the city itself is very well connected to other parts of Madhya Pradesh and India by rail, road and air transport services. The Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...

-Mumbai National highway (NH3) passes through Gwalior. The city is connected to Jhansi
Jhansi
Jhansi Hindi:झाँसी, , Marathi: झाशी, is a historical city of India. Jhansi is the administrative headquarters of Jhansi District and Jhansi Division. The original walled city grew up around its stone fort, which crowns a neighboring rock. This district is on the bank of river Betwa.The National...

 by the National Highway NH75, towards the south of the city. In the North, the city is connected to the holy city of Mathura via the National Highway NH 3. It is 321 kilometres (199.5 mi) from Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...

 and 121 kilometres (75.2 mi) from Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...

.

Gwalior is, perhaps, one of the few places where both narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...

 and broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...

 railway lines are still operational. Thus, the city is well connected by train services to all parts of the country including 4 metros. There are direct trains to Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...

, Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...

, Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...

 (Howrah), Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...

, Trivandrum, Indore
Indore
Indore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631...

, Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...

, Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...

, Jammu
Jammu
Jammu , also known as Duggar, is one of the three administrative divisions within Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state in India.Jammu city is the largest city in Jammu and the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir...

, Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....

, Bhopal, Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....

, Udaipur
Udaipur
Udaipur , also known as the City of Lakes, is a city, a Municipal Council and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in the state of Rajasthan in western India. It is located southwest of the state capital, Jaipur, west of Kota, and northeast from Ahmedabad...

 and other major towns. Gwalior is the main station serving most of the important and long distance trains.

Gwalior airport provides airline services to Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...

, Indore
Indore
Indore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631...

 and Bhopal. Delhi to Jabalpur line also stops at Gwalior airport.
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