Man Mandir Palace,an erstwhile
music hall, was built by Raja Man Singh during 1486 and 1517, for the royal
ladies of the palace. It is generously adorned with blue, green and yellow
tilework creating patterns of flora and fauna on its exteriors. The walls
sport exquisitely carved stone screens, where the ladies learnt music from
the masters of their era.
On the way up to the hill-top fort, one
can visit the
huge icons of Bahubali, a great Jain master, which
have been cut out of massive rocks. The tallest of the lot, which are said
to have been built during the 15th century, stands at a height of 17 metres.
A sandstone mausoleum of the Sufi saint, Ghaus Mohammed, an Afghan prince
who once helped Babur win the fort, lies in the old town of Hazira, north
east of the fort.
The Archaeological Museum is placed within the
Gujari Mahal Palace, built by Man Singh in the 15th century for his
favourite queen, Mrignayani. The museum houses a formidable collection of
Hindu and Jain sculptures and copies of the Bagh Caves' frescoes.
The
Jai Vilas Palace, located in the new town, belongs to the Scindia
family. Although the current ruler still lives in a portion of the palace, a
large part of it is now a museum designed by Lt. Col. Sir Michael Filose.
Gwalior is also renowned for the
tomb of Tansen, the musician
extraordinaire of Akbar's Court (one of his "nau ratan", nine
jewels). The beautiful garden in which the tomb is located, is the venue of
the annual music festival held during November-December. Gwalior retains a
strong musical tradition, and continues to be an influential force in
Hindustani classical music. Tansen, an exponent of the Dhrupad style, went
on to evolve the Gwalior Gharana style, whose contemporary exponent is the
globally renowned Sarod player, Amjad Ali Khan.
Gwalior
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