A Whiff of the Past

Built in 1897 for the princes of the royal household of Gwalior and other children of neighbouring princess and chieftains, the Scindia school today is amongst the leading residential Public schools of the country. The Teli temple looms large over a playing field, standing placidly as a mute referee to the ongoing Hockey match. Friendly and courteous students greet me as I walk through the school grounds. I happen to bump into an acquaintance, Andy Sharma who is now a House-master at the school and very graciously takes me on a brief round of the campus. We then head towards a ground where young students clad in spotlessly white kurta-pajamas have assembled for Asthaachal - the traditional evening prayer. The boys commence their silent homage to the setting sun while I noiselessly try to capture the moment along with the silhouettes which have turned intensely pronounced against the orange tinted firmament.

It is dark by the time I return to Man Mandir. Two shows take place every evening (in Hindi and English). It very convincingly brings to life the old fort, its history, anecdotes and unattached legends through the resounding voice of Amitabh Bachchan. The canopy of brightly lit stars, the chill of the night and the hauntingly captivating fort is absolutely magical.

I met an amiable Israeli coupleYigal and Simona and ended up watching both the shows. They were staying at the Usha Kiran as well, so together we all head back to the hotel in time for dinner. The next morning after breakfast we make a trip down to the charming old market square known as Baadha. Here stands a marvelleous marble Chattri (cenotaph) dedicated to Mahadji Rao Scindia, a dynamic ruler. Bustling with activity the bazaar is interesting with the Old Cinema, the town hall and the Chattri set amidst a park with antique Victorian lamp posts as the backdrop.

Next on the agenda is the Gurjari Mahal - the 15th century palace built by Raja Man Singh for his favourite queen Mrignayani, the doe-dyed beauty. At the foot of the fort is located the Archeological museum. The museum has a rare collection of Hindu and Jain sculptures, inscriptions and paintings. The museum's prized possession is the breathtakingly beautiful sculpture commonly referred to as the 'Mona Lisa of India'. For any visitor it is a must see. This 10th century stone figure of a smiling lady was discovered at Gyarspur in Madhya Pradesh. Usually kept under lock and key, you may catch a glimpse of this extraordinary Indian Mona Lisa if you are lucky or successful enough in persuading the curator to reveal the wonderful sculpture.

After lunch and a siesta, Rajeev Mehta very kindly takes us to the old 17th century Moti Mahal. It has an appealing facade and boasts of some fine frescoed interiors. But as government administrative offices are located on the premises, the real beauty of these artistic works is overshadowed by shoddy office furniture and stacks of unkempt government files.

At sundown we reach the Chattri bazaar where the incredible stonework cenotaphs of the Scindia rulers are located.

Day three dawns. It is to be my last day at Gwalior and I reckon that I deserve yet another trip up to the fort. So rising with the sun I catch one of those monstrous looking vehicles - the tempo, a sputtering and un-eco friendly vehicle which has invaded most of India's growing cities. At this unearthly hour it is the only mode of transport available.

This time I approach the fort from the north-eastern side. Getting down at Gurjari Mahal I walk up the cobbled pathway passing en route several gates before reaching the Hathiya Pol (elephant gate) - the last gate one has to pass through before reaching Man Mandir. The early morning light falling directly onto the fort is enthralling. It is only after I have had my fill and clicked a whole lot of pictures I retrace my steps to the base of the fort. Once again I pass by the Gurjari Mahal and the imprisoned Mona Lisa and reach the two tombs of Muhammed Gaus, a 16th century Sufi saint and Mian Tansen, the noted court singer of Emperor Akbar.

Only a couple of hours remain before I board the Shatabdi Express to Delhi. I decide to spend this time at the splendid Jai Vilas palace. Owned by Maharajah Madhav Rao Scindia of Gwalior this handsome pure white edifice patterned on the style of the 'Palais de Versailles' in France combines Tuscan, Italian and Corinthian styles of architecture. In fact, the architectural style is a good example of the pure-renaissance style which curtailed to the minimum the use of color and was quite alien to the Indian mood.

Inaugurated in 1875 during the visit of Prince Edward and Princess Mary of Wales, the palace has been partly converted into a museum for Royal memorabilia. The remaining part is the private residence of Madhav Rao Scindia. The majestic Durbar Hall is a unique structure and is one of the largest halls of its kind taking support only from columns on four sides. On the floor is spread the largest single piece carpet woven right there in the hall by 12 weavers who took 13 years to complete it. From the ceiling hang a pair of the largest crystal chandeliers in the world.

Built in Belgium and bought in Paris each weigh 3.5 tones. To make sure the ceiling held their weight, a mile long ramp was built and eight elephants were transported to the roof of the Jai Vilas and paraded for four days. Unfortunately maintenance work was on at the museum and I was unable to see the carpet which was lying rolled up. Neither were the chandeliers lit.

The banquet hall down below has a long dinning-table bearing the famous Royal Gwalior sterling silver train. This infact a liquor trolley and actually moves on specially laid out tracks. This too lies safely enclosed in a glass case, I guess taken out only on very special occasions.

Rich in architectural wonders Gwalior by and large is a centre of great heritage, and is an ideal weekend get-away. Easily accessible by air, rail or road it has the correct mix of Forts, Palaces, temples, tombs, museums and bazaars. It is fast becoming a popular destination and will soon appear on many a tourist's itinerary. Its proximity to Delhi is an added advantage. Equally exciting excursion trips can be made from Gwalior. Shivpuri where the Madhav National Wildlife park is located. Orchha-the picturesque 16th century capital city of Bundelkhand. Sonagiri where you can find a cluster of 100 beautiful 15th century rock-cut Jain temples and Dattia which has another interesting 17th century, seven-storied fort.

Photographs by Sanjay Singh Badnor