Gwalior, the tourist capital of Madhya Pradesh, is best known for its spellbinding monuments, forts, tombs, and museums, that transport you to a bygone era. Its cultural richness, steeped in history, has stood the test of time. Its charm, which is nothing short of mesmerizing, is enough to please travelers and photographers from around the world. If you truly want to bask in the beauty of ancient culture & history, feel its pull, and also wallow in the photo-worthiness of this city, then do pay this gorgeous city a call!
On the basis of our blissful three-day odyssey in this appealing city, we have compiled, in no particular order, a list of our top 5 most photogenic places in Gwalior!
GWALIOR FORT
Having seen just about all the world-famous forts in Rajasthan, we did not have very high hopes from this one. After all, what could be better than the intricate architecture that you find in almost all the cities of Rajasthan, but both Sid and I were stunned the moment we laid our eyes on this hill fort that stands high above the city of Gwalior. The splendid architecture that dates back to the 6th century most definitely stood out for both of us. The vibrant blue color on the walls of the fort was definitely the first thing we noticed, for it looked as fresh as a daisy.
This humungous fort consists of an outer wall which is about two miles in length and stands 35 feet high. It is made of sandstone which beautifully blends in with the hill it sits upon. Nowhere else have we seen this kind of impeccable workmanship. Dominating the skyline of the city, this fort offers great photo opportunities and can easily quench your 'perfect-Insta-shot' thirst!
The fort consists of two main palaces, Gujari Mahal and Man Singh Mahal. The Gujari Mahal was built for Queen Mrignayani. The Man Singh Mahal, built by Man Singh Tomar in 1508 A.D, is one of the finest examples of Hindu architecture.
There are a total of 4 stories in the palace, two of which are underground and the third one consists of two open courtyards and various rooms supported by different decorated pillars and brackets. Known to be one of the most impenetrable forts in India, this fort is a must-visit attraction when visiting Gwalior!
TELI KA MANDIR
This temple got its name from Teli (oil dealer), at whose expense this temple was built during the reign of King Mihira Bhoja of the Pratihara Dynasty. It's the tallest and the most stunning temple in the confines of the Gwalior Fort, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The temple consists of a Garbhagriha, that is sanctum proper for the main deity, and an Antarala, that is used to enter the temple. It can be approached by a flight of steps provided on the eastern side.
The most striking feature of the temple is the wagon-vaulted roof, which is Dravidian in style and is rarely found in North India, but the decorative details are similar to Indo-Aryan types of North Indian temples. The exterior walls of the temple are richly decorated with sculptures. Thus, the temple shows a significant amalgamation of the North Indian and South Indian temple architecture. The inside, however, is completely empty.
SAS-BAHU TEMPLE
The group of two 11th century temples standing on the eastern corner of the Gwalior Fort is popularly known as Sas-Bahu Temple. The literal meaning of which denotes mother-in-law and daughter-in-law applied for bigger and smaller temples respectively.
Why these names?
King Ratanpala's mother was a disciple of Lord Vishnu, so he got a beautiful temple made for her with thousand handed sculpture of Vishnu, hence famous as 'Shastrabahu' or thousand arms. Later, the king got married, and his wife happened to be a disciple of Shiva. The difference in devotion caused a rift between the two ladies, so he got another temple made for his wife near the older one. Hence, the names!
The construction of the temple was started by King Ratanpala and completed during the reign of Mahipala in 1093 A.D. The fully developed plan is aligned in a north-south direction, having garbha-griha, antarala, mahamandapa and ardhamandapa from south to north. The exuberantly carved pillars and ceiling of the central hall are flanked by porches on three sides. The exterior walls are richly carved with floral, geometric designs, elephant figures, dancers, musicians and scenes from Krishna Lila. The exterior decoration of the smaller temple is also similar, it possesses a vestibule and a small central hall.
Sadly, there's no graven image present on the inside of both the temples and since no prayers are performed anymore, people walk inside the temples with their shoes on.
JAI VILAS PALACE
Jai Vilas Palace, according to us, is a place that lets you experience the old age royalty and opulence in the latter-day! It's a nineteenth-century palace, that was established by the Maharaja of Gwalior, Shrimant Jayaji Rao Scindia, for the reception of King Edward using the prisoners that were captured in the Gwalior Fort. The convicts were also awarded the 12-year job of weaving the largest carpet in Asia. This carpet was displayed at the Durbar Hall- the main attraction of the Palace with beautiful golden carvings and the royal chandeliers. It is said that 8 full-grown elephants were suspended from the mahal ceiling to check the endurance of the roof before hanging these chandeliers.
Today, this palace not only houses the descendants of the royal Maratha Scindia family but it also houses a museum, an art gallery, and a library with more than 5000 books. The museum contains a collection of swords that date back to the times of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb and the original Dhal that belonged to Rani Laxmibai.
DEO BAGH
Although Deo Bagh is a heritage property, it still happens to top this list. This heritage property not only tickles your history bones but it also quenches your thirst for creating phenomenal content. Although every corner of this gorgeous property makes an exceptional picture-perfect spot, here's a list of our favorite spots that literally blew our minds-
Char Bagh-
Char Bagh is a Persian style garden layout in which the quadrilateral garden is divided into four smaller parts by walkways or flowing water. 'Char' means four and 'bagh' means garden. Mughals were known to introduce this style in India. This is where you will see thirty species of birds fly and hear them chirp in melodious tones. It's pure magic!
Baradari-
The Baradari is a beautiful structure that caught our attention immediately after we checked in. Both indoor and outdoor areas make amazing spots for some incredible shots.
This structure dates back to the Mughal era and once had a water feature essential to its layout, which on hot summer days shielded the women in its underground chamber, giving a natural air-conditioned environment through air ducts. This structure has not been revamped, but it's still standing strong and looks as good as new!
Family Temples-
The two beautiful temples standing gloriously in this property is a sight to behold. The intricate details and workmanship are out of this world. The dates of construction are not known, but the Jadhav family has worshipped here for five generations now. The temple on the left is a Shiv Mandir and the one on the right is a Hanuman Mandir. The latter has been modified to hold family deities when they were shifted here from Laxmi Vilas Rajwada. Known to be extremely powerful, robbers have died every time after the temples have been looted.
With these five spots, your Instagram feed will potentially skyrocket to new heights! So, pack your bags and get ready to walk in the city of royals!
Until next post
xoxo
