History

Early History of the Fort

Because the fort's construction is linked to a mythology, the exact date of its construction is unknown. Suraj Sen, a native king, is said to have governed this region in 3 CE, according to tradition. The monarch contracted leprosy, a fatal condition that could not be healed at the time. When the king's hopes had run out, a wise man named Gwalipa came to his aid and magically cured the ailment by requesting the king to drink water from a sacred pond (it is believed that the present pond inside the fort is the same pond that helped the king). When the king was healed, he decided to build a fort to honour the sage and also named the city Gwalior after him. The sage bestowed the title of 'Pal,' which means protector, on the king and guaranteed that his descendants would rule over the fort as long as they wore the title. Many descendants of Suraj Sen Pal ruled over the fort after this tragedy, but his 84th successor, Tej Karan, lost control of the fort.

There are no historical records or evidences to back up the fort's claim to be centuries old. Though inscriptions within the fort suggest that it has stood here since the 6th century, there is no strong evidence to back this up. Certain evidences, however, point to the fort's existence as early as the late 9th century. The survival of the 'Teli ka Mandir,' a Hindu temple alleged to have been built by the Gurjara-Pratiharas, is one such example. The fort was presided over by the Kachchhapaghata dynasty from the 10th century onwards.

Later History of the Fort

Many Muslim monarchs attempted to seize the fort in the 10th century. In 1022 CE, Mahmud of Ghazni besieged the fort, but when offered with 35 elephants, he lifted the siege. The fort was taken by Qutb al-Din Aibak, the first Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate, in 1196, only to be lost a few years later. In 1232 CE, however, the fort was reclaimed by Iltumish, the third king of the Delhi Sultanate. The Tomars conquered the fort in 1398, and it stayed with them for a long time. Raja Maan Singh Tomar built various constructions within the fort, completely altering its appearance. Meanwhile, the Delhi Sultanate's rulers were continuously attempting to retake the fort. Sikander Lodi's effort in 1505, however, failed, but his son Ibrahim Lodi succeeded in capturing the fort in 1516, killing Raja Maan Singh Tomar. Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty, quickly conquered the fort. In 1542, the Mughals were defeated by the Sur monarch Sher Shah Suri. Mughal Emperor Akbar regained the fort in 1558 and converted it to a prison, where he killed his inmates and enemies.

The Mughal Empire deteriorated after Aurangzeb's rule, resulting in the surrender of the fort, which was now taken by the Rana chieftains of Gohad. The fort was taken from Gohad Rana Chhatar Singh by Mahadaji Shinde of the Scindia family, but it was subsequently lost to the British. The British ceded the fort to the Ranas in 1780 in exchange for their support during the 18th-century Sepoy Mutiny. After retaking it from the Ranas, the Marathas lost it to the British during the Second Anglo-Maratha War. The fort was then mostly under British control, although the British occasionally gave it back to the Scindia family for political reasons. The British ceded the fort to the Scindias in 1886 after capturing all of India, as the fort was of little interest to them at the time. The Scindias ruled over the fort for a time, even erecting their own structures within it, until it was finally taken over by the Indian government after independence.

The Fort's Design

The Gwalior fort is 3 square kilometres (741.3 acres) in size and is surrounded by sandstone concrete walls. There are various structures, temples, and two main palaces within the fort. There are five sections to the fort. Each component is given a name based on the direction in which it is located. The Elephant Gate and the Badalgarh Gate are the two primary gates. The Elephant Gate, also known as the 'Hathi Pol,' is located in the southeast corner of the city and connects to the Man Mandir palace. An impressive set of temples (21 in total) dedicated to the Jain Tirthankaras can be found on the fort's southern side. The Karan Palace, the Jahangir Mahal, the Shah Jahan Mahal, and the Gujri Mahal are among the other notable structures within the Gwalior Fort.

Other Significant Buildings

Within the grounds of the Gwalior Fort, there are a number of additional significant structures. Each structure has a unique history and was created to serve numerous purposes. The following are some of the structures:

Garuda Monument - The Garuda Monument is located adjacent to the Teli ka Mandir. The fort's highest point is the structure, which was created to worship Lord Vishnu. This enormous structure was built in the Indo-Islamic architectural style.

Chhatri of Bhim Singh Rana — As a tribute to his father, Chhatra Singh, the successor to Bhim Singh Rana, built this beautiful domed-shaped pavilion. Next to the pavilion is an artificial lake, which was also built by Chhatra Singh. After defeating Mughal Satrap Ali Khan, King Chhatra Singh took control of the fort.

Temples within the Fort

Siddhachal Jain Temple Caves

Idols on the Gopachal Hill

Teli-ka-Mandir

Sas-Bahu Temple

Palaces within the Fort

Man Mandir Palace

Gujari Mahal

Vikram Mahal

Karn Mahal

Entry fee and timing

All days of the week 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Adults pay Rs 75 per person. Children's tickets are Rs 40 per person. For foreign travellers, the cost is Rs 250 per person.