 The
Mughal emperor Babar referred to the Gwalior Fort as "the
pearl amongst fortresses in India" and although you may
beg to differ, you will probably agree that this, the dominating
feature of Gwalior's skyline, is definitely a citadel worth
seeing. With a turbulent and pretty eventful past, the Gwalior
Fort spreads out over an area of 3 square km, bounded by solid
walls of sandstone, which enclose three temples, six palaces
and a number of water tanks. Regarded as North and Central India's
most impregnable fortress, the Gwalior Fort was built by Raja
Man Singh Tomar in the 15th century.
In the five hundred years since then, the fort has changed
hands many Times- it has been held by the Tomars, Mughals, Marathas
and British, who finally handed it over to the Scindias. Today
it's a must-see sight on any Gwalior itinerary, and just the
ride up to the fort gives you a taste of what's coming: the
southern path is bounded by rock faces with intricate carvings
of the Jain tirthankars. As you enter the fort, you'll see lots
more to impress and interest you: palaces and temples, impressive
gates and historic water tanks.
Of the temples in the Gwalior Fort, the most famous are the
Teli-ka-Mandir- a 9th century Dravidian-style shrine which is
notable for its profusely sculpted exterior; the Saas-Bahu Temples-
two pillared temples which stand next to each other, one larger
than the other; and the Chaturbhuj Mandir, a Vaishnavite shrine
dating back to the 9th century.
Among the fort's most prominent palaces is the amazingly ornate
Man Singh Palace, built by Man Singh in the 15th century. Embellished
with a vivid pattern in tile and paint, the palace spreads over
four levels, and despite its picture-pretty appearance, has
a somewhat gory history: Mughal emperor Aurangzeb imprisoned
and later murdered his brother Murad here. Equally grisly is
the Jauhar Kund, which marks the spot where the women of the
harem burnt themselves to death after the defeat of the king
of Gwalior in 1232.
Best Season: October to Early
March.
Best Places: Mann Singh Palace,
Karan Palace, Jahangir Mahal, Shahjahan Mahal, Gujri Mahal.
Reach -
By Air: Domestic airport has connections
to Delhi, Mumbai, Bhopal and Indore.
By Rail: Connected main rail routes
between Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Chennai halt at Gwalior, and
for people arriving from Delhi, there are daily superfast services
on the Taj Express and the Shatabdi Express: both enable convenient
day-trips from Delhi to Gwalior.
By Road: Well Connected with road
with all neighbouring states..
Jaigarh Fort
 Of
Jaipur's three forts, Jaigarh is perhaps the most interesting.
Not if all you want to see are pretty palaces (for that Amer's
perfect); but if you want a peek at a hard-core fortress, this
is it. Jaigarh (literally, `Victory Fort') was built between
the 15th and the 18th century, and stands 15 km from Jaipur,
amidst rock-strewn, thorn-scrub covered hills, its forbidding
stone ramparts visible from Jaipur itself. A steep road goes
up to the main gate, the Dungar Darwaza, from where the view
is stupendous.
Jaigarh, once responsible for the security of both Jaipur and
Amer, is a huge moated fort and contains all the accoutrements
of a full-fledged citadel. 1 ½ or 2 hours are usually enough
to explore it- don't bother taking a guide; there isn't much
use for one, and sections like the armoury and the museum have
adequate signs.
Begin with Jaigarh's biggest draw- the Jaivana, the world's
largest cannon on wheels. Jaivana was constructed in Jaigarh's
foundry in 1720, and its barrel alone weighs close to 50 tons.
According to popular belief, Jaivana's been fired only once
(the ball falling 35 km away in a very unfortunate village!).
Actual inspection of the cannon has revealed, however, that
the number of Times it's been fired has been considerably higher.
Wander around a bit- you can walk the ramparts and peer down
the loopholes for guns and boiling oil, or check out the wide
water channels. These were part of a very efficient system for
rainwater harvesting, bringing in water from across the hills
and into Jaigarh's 3 underground tanks. The largest of the tanks
stored 60,00,000 gallons of water, and was, till not long back,
supposed to house a treasure (that myth was shattered by the
Indian government, which searched it).
Also part of the fort are the armoury and museum: both have
a good collection of items pertaining to Jaigarh. The Armoury's
treasures include a 50-kg cannonball, various swords, shields,
muskets, war bugles, armour and guns (bullock-cart, wheel, and
camel-mounted!). It also has photographs of two of Jaipur's
maharajas, Sawai Bhawani Singh and Major General Man Singh II,
both once senior military officers in the Indian Army.
The Museum has more of the same, though not all military. Here
too there are photos- some delightful ones of old Jaipur, its
maharajas (especially Madho Singh, Man Singh II and Bhawani
Singh), palace guards, royal processions and the Jaipur State
Cavalry. There's an interesting photograph of India's many rulers
at the Conference of Ruling Princes and Chiefs (Delhi, 1917),
along with other knick-knacks- maps of Jaigarh, spittoons, leather
and metal oil containers, and 18th century circular playing
cards.
Among Jaigarh's other structures are a series of open halls,
of which the Shubhat Niwas (the Meeting Hall of Warriors) has
a few weather-beaten odds and ends lying about- mostly ramshackle
sedan chairs and drums.
Best Season: October to March.
Reach -
By Air: Domestic airport has regular
flights to and from all across India.
By Rail: Trains- including superfast
Shatabdis- link the city to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and a host
of other cities in Rajasthan, Gujarat and other nearby states.
By Road: Well Connected with road
with all neighbouring states..
Red Fort
 India's
first Independence Day- on August 15, 1947- was celebrated with
the unfurling of the Indian tricolour on the ramparts of Delhi's
Red Fort: a fitting tribute indeed to a building which has few
parallels when it comes to sheer grandeur. The largest of Delhi's
many medieval monuments, the Red Fort is one of those places
where history was made- it remained the epicentre of Indian
governance for close to 200 years, and its pavilions and gardens,
till today, retain a magnificence highly reminiscent of its
past glory. Constructed between 1638 and 1648 by the greatest
of the Mughal emperors (in terms of architectural ability, that
is), Shahjahan, the Red Fort was then known also as the Qila
Mubarak (`The Auspicious Fort'). And auspicious it was- and
grand, rich, magnificent- as befitted the castle which was to
be the capital of one of the medieval world's wealthiest empires.
Surrounded by solid walls of red sandstone, the Red Fort's main
entrance is through the Lahore Gate- so named because it faces
Lahore, in Pakistan. Beyond the gate lies the Chhatta Chowk
or Meena Bazaar, a covered market which in its heyday harboured
wares as varied as gemstones and midgets, Persian carpets and
eunuchs- but is today home to sellers of touristy souvenirs.
The main fort begins beyond the Naubat Khana, which is the
reception counter for the fort. Beyond it spreads a vast complex
of gardens and pavilions, once threaded by a canal known as
the Nahar-e-Bihisht, the Stream of Paradise. Here, in a state
which is a mere shadow of its medieval splendour, are the many
palaces of the Red Fort, including the white-marble Diwan-e-Khas
which housed the legendary Peacock Throne, and the somewhat
less ornate Diwan-e-Am, built of red sandstone and once decorated
with heavily gilded stucco work. Also part of the Red Fort are
the ostentatious Moti Masjid, a small but extremely ornate mosque
of white marble, constructed by the emperor Aurangzeb; the Rang
Mahal, that at one Time used to be a gloriously ornate creation
adorned with gold, silver, mirrors and paint; and the Hammams,
the royal baths.
All in all, the Red Fort, though now just a rather sad echo
of what it once was, still has enough to interest a visitor-
and is a must for anybody who's keen on history.
Best Season: October to March.
Best Places: Naubat Khana, Diwan-e-Khas,Rang
Mahal, Meena Bazaar.
Reach -
By Air: The gateway to India, Delhi
is served by two airports to the southwest of the centre. The
Indira Gandhi International Airport -Terminal II receives all
the international flights, while the domestic airport, Indira
Gandhi Terminal I, has flights arriving from destinations within
India.
By Rail: Delhi's three railway
stations- New Delhi Station, Old Delhi Station and the quieter
Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station have a host of trains connecting
the capital to almost anywhere in India.
By Road: Buses from across northern
India arrive at Delhi's three ISBTs (Interstate Bus Terminals),
near Kashmiri Gate, at Anand Vihar and at Sarai Kale Khan.
How to plan your tours:
Explore India, we offer tours packages and holidays guide to
all tourist destinations of India. For more tour options mail
us at info@easytravelindia.com
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