Gwalior Travel Guide, India

Gwaliar

Gwaliar is one of the most opulent cities of Madhya Pradesh. With a history that dates back to the 8th century, it is home to the great Gwaliar fort. It is of considerable importance to the growth and rise of Jainism and is known for its beautiful Hindu style of architecture.

According to myth, the city was founded by a medieval army chief known as Suraj Sen who had been cured of a deadly disease by a hermit-saint Gwalipa. In gratitude of for that, he had named the city after him.

Gwaliar stretches between 26.22° N 78.18° E and has a temperate climate. Populated by around 12 lakh people, it ranks among the top 50 most populous areas in India.

The city of Gwaliar is divided into the old and new city. The new city is a commercial hub with three dominant areas- the Lashkar(which dominates business activity), Morar(market for farmers) and Gwaliar.

It is in the old city that most of the tourist sites are located. Gwalior has a famous fort called the Gwalior Fort, constructed by a king of the Tomar dynasty called Raja Man Singh Tomar. This imposing structure once had a reputation as being one of the strongest forts in India. It is situated on an isolated rock outcrop, which is what enhances its security. It has a very steep slope which makes it very difficult to breach and added to that, it has high periphery walls which enclose the entire fort and have been built over the centuries. The city of gwalior itself is just to the east of this fortress.

The other attractions incude the Gujari Mahal, the Dargah Hazrat Khwaja Khanoon Sahib Gwalior, the Man Mandir Palace, the Gurudwara Data Bandhi Chhod and the Sarod Ghar. There are also numerous Jain temples scattered through the city.

Gwaliar is also well known for its art and culture. It has had the advantage of being close to Agra, Khajurao and Delhi been influenced significantly by the court. Known to be the home of the famous Tansen of the Mughal court and Baiju Bawra, the city is known for its music. The Ahiri, Baredi, Saharia and Lur dance are extremely popular. The city celebrates Rang Panchami and Ganesh Chaturthi, its main festivals with much funfair that attracts visitors from all over the country. The Prestigious Kite Flying festival is breathtaking.

Gwaliar blends its ancient past and modern present with ease and reflects a multi layered heritage that is rich in culture, yet growing fast to suit the needs of modern man.

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