Gwalior, a city which has seen all the various stages of medieval history of the country, from the wars to the golden periods, the colonisation, right upto the modern age where it stands tall as a proud city in the state and country. Gwalior has always been a city to stand its ground and stay in power despite the changes in politics and the people. It’s a must visit if you are in the state, and it can be done in just one day, come and join me in a journey through Gwalior.
Start early and let’s hit the Jai Vilas museum (2 hours usually) first where you can stroll down memory lane along with hundreds of artefacts from the royal family which have been preserved as a part of history. The museum building used to be the residence of the royal family at some point but now has been converted to a museum. The museum is curated and sponsored by the Scindia family. The artifacts at some point used to be in mint condition, but due to time, there is visible wear and tear in it, but it still does its job of letting you know the lifestyle of the people in that time.
In a few hours you can head on over to the main fort (3 hours approx.). It’s a steep incline but your car or taxi can handle it. I’m not sure if you are allowed to walk up, but when I was there, no visible hiker came through my line of vision. You will soon reach a the entrance to the fort and discover its grandeur. You have a panoramic view of the city from its walls and the entire fort grounds from the entrance. You can hire a guide to know about the history and architecture of the whole palace and grounds, which won’t burn a large hole in your pocket (haggle a little, its the way it works). If you have read about the fort before hand then go ahead and explore the fort and the beautiful grounds and take in a spellbinding time which is no more but still alive in the architecture they left behind.
Once you are done with the fort, explore the other places within the fort grounds such as the Saas Bahu Temple, Teli ka Mandir and the Gurudwara. I would suggest after a long day you would want to eat something, so go and enjoy some good food at the Gurudwara (which is free; Langar), see another place of devotion for a major religion of the world and then continue to see the two temples. The two temples are beautifully and ornately built with breathtaking views and great scope for photography. Go ahead and check it out, trust me, so many Instagram opportunities (lot of double taps).
By evening you are done with the city and everything it has to offer historically, there is a light and sound show at the fort but I would not suggest putting your money on it as it isn’t even one of the good ones I have seen. Better utilize your time if you go around the city and try their local food and maybe relax at your hotel, chill in the pool maybe. Just relax and enjoy that holiday.
After this easy to accomplish itinerary, I hope all of you have Gwalior on your lists and will soon go and explore this wonderful city and have another city and landmark stricken off India’s map.
Photography: Shankh Chatterjee
Drifttoday 
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