Gwalior 'the land of great Scindias"

Beyond the marvelous beauty of Khajuraho, Mandu, Bandhavgarh and Kanha, Madhya Pradesh the “Heart of Incredible India” has some more fascinating places which would enthralled your thoughts for ever. It is a land of temples and tigers, holy towns and jungles, forts and palaces, hill stations and pretty flatlands, royal heritage and village tradition.

Gwalior one of the beautiful tourist destination of Madhya Pradesh is famous but not so well-known. The land of the warriors kings, poets, musicians and saints, is situated strategically at the Agra -Deccan route. Till date many dynasties including both Mughals and Marathas has tried to rule this land. Madho Rao Scindia, the last ruler of the Maratha dynasty has very well restored the erstwhile glory of Gwalior- a land of chivalry and valor.

Every where in Gwalior, one can still very well feel the presence of royalty. Scindias, the prolific builders and the last ruler of Gwalior still rule the hearts of the people. Gwalior has some outstanding historical edifices which proves the sway of Scindias over the city such as the Gwalior fort, Jai Vilas palace and museum, Gujari Mahal Archaeological Museum, Man Mandir palace, Gurdwara data Bandhi Chhod, Teli ka mandir, Saas Bahu ka mandir, Gopachal parvat, Sun temple, Sarod Ghar, the Kala Vithika and last but not the least Suraj Kund where the Chieftain named Suraj Sen was treated by the hermit – saint. The tomb of Tansen who was considered as one of nine jewel of Akbar's court and mausoleum of the Afghan prince, Ghous Mohammed, is also present in Gwalior.

Gwalior's history is also attached with the Indian Independence struggle. The earliest freedom fighters of India namely Tatya tope and Jhansi ki Rani Laxmibai were commemorated in the memorials of Gwalior. The newly added attractions of Gwalior is the Din Dayal City Mall and the Sun city which represents the transition of Gwalior into a modern city.

The innumerable educational institutions which are present in Gwalior enhances its glory across the globe such as Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management, Indian Institute of Travel and Tourism Management, Jiwaji University, Scindia School and Laxmibai National Institute of Physical Education. Thousands of aspiring students comes here to fulfill their dreams.

Every year in the month of November and December, Madhya Pradesh government organizes the Tansen Music festival in memory of Tansen, the father of the Hindustani classical music. It is a major cultural event where prominent classical artists of India performs in front of thousands of music lovers throng here from various parts of the country.

In this rapidly changing world, Gwalior along with its rich culture and traditional values has successfully transformed itself into a modern day city. So, plan out your Gwalior trip as soon as possible and enjoy the visual and aesthetic beauty of this place where the princely past of yesteryears still lives in the magnificent palaces and the museum.

Jolly Mazumdar