As I was letting every second of being awed linger gratifyingly, I fixated my thoughts on the massive walls of Gwalior Fort. I started wondering about the stories of resilient kingdoms and bloody battles they concealed. Like peeling off layers of paint, I surveyed the colossal architectural grandeur of the eighth-century structure before me and briefly imagined being transported in time.
The Gibraltar of India: Glorious Gwalior Fort Up Close
As if voicing aloud what was in my head, I heard our tour guide narrating how the Fort changed hands during its height of significance. "The fort has seen several changes throughout its history. It came under the rule of the Rajput, then the Mughals, the Mamluks, the Huns and the Akbars, Suris, Marathas and even the British."
If only the walls of Gwalior Fort could talk, they would reverberate with never-ending battle cries, yells of triumph, and cries of defeat. The sheer amount of history they had witnessed filled every inch of its three-square-kilometer area. Originating from a smaller fort first constructed strategically atop Gopachal Hill by local king Suraj Sen in the third century, the bigger portion of the fort was constructed beginning as early as the sixth century according to inscriptions found inside detailing a sun temple built during the reign of Mihirakula—who ruled Central India from 502–530.
While the outer walls appeared like a painting due to the varying intricate designs, the fort also housed various temples and palaces adorned with diverse architectural styles—thanks to the sundry tastes of a list of rulers who lorded over the fort.
Entering a Time Capsule
After a pleasing time regaling in the picturesque outer walls of the fort, we gingerly walked behind one of the mammoth gates—and instantly—as if hurtling our group inside a time machine to the past. A fascinating set of architectural marvels greeted us: intricately carved walls, giant stonewashed doors, and moss-covered ceilings, all super-sized to fit the spacious fort grounds, combining for a hodgepodge of painterly details.
Likening the mood to the ones I’ve had visiting other forts in India—especially in the state of Rajasthan—which was falling into some sort of historical envisioning, I darted my mind to the time when Babur, the founder of the mighty Mughal Empire, captured the fort only to lose it to the Hindu General Hemu and have his grandson Akbar recapture it many years later.
Mirroring the Taj Mahal in Agra, Gwalior Fort was also a setting for some of the Mughal Empire’s infamous events. It was here where Aurangzeb (remember him? the one who jailed his father Shah Jahan—builder of the Taj Mahal—in Agra Fort) had his brother Murad and nephews Sepher and Suleman executed.
Towering Carved Jain Monuments
After bidding goodbye to my fellow travel writers and the staff from the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Office (as part of the post-Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart FamTrip), I opted to extend my stay in Gwalior for a couple of days. I took advantage of my alone time by going back to the Fort. This time, I made my way to the three-hundred-foot Gopachal Hill on foot.
On my way up on the side of the steep curving road heading to Gwalior Fort, I saw the seventh-century rock-cut Gopachal Parvat Jain Monuments. Spanning hundreds of meters, these boulder-carved shrines were built from the seventh century until the fifteenth century. Regaling at the intricate details of each statue gave me an opportunity to rest as well, so I milked every delightful detail until my interest was piqued by the deities of the Jain Tirthankaras.
The Tirthankaras—said to be the spiritual teachers of the “dharma way” or the “righteous path”—were presented in seated Padmasana and standing Kayotsarga postures. A few hundred meters away, another series of carved monuments could be seen, including the fifty-seven-foot image of Adinatha (another famous Tirthankara).
As I arrived back on the top of the hill just a stone's throw away from the thick walls of Gwalior Fort, I sat on a ridge and stared at the view of the city below. I imagined being one of the watchmen during one of the bloody wars of many centuries ago. Just when I was starting to picture in my head the deathly spears flying in the air, a flock of doves flew by above me and a group of young students alighted out of their bus.
I delighted at the thought that a new group of people—especially those young ones—would have their turn in learning the many enthralling stories hidden inside the thick walls of Gwalior Fort.
Planning your own historical journey through central India? Browse our complete collection of Madhya Pradesh Travel Guides & Heritage Narratives.
