When was gwalior fort built

Weather :. Gwalior Fort, Gwalior Overview Referred to as 'the pearl amongst fortresses in India' by Mughal emperor Babur, the Gwalior Fort is one of the most impenetrable fortresses located in the entire northern and southern India and is a place you definitely must visit.

Read More. Read More on Gwalior Fort. Gwalior Fort History. The exact period during which the Gwalior Fort was constructed is not yet known. According to legends, this imposing fort was built in the 3rd century by a local king Suraj Sen.

The king had recently been cured of leprosy with the help and blessings of a sage named Gwalipa, who had offered him water from a sacred pond. The grateful king then built this fort and named it after the sage. The word Gwalior is derived from the saint's name- Gwalipa. The sage bestowed the title Pal, which means protector, upon the king; and declared that the fort would remain in his family's possession as long as they bore this title.

Interestingly enough, the fort remained with the 83 descendants of Suraj Sen Pal, but the 84th descendant named Tej Karan lost the fort. In the years that followed, the Gwalior Fort has witnessed many ups and downs. It also changed hands many times and has been held by the Tomars, Mughals, Marathas, and the British, before finally being handed over to the Scindias. Architecture of Gwalior Fort.

Surrounded by concrete walls of sandstone, the Gwalior Fort encloses three temples, six palaces and several water tanks, and is truly an architectural marvel. The different palaces and temples are a reflection of the architectural finery and skill that existed during those times and continues to be appreciated till date.

The most beautiful place in the entire premises is no doubt the Man Mandir Palace, which with its amazingly elaborate structure, seems to hang at the edge of the striking fort. Blue ceramic tiles form the facade of this breathtakingly beautiful palace. The Teli-ka-Mandir, built in the 9th-century Dravidian style, rises to a height of over feet and is famous for its blend of South Indian architecture with North Indian decorative motifs, as well as an exquisitely sculpted exterior.

The Saas-Bahu temples on the eastern side of the fort are also larger than life examples of the 11th-century temple architecture. Gwalior Fort Light and Sound Show. The Gwalior Fort hosts a spectacular sound and light show every evening. This show is extremely well executed and makes you feel as if you are a part of the rich history of the fort and the love story of Raja Man Singh and his queen Mrignayani.

The show takes place in the amphitheatre at the Man Mandir. Best Time To Visit Gwalior fort. The Gurjari Mahal was built for his favourite queen, Mrignayani.

The fort remained in the control of the Scindia clan of the Marathas from the mid 17th century. The word 'Gwalior' derives from the name of the Jaina saint called Gwalipa. According to legend, Gwalipa cured Suraj Sen of leprosy, and in gratitude, Suraj Sen founded the city of Gwalior in his name. The hill fort, conical in shape, is built on a solitary hillock.

The rock formations in the fort hill and in the Gwalior hill ranges consist of ochreous sandstone, overlaid by basalt. The rock formations of hill fort though a horizontally placed strata, forms almost a perpendicular precipice. The fort hill feet m at the highest point has a length of about 1.

The fort was ruled by several Rajput kings. The earliest dating of the fort is quoted to a publication of the Government of India on Gwalior, which traces it to an inscription of AD in a Sun temple, which is said to have been built by the Hun Huna emperor Mihirakula Sveta Huna ruler in AD during the reign of Huns in India.

The Chaturbhuj temple is a Vishnu on the way to the fort, dated to AD, which has close identity with the Teli-Ka-Mandir, which is also dated to the 8th century. This temple is notable for the earliest known recording of the number zero. Historical research has dated construction of the fort to AD legend puts it as AD by a local chieftain named Surya Sena Kacchawaha, who was from a village Sihonia about 12 miles from the fort.

On a hunting expedition once Surajsen met a hermit Gwalip also called 'Galava' in some accounts who gave him water and told him of a cure for his diseases from the water of a reservoir nearby which is called Surajkund now. From Suraj Pal, the founder of the dynasty to Budha Pal the last of his line there were 84 kings who reigned during a period of years under the patronymic of Pal. The son of Budha Pal took the name of Tej Karan and the time had now arrived for the prophecy of the Saint Gwalpa, who had said that lineage of Suraj Pal would continue as long they used the patronym 'PAL'.

Ran Mul the Chief of Amber Jaipur had a daughter who was married to Tej Karan of Gwalior and brought along with her horses, elephants and other valuables as dowry.

Tej Karan was offered succession to the throne of Amber on condition that he consents to make Amber his home as the reigning sovereign. He accepted the offer as the State of Gwalior at that time was less in value and influence than that of Amber. During his absence from Gwalior the affairs were managed by Ram Deva Pratihar who after two years of successful administration became the de facto ruler of Gwalior. Thus the rule was transferred from the Pal dynasty to the family of Pratihars.

In AD Mahmud of Ghazni attacked to capture the fort but was repulsed. In AD, after a long siege, Qutubuddin Aibak. When Timurlane invaded Delhi and created anarchy in the region, Narasingh Rao, a Jaina chieftain captured the fort. The Tomars ruled Gwalior from to when they were defeated by Ibrahim lodhi. One night while it was pitch dark and the rain falling in torrents the Sultan happened to be standing at a balcony whence he beheld two soldiers standing on duty whilst the rest of their comrades were fast asleep.

Both of them advanced towards the Emperor who on learning that they belonged to the detachment under the command of Sikandar Khan was much pleased with their conduct as evinced by their devotion to their duty. He permitted them to make any request which would be at once granted. They related their story which purported to be that they had always been true to their salt but were unable to serve the State diligently so long as their children were wandering in the jungle for want of a decent home.

They concluded their recital in the true Rajput fashion with a request that Gwalior might be given to them as a place of residence for their families. The Sultan commanded them to be present at the Durbar the next day when their petition would be granted without any further solicitation on their part. The sturdy Rajputs well acquainted with the ways of Oriental Courts represented the difficulties they were sure to encounter in attempting to have access to the Sultan in a formal Durbar.

The Emperor however assured them of his good will towards them and when at the appointed hour the two brothers stood at a respectful distance from the Audience Hall the Sultan proving as good as his word summoned them both to his presence and gave them Gwalior as an Inam Reward.

They brought the mandate of the sovereign to the Syads — hereditary charge of the Fortress but these pious gentlemen did not consider it worth their while to pay much attention to the firman that would have deprived them of their hereditary possession.

The two Rajputs however continued their attendance on the Syads very submissively and at last hit on a stratagem to achieve the desired end as they had already ingratiated themselves by their submissive conduct into the favour of the Syads, the latter were asked to a dinner party to be given in their honour at a village named Raneepura whither the unsuspecting descendants of the grandsons of the Arabian Prophet repaired with their whole families.

The food mixed with intoxicating drugs was served in the true Oriental style and the guests after partaking heartily of the meal that was to be their last on earth retired to rest in the tents placed at their disposal by their hosts when at a given signal a band of Rajputs who were concealed in a secluded place rushed in with swords in their hands and the poor sleeping innocents were murdered in cold blood for disobeying the mandate of their rightful sovereign.

He launched several attacks on rebel Afghans and Mughals from this fort between — It was only in that Ibrahim Lodi of the Lodi Dynasty won control of the fort. Subsequent to his death, Mughal emperor Babar manipulated the situation and took control of the fort.

But with his son Humayun 's defeat at the hands of Sher Shah Suri , the fort came under the reign of theIt was only in that Ibrahim Lodi of the Lodi Dynasty won control of the fort. But with his son Humayun's defeat at the hands of Sher Shah Suri, the fort came under the reign of the Suri dynasty. After Sher Shah Suri's death in , his son Islam Shah shifted his capital from Delhi to Gwalior as it was considered safe from the frequent attacks from west.

Adil Shah himself moved to Chunar as it was considered still safer. Hemu mounted several attacks from this fort to quell the rebellion in various parts of North India against the weak Adil Shah regime.

The fort remained very active during —56 as Hemu had fought and won 22 battles continuously, without losing any from this fort. The capital was shifted from Gwalior to Delhi once again and was operational from Purana Quila. Suri dynasty. Then Akbar captured the fort and made it a special prison for important prisoners. In this prison fort in the Mughal Dynasty period, there was a saga of several unfortunate royal prisoners who were put to death; notably among them were: Akbar confining his first cousin Kamran here and subsequently putting him to death; Aurangzeb imprisoning his brother Murad and later killing him; similarly Aurangzeb had his brother Dara Shikoh 's sons, Suleman and Sepher Sheko, executed here.

The Jat people also briefly ruled at Gwalior Fort. In , it was won by the Scindia clan of the Maratha Empire, who stationed a garrison here. But it was usurped by the East India Company.

There were frequent changes in the control of the fort between the Scindias and the British between and Login Now. Please proceed without verification. I am from India I am from Outside India.

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