Memorials

   There are memorials dedicated to Tatya Tope and Rani of Jhansi, the earliest freedom fighters of the nation. There are cenotaphs at major public crossings, memorials of Scindia kings and queens. Throughout the city there are these reminders of a proud past, of the great men and women of Gwalior who have done the city proud. These brave people live on in the memory of the citizens of  Gwalior through the memorials dedicated to them.

A deep sonorous voice rings out through the darkness. And slowly, lonely corridors and dark facades come alive in red-gold and green-blue hues. Amitabh Bachchan is reciting the story of Gwalior at the Son-et-Lumiere in Gwalior Fort.

“Here lies buried the musical master Tansen… on this pavilion the Gujjar queen Mrignayani would recite the Dhrupad with Baiju Bawara… from here the beautiful Roopmati would listen to the Narmada and look down upon Baz Bahadur’s palace before he fled and she drank poison…”. Don’t be surprised if you get goose pimples walking down the streets – so intense is the sense of history here.

Orchha, Mandu and Gwalior, the historic towns of Madhya Pradesh. Unlike Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh’s other historic towns live their pasts in unused monuments, ballads and heightened sensibilities.

Only Gwalior has survived as a living monument. The Scindia clan that ruled from the fort still owns it and thanks to their political clout, Gwalior has maintained a stronghold in the scheme of things. The musical traditions too have survived and Gwalior gharana’s illustrious torchholder is Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, the sarod maestro. (Incidentally, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was born in Gwalior.)

The Legend
The story goes that Suraj Sen, a Rajput chieftain was hunting in the hills around Gwalior. Hopelessly lost and terribly thirsty, he came across a hermit named Gwalipa who directed him to a pool. After drinking the healing waters of this ‘kund’, Suraj Sen was cured of a long-time ailment – leprosy. In gratitude, he built a tank and a fort on the site and named the city after the hermit.