The Citadel, Gwalior

Madhya Pradesh-4:

In addition to Gurdwara Data Bandi Chhod and Man Mandir Palace, the other structures at the Gwalior Fort are:

• Gujari Mahal (Gujari Palace)
• Saas-Bahu Ka Mandir
• Teli Ka Mandir
• Vikramaditya Mahal (Vikram Palace)
• Karan Mahal (Karan Palace)
• Shahjahan Mahal (Shah Jahan Palace)
• Jauhar Kund
• Scindia School
  

Near Man Mandir Palace

I went about exploring the the Gujari Mahal, the Vikram Mahal, Karan Mahal and the Shah Jahan Mahal.

Karan Mahal - rear view

The story goes that after Raja Mansingh Tomar wooed and won her, Mrignayani expected of him to build for her a separate palace with a constant water supply from the River Rai. So, the 15th century Gujari Mahal was built in her honor. The exterior of the Palace is well maintained and the interior has been converted into an archeological museum, housing a large collecting of Hindu and Jain sculptures, some said to be dating back to the 1st and 2nd century. Photography is not allowed here.

Partial view of Karan Mahal and Shah Jahan Mahal

I meant to return to the rest of the structures after lunch and that meant descending down the Fort complex to the city below. Once there, however, I got so busy exploring other interesting spots that there was no chance to get back to the Fort till the evening. By the time I returned, it was almost dark and I had a quick look at the Saas Bahu Ka Mandir, a traditional temple of two sizes of temples; and Teli Ka Mandir, built with a unique blend of Dravidian style of architecture (roof part) as well as the Indo-Aryan characteristics of northern India (the walls).

Then I proceeded for the Sound and Light Show and as I wrote in my previous post, it was delightful. Two shows take place every evening, in Hindi and English. At the Son-et-Lumiere Show, Amitabh Bachchan eloquently narrates the story of the Gwalior Fort with his deep baritone voice. It was very interesting to experience history at the Show that included:

- the story of Suraj Sen, the Rajput chieftain and Gwalipa, whose story is narrated here;

- the romantic story of Raja Man Singh and Mrignayani;

- the Turkish invasion and the tragic defeat of the Rajputs;

- sieges by Mehmood Ghazni and other Muslim kings;

- the sad sounds of Jauhar (different practice from Sati) of the Rajput women, a practice of collective suicide of a community facing certain defeat in war;

- the sound of the Rajput menfolk who ride out to their last battles till death in what is called Saka;

- the subsequent battles of victory and sounds of reconquering of a lost treasure by the resilient Rajputs;

- the glorious era that followed.

At the Show, Bhimsen Joshi, Pandit Jasraj and Kumar Gandharva's efforts can be enjoyed that substantiates the grandeur of traditional music as sung by the erstwhile Baiju Bawra and Tansen (more on Tansen in my subsequent posts). Superb colours kept illuminating every nook and cranny of the beautiful Man Mandir Palace and other structures around. The sound of the whole Show creates a realistic effect so well that at the end of it, I felt steeped in the history of the place.

With this post, I bid goodbye to this spot in Central India where history, religion, music, and architecture have been beautifully forged to form a glorious Fort, the Gwalior Fort.

Man Mandir Palace