Gwalior Fort

Coordinates: 26°13′49″N 78°10′08″E / 26.2303°N 78.1689°E / 26.2303; 78.1689
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Gwalior Fort
Madhya Pradesh,
Fort
Site information
Owner
Open to
the public		Yes
Site history
Built6th century, The modern-day fort, consisting a defensive structure and two palaces was built by King Man Singh Tomar,[1] later renovated by Scindia ruler under the Supervision of General Sardar Surve in 1916
In useYes
MaterialsSandstone and lime mortar
Battles/warsNumerous
EventsNumerous

The Gwalior Fort, commonly known as the Gwālīyar Qila, is a

hill fort near Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India. The fort has existed at least since the 10th century, and the inscriptions and monuments found within what is now the fort campus indicate that it may have existed as early as the beginning of the 6th century. The modern-day fort, embodying a defensive structure and two palaces was built by the Tomar Rajput[2] ruler Man Singh Tomar.[1]
The fort has been administered by a number of different rulers in its history.

The present-day fort consists of a defensive structure and two main palaces, "Man Mandir" and

zero" in the world was found in a small temple (the stone inscription has the second oldest record of the numeric zero symbol having a place value as in the modern decimal notation), which is located on the way to the top. The inscription is around 1500 years old.[3][4]

Etymology

Map of the fortress.

The word Gwalior is derived from one of the names for Gwalipa.[5] According to legend, Gwalipa cured the local chieftain Suraj Sen of leprosy, and in gratitude, Suraj Sen founded the city of Gwalior in his name.[6]

Topography

  • Gwalior Fort seen from the Residency. 10 December 1868.
    Gwalior Fort seen from the Residency. 10 December 1868.
  • Gwalior Fort map 1911 (click to see details)
    Gwalior Fort map 1911 (click to see details)

The fort is built on an outcrop of

Vindhyan sandstone on a solitary rocky hill called Gopachal. This feature is long, thin, and steep. The geology of the Gwalior range rock formations is ochre coloured sandstone covered with basalt. There is a horizontal stratum, 342 feet (104 m) at its highest point (length 1.5 miles (2.4 km) and average width 1,000 yards (910 m)). The stratum forms a near-perpendicular precipice. A small river, the Swarnrekha, flows close to the palace.[7]

History

The Gwalior fort from afar
Courtyard of Maan Mandir

The exact period of Gwalior Fort's construction is uncertain.[8] According to a local legend, the fort was built by a local king named Suraj Sen in 3 CE. He was cured of leprosy, when a sage named Gwalipa offered him the water from a sacred pond, which now lies within the fort. The grateful king constructed a fort and named it after the sage. The sage bestowed the title Pal ("protector") upon the king and told him that the fort would remain in his family's possession, as long as they bear this title. 83 descendants of Suraj Sen Pal controlled the fort, but the 84th, named Tej Karan, lost it.[1]

The inscriptions and monuments found within what is now the fort campus indicate that it may have existed as early as the beginning of the 6th century.

Gurjara-Pratiharas in the 9th century.[1]

The fort definitely existed by the 10th century, when it is first mentioned in the historical records. The

Ghurid ruler Muhammad of Ghor captured the fort in 1196 after a long siege.[11] The Delhi Sultanate lost the fort for a short period before it was recaptured by Iltutmish in 1232 CE.[1]

In 1398, the fort came under the control of the

Ibrahim Lodi in 1516, resulted in Maan Singh's death. The Tomars ultimately surrendered the fort to the Delhi Sultanate after a year-long siege.[12]

Gwalior Fort was the base for many of Hemu's campaigns.

Within a decade, the

Maharaja Ramshah Tanwar, who had then taken refuge in Mewar and had fought at the Battle of Haldighati. He was killed in the battle along with his three sons (which included Shalivahan Singh Tomar
, the heir-apparent)

Sikh community.[18] Jahangir responded by jailing the 14-year-old Guru Hargobind at Gwalior Fort in 1609, on the pretext that the fine imposed on Guru Arjan had not been paid by the Sikhs and Guru Hargobind.[19] It is not clear as to how much time he spent as a prisoner. The year of his release appears to have been either 1611 or 1612, when Guru Hargobind was about 16 years old.[19] Persian records, such as Dabistan i Mazahib suggest he was kept in jail for twelve years, including over 1617–1619 in Gwalior, after which he and his camp were kept under Muslim army's surveillance by Jahangir.[20][21] According to Sikh tradition, Guru Hargobind was released from the bondage of prison on Diwali. This important event in Sikh history is now termed the Bandi Chhor Divas festival.[22]

British East India Company.[23] On August 3, 1780, a Company force under Captains Popham and Bruce captured the fort in a nighttime raid, scaling the walls with 12 grenadiers and 30 sepoys. Both sides suffered fewer than 20 wounded total.[13]: 69  In 1780, the British governor Warren Hastings restored the fort to the Ranas of Gohad. The Marathas recaptured the fort four years later, and this time the British did not intervene because the Ranas of Gohad had become hostile to them. Daulat Rao Sindhia lost the fort to the British during the Second Anglo-Maratha War.[23]

There were frequent changes in the control of the fort between the

independence of India in 1947 and built several monuments including the Jai Vilas Mahal.[24][25]

Structures

Rock cut images of the Tirthankaras.

The fort and its premises are well maintained and house many historic monuments including palaces, temples and water tanks. There are also a number of palaces (mahal) including the Man mandir, the Gujari, the Jahangir, the Karan, and the Shah Jahan.[26] The fort covers an area of 3 square kilometres (1.2 sq mi) and rises 11 metres (36 ft). Its rampart is built around the edge of the hill, connected by six

bastions or towers. The profile of the fort has an irregular appearance due to the undulating ground beneath.[citation needed
]

There are two gates: one on the northeast side with a long access ramp and the other on the southwest. The main entrance is the ornate Elephant gate (Hathi Pul). The other is the Badalgarh Gate. The Man Mandir palace or citadel is located at the northeast end of the fort. It was built in the 15th century and refurbished in 1648. The water tanks or reservoirs of the fort could provide water to a 15,000 strong garrison, the number required to secure the fort.[citation needed]

The second

zero" in the world was found in a small temple (the stone inscription has the second oldest record of the numeric zero symbol having a place value as in the modern decimal notation), which is located on the way to the top. The inscription is around 1500 years old.[27][28]


Major Monuments

Jain temples

Main articles:
Gopachal rock cut Jain monuments

Siddhachal Jain Temple Caves were built in 7th to 15th century. There are eleven Jain temples inside Gwalior fort dedicated to the Jain Tirthankaras. On the southern side are 21 temples cut into the rock with intricately carved of the tirthankaras. Tallest Idol is image of Rishabhanatha or Adinatha, the 1st Tirthankara, is 58 feet 4 inches (17.78 m) high.[29][30][31]

Main Temple

Urvahi

Jain statues carved out of rock in the Gwalior Fort near the Urwai Gate

The entire area of Gwalior fort is divided into five groups namely Urvahi, Northwest, Northeast, Southwest and the Southeast areas. In the Urvahi area 24 idols of Tirthankar in the padmasana posture, 40 in the kayotsarga posture and around 840 idols carved on the walls and pillars are present. The largest idol is a 58 feet 4 inches high idol of Adinatha outside the Urvahi gate and a 35 feet high idol of Suparshvanatha in the Padmasana in Paththar-ki bavadi (stone tank) area.[32]

Gopachal

58.4 feet (17.8 m) high idol of Bhagwan Adinatha.

There are around 1500 idols on the

Gopachal Hill, which includes the size from 6 inch to 57 feet in height. All the idols are carved by cutting the hilly rocks (rock carving) and are very artistic. Most of the idols were built in 1341–1479, during the period of King Dungar Singh and Keerti Singh of Tomar dynasty.[30]

Here is a very beautiful and miraculous[

weasel words] colossus of Bhagwan Parsvanath in padmasan posture 42 feet in height & 30 feet in breadth. It is said that in 1527, Mughal emperor Babar after occupying the fort ordered his soldiers to break the idols, when soldiers stroked on the thumb, a miracle was seen, and invaders were compelled to run away. In the period of Mughals, the idols were destroyed, broken fragments of those idols are spread here and there in the fort.[30]

Main colossus of this Kshetra is Parsvanatha's, 42 feet high and 30 feet wide. Together with the place of precept by Bhagwan Parsvanath. This is also the place where Shri 1008 Supratishtha Kevali attained nirvana. There are 26 Jain temples more on this hill.[33]

Mughal Invasion: In 1527, Babur army attacked Gwalior Fort and de-faced these statues.[30] In spite of invasion the early Jaina sculptures of Gwalior have survived in fairly good condition so that their former splendour is not lost.

Teli ka mandir

Main article: Teli ka Mandir
Teli ka Mandir was built by the Pratihara emperor Mihira Bhoja.[34]
Sculptures near Teli ka Mandir, Gwalior Fort.

The Teli ka Mandir is a Hindu temple built by the Pratihara emperor Mihira Bhoja.[35][36]

It is the oldest part of the fort and has a blend of south and north

Chandrashalas (horseshoe arches) ventilator openings in the north Indian style. The Chandrashala has been compared to the trefoil, a honeycomb design with a series of receding pointed arches within an arch. The entrance door has a torana or archway with sculpted images of river goddesses, romantic couples, foliation decoration and a Garuda. The vertical bands on either side of the door are decorated in a simple fashion with figures that are now badly damaged. Above the door are a small grouping of discs representing the dama laka (finial) of a shikhara. The temple was originally dedicated to Vishnu. It was extensively damaged during Muslim raids, then restored into a Shiva temple by installing a liṅga, while keeping the Vaishnava motifs such as the Garuda.[37][38] It was refurbished between 1881 and 1883.[39][40]

Garuda monument

Close to the Teli ka Mandir temple is the

Indian architecture. The word Teli comes from the Hindi word meaning oil.[citation needed
]

Sahastrabahu (Sas-Bahu) temple

The

Kachchhapaghata dynasty.[41][42] Dedicated to Vishnu
, it is pyramidal in shape, built of red sandstone with several stories of beams and pillars but no arches.

Gurdwara Data Bandi Chhor

Gurdwara Data Bandi Chhor was built during 1970s and 1980s at the place where 6th

Mughal empire were dismayed as they were losing a spiritual mentor. On getting released Guru Hargobind requested the Rajas to be freed along with him as well. Jahangir allowed Guru Hargobind to free as many rajas he could as long as they are holding on to the guru while leaving the prison. Guru sahib got a special gown stitched which had 52 hems. As Guru Hargobind left the fort, all the captive kings caught the hems of the cloak and came out along with him.[citation needed
]

Palace

Man mandir palace

The Man mandir palace was built by the King of Tomar Dynasty – Maharaja Man Singh in 15th century. Man Mandir is often referred as a Painted Palace because the painted effect of the Man Mandir Palace is due to the use of styled tiles of turquoise, green and yellow used extensively in a geometric pattern.[citation needed]

Hathi Pol

The Hathi Pol gate (or Hathiya Paur), located on the southeast, leads to the Man mandir palace. It is the last of a series of seven gates. It is named for a life-sized statue of an elephant (hathi) that once adorned the gate.[citation needed] The gate was built in stone with cylindrical towers crowned with cupola domes. Carved parapets link the domes.

Karn mahal

The Karan mahal is another significant monument at Gwalior Fort. The Karn mahal was built by the second king of the Tomar dynasty, Kirti Singh. He was also known as Karn Singh, hence the name of the palace.[citation needed]

Vikram mahal

The Vikram mahal (also known as the Vikram mandir, as it once hosted a temple of

Mughal
period but now has been re-established in the front open space of the Vikram mahal.

Chhatri of Bhim Singh Rana

This

Bhim Singh Rana (1707–1756), a ruler of Gohad state. It was built by his successor, Chhatra Singh. Bhim Singh occupied Gwalior fort in 1740 when the Mughal Satrap, Ali Khan, surrendered. In 1754, Bhim Singh built a bhimtal (a lake) as a monument at the fort. Chhatra Singh built the memorial chhatri near the bhimtal.[citation needed
]

Museum

Main article: Gujari Mahal Archaeological Museum
Gujari Mahal.

The Gujari Mahal now a museum, was built by Raja

frescoes seen in the Bagh Caves
.

Other monuments

There are several other monuments built inside the fort area. These include the Scindia School (Originally an exclusive school for the sons of Indian princes and nobles) that was founded by Madho Rao Scindia in 1897.

Gallery

  • Interior of Jain Temple, Gwalior Fort
    Interior of Jain Temple, Gwalior Fort
  • Pond at Gwalior Fort.
    Pond at Gwalior Fort.
  • View of Gwalior Fort from the north-west. c. 1790
    View of Gwalior Fort from the north-west. c. 1790
  • The fort bastions.
    The fort bastions.
  • The north room, Man Mandir.
    The north room, Man Mandir.
  • Sas-Bahu temple.
    Sas-Bahu temple.
  • Gate of Teli ka Mandir.
    Gate of Teli ka Mandir.
  • Gwalior Fort - Morning View
    Gwalior Fort - Morning View
  • Gwalior fort
    Gwalior fort
  • Gurudwara Shri Data Bandi Chhor Shahib
    Gurudwara Shri Data Bandi Chhor Shahib

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Paul E. Schellinger & Robert M. Salkin 1994, p. 312.
  2. ISBN 978-0-14-193742-7
    . Other claiming to be Rajput and descent from Solar and lunar lines established themselves as local kings in Western and Central India. Among these were the Chandelas present in 12th century in Bundelkhand, the Tomaras also subject to the earlier Pratiharas ruling in Haryana region near Dhilaka, now Delhi, around 736 AD and later established themselves in Gwalior region
  3. ^ You Can Visit the World's Oldest Zero at a Temple in India Archived 16 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine, Smithsonian magazine.
  4. ISBN 978-1786340634. In a temple on the path up to Gwalior Fort [...] where we find a circular zero in the terminal position. [page needed
    ]
  5. ^ Fodor E. et al. "Fodor's India." D. McKay 1971. p. 293. Accessed at Google Books 30 November 2013.]
  6. ^ William Curtis, Fodor, Eugene, 1905 Fodor's India D. McKay., 1971
  7. ISBN 978-1108072540
    Cambridge University Press 2011. p. 65 Accessed at Google Books 30 November 2013.
  8. ^ a b Konstantin Nossov & Brain Delf 2006, p. 11.
  9. ^ Sisirkumar Mitra 1977, p. 59.
  10. ^ Sisirkumar Mitra 1977, pp. 80–82.
  11. ISBN 978-0-8108-5503-8
    .
  12. ^ a b c Paul E. Schellinger & Robert M. Salkin 1994, p. 314.
  13. ^ a b c d Torton E. "A gazetteer of the territories under the government of the East-India company, and of the native states on the continent of India, Volume 2" W. H. Allen & Co. 1854.
  14. ^ Louis E. Fenech, Martyrdom in the Sikh Tradition, Oxford University Press, pages 118-121
  15. ISBN 978-8170102458
    , pages 18-19
  16. ISBN 978-1780762500
    , pages 48-55
  17. ^ V. D. Mahajan (1970). Muslim Rule In India. S. Chand, New Delhi, p.223.
  18. ISBN 9781576073551
    .
  19. ^
    ISBN 9781441117083
    .
  20. ISBN 978-8173802041. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2015. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help
    )
  21. ^ The Sikh Review, Volumes 42-43, Issues 491-497. Sikh Cultural Centre. 1994. pp. 15–16.
  22. ISBN 978-0-19-874557-0
    .
  23. ^ a b Tony McClenaghan 1996, p. 131.
  24. ^ Paul E. Schellinger & Robert M. Salkin 1994, p. 316.
  25. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "History Of Gwalior | ग्वालियर का इतिहास". YouTube.
  26. ^ "Temples of Gwalior" Archived 20 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine Kamat's Potpourri Webpage. Accessed 1 December 2013.
  27. ^ You Can Visit the World's Oldest Zero at a Temple in India Archived 16 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine, Smithsonian magazine.
  28. ISBN 978-1786340634. In a temple on the path up to Gwalior Fort [...] where we find a circular zero in the terminal position. [page needed
    ]
  29. ISBN 978-81-208-1534-6
    .
  30. ^ a b c d Gwalior Fort: Rock Sculptures, A Cunningham, Archaeological Survey of India, pp. 364–370
  31. ^ Gwalior Fort Archived 15 May 2019 at the Wayback Machine, Archaeological Survey of India, Bhopal Circle, India (2014)
  32. ^ "Jain Samaj". Archived from the original on 4 June 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  33. ^ "jain.org.in". Archived from the original on 21 April 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  34. ISBN 978-81-263-1155-2
    .
  35. ISBN 978-0-226-53230-1
    .
  36. ISBN 978-0-87413-399-8
    .
  37. ISBN 0-87413-399-8
    .
  38. ^ ASI Report: Gwalior, A Cunningham, pp. 356–359
  39. ISBN 978-93-5086-199-8
    .
  40. ^ Henry Hardy Cole; (Curator of Ancient Monuments, India) (1882). Preservation of National Monuments: Report of the Curator of Ancient Monuments in India (Report). Simla: Government Central Branch Press. p. 17.
  41. ISBN 978-81-208-1534-6
    .
  42. ISBN 978-0-87413-399-8
    .

Bibliography

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gwalior Fort.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gwalior_Fort&oldid=1215302982"