Gwalior Truly gorgeous

The fort glistened in the fast descending dusk and hues of blue tiles added the perfect contrast to the golden fort. It looked really amazing- adding a different kind of beauty to the fort.

Mughals, British, Rajputs, Marathas, Sikhs – almost all who have played prominent roles in India's rich history, seem to have a unique link to this city in central India.

This is a city, where a rich cultural tradition has been interwoven into the fabric of modern life and the intermingling has left indelible etchings of each dynasty in every nook and corner of this city.

Gwalior’s history is traced back to the eighth century and the legend is that a chieftain named Suraj Sen with an incurable disease was cured by a saint Gwalipa (who stayed on the hilltop where the fort currently stands) with drinking water from a nearby well named Suraj Kund. In gratitude, Suraj Sen founded the city of Gwalior (named after the saint).

The saint renamed Suraj Sen as Suhan and ordained him to keep Pal as his last name. He also forecasted that as long as Suhan Pal’s progeny and descendants kept Pal as their last name they will be rulers of this kingdom.

True to the sage’s word, Suhan Pal’s 83 generations kept Pal as their last name and they ruled Gwalior. The 84th ruler Tej Karna Sen removed Pal and lost the kingdom.

Gwalior fort has been associated with the Tomar rulers, especially Raja Man Singh in the 15th century. His eternal love story with Gujar princess Mriganayani is quite famous. Two of the most magnificent structures in the fort known as Man Mandir and Gujari Mahal, tell the story of his long-lasting love and greatness. Last Tomar king, Salivahan Tomar fought at Haldighati for Maharana Pratap.

In the later years, Gwalior passed onto the hands of the Mughals and for a brief period, it also came under Maratha Empire. The Scindias conquered Gwalior and in 1810 AD Daulat Rao Scindia made Gwalior his army cantonment.

It was in Gwalior that Laxmibai, the famous Rani of Jhansi, who played a stellar role in the 1857 India's first War of Independence, was killed after information regarding her whereabouts was leaked to the British by the local rulers.

Today, however, Gwalior is best linked to the Scindia family. In modern times, former union minister Madhav Rao Scindia and now his son and heir, Jyotiraditya Scindia, has carried on the legacy of the royal family. The palaces, the Gwalior fort and several other monuments dotting the city are standing testimony of its rich history.

The Jai Vilas Palace, a portion of which has been converted into the Jivaji Rao Scindia museum gives visitors a first-hand feel of how the royalty lived in yesteryears. Only 40 rooms and halls of the 400-room palace have been converted into the museum.

The Scindia royal family retains the rest of the palace and lives in that portion. I was wonderstruck by the architectural splendour of the Jai Vilas Palace. It is a replica of the distinguished Palace of Versailles in France.

The architecture here is a twisted amalgamation of Tuscan, Italian and Corinthian styles. On display in the dining hall was a silver train with crystal waggons, which moved on miniature rails atop the dining table and the mechanism was such that the train stopped when someone picked up something from one of the waggons of the train.

The last room of the palace - the Durbar Hall offered really a wow sight and almost made us speechless with its magnificence. The room features two central chandeliers (the world's heaviest crystal chandeliers) weighing 3.5 tonnes each and eight elephants tested the strength of the roof before they were hung from the ceiling.

The room also comprises the largest carpet in Asia – weaved by sixteen jail inmates, according to our guide. The walls and ceilings are gold decorated and garlanded with heavy draperies and tapestries. We were stupefied by the sumptuousness of the lavish extravagance and left the palace on a spellbound note.

Our next stop was the majestic Gwalior fort. It rests on top of a hillock, overlooking the entire city. The colourful outer walls of the fort give it a distinct look. A light and sound show every evening - first in Hindi and then in English (duration 45 minutes) - is delivered in the mesmerising voice of Amitabh Bachchan.

The fort has palaces and temples inside, in addition to a number of magnificent structures. Each ruler has added some structure or other during his rule. On the same hill as the fort is one of the famous boarding schools in India - Scindia School.

What makes Gwalior truly unique is the fact that it not only rests on the legacy of its rich history but also on modern day accomplishments. The ancient capital of Gwalior has made a successful transition into a modern Indian city, vibrant and bustling.

The magnificent mementoes of a glorious past have been preserved with care, giving Gwalior an appeal that is both unique and timeless.

My visit to Gwalior was truly a beautiful experience, the wonderful sights and visions that I enjoyed at this great city will be retained forever in my heart. The time-honoured souvenir of the bygone era is scrupulously conserved in the city creating a perfect amalgamation of tradition and modernity.

By: Sriparna Saha