Gwalior
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Gwalior
Madhya Pradesh • India |
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| District(s) | Gwalior |
| Coordinates | |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Area • Elevation |
5,214 km² (2,013 mi²) • ? m (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character "?" ft) |
| Population • Density |
690,342 (2001) • ?/km² |
| Mayor | Vivek Narain Shejwalkar |
| Codes • Postal • Telephone • Vehicle |
• 474001 • +0751 • MP-07 |
Gwalior pronunciation is a city in Madhya Pradesh in India. It lies 76 miles (122 km) south of Agra, has a population of over 12 Lakh .The Gwalior Metropolitan area is 46th most populated area in the country. City is named after a Sage called Gwalipa. Gwalior occupies a special mention in India's medieval history and freedom struggle. City also enjoys unique position with regards to education and boasts of several colleges and schools well known across the country.
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[edit] Introduction
Gwalior occupies a strategic location in the Gird region of North India, and the city and its fortress have served as the center of several of North India's historic kingdoms. Gwalior is the administrative headquarters of Gwalior district and Gwalior division.
At the heart of Gwalior is its fortress (Gwalior Fort), built by Raja Man Singh Tomar, of the Tomar dynasty. This formidable structure had the reputation of being one of the most invincible forts of India. It occupies an isolated rock outcrop. The hill is steepended to make it virtually unscalable and is surrounded by high walls which enclose buildings from several periods. The old town of Gwalior lies at the eastern base of the fortress. Lashkar, formerly a separate town that originated as a military camp, lies to the south, and Morar, also a formerly separate town, lies to the east. Gwalior, Lashkar and Morar are presently part of Gwalior Municipality. Historically and architecturally, Gwalior is interesting first as a very ancient seat of Jain worship; secondly for its example of palace architecture of the best Hindu period (1486-1516); and thirdly as an historic fortress. Many historical places are found near Dabra-Bhitarwar Road.
[edit] Gwalior's Importance at National Level
[edit] History & Monuments
The palace built by suraj sen forms the most interesting example of early Hindu work of its class in India. Another palace of even greater extent was added to this in 1516. The Mughal emperors Jahangir and Shah Jahan added palaces to these two, the whole making a group of edifices unequalled for picturesqueness and interest by anything of their class in Central India. Among the apartments in the palace was the celebrated chamber, named the Baradari, supported on 12 columns, and 45 ft (15 m) square, with a stone roof, forming one of the most beautiful palace-halls in the world. It was, besides, singularly interesting from the expedients to which the Hindu architect was forced to resort to imitate the vaults of the Moslems. Of the buildings, however, which so excited the admiration of the first Mughal emperor Babur, probably little now remains.
Jai Vilas palace, in the Lashkar region is a marvellous palace museum, part of which is open to public and gives a glimpse into the life of the royal family.
The Fort area is also home of the Scindia School, a well regarded institution founded by the late Maharaja Madho Rao Scindia of Gwalior in 1897. In modern times a major Sikh gurdwara was constructed at the Fort area.
A striking part of the Jain remains at Gwalior is a series of caves or rock-cut sculptures, excavated in the rock on all sides, and numbering nearly a hundred, great and small. Most of them are mere niches to contain statues, though some are cells that may have been originally intended for residences. One curious fact regarding them is that, according to inscriptions, they were all excavated within the short period of about thirty-three years, between 1441 and 1474. One of the colossal figures is 57 ft (17 m) high, which is taller than any other in northern India.
[edit] Education
Gwalior is an important city with regards to education and boasts of finest institutes in diverse fields. Which include IIITM Gwalior, Agriculture College, Indian Institute of Tourism and Trevel Management (IITTM) and Gwalior's Gajara Raja Medical College is another renowned Institute which is more than 50 years old. City has quite a few Engineering College, considered among the best in the state are two of them namely, MITS and ITM. MITS being oldest and one of the reputed engineering college of state of Madhya Pradesh. LNIPE (Laxmi Bai National Institute of Physical Education), one of the foremost sports university of India, is situated in Gwalior.
Gwalior has some very good schools, foremost among them being, The Scindia School, which draws student's from all over the country. Apart from these, Scindia Kanya Vidyalaya, Carmel Convent, Vidya Bharti, St. Pauls, Miss-hills and A.M.I are also well regarded.
[edit] Art & Culture
Gwalior is a well acknowledged place of art, associated with historic as well as contemporary evidence. In August 2005 a mural created by Aasutosh Panigrahi along with five other artist, was acknowledged as World's Largest Indoor Mural by Guinness Book of Records. The art was created at Shyam Vatika (Saraswati Estate, Near Gola Ka Mandir). Shyam Vatika is one of the largest Auditorium of Gwalior. Gwalior holds an unparalleled reputation in Sangeet and the legendry musician Tansen belonged to Gwalior. In his memmory Tansen Samaroh is held every year. Still many people acknowledge that there is no equal to Tansen in music. Sarod Maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan also belongs to royal city of gwalior. His grandfather Ghulam Ali Khan Bangash became a court musician in Gwalior.
[edit] Sports
Gwalior boasts of one of it's kind sports university, Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE). Gwalior is also home to famous cricket stadium Capt. Roop Singh Stadium, named after hockey legend, captain Roop Singh. Ground has witnessed many One Day International (ODI) Cricket match including several Day-night encounters.
[edit] The Old Town
The old town of Gwalior, which is of considerable size, but irregularly built, lies at the eastern base of the rock. It contains the tomb of the Sufi saint Mahommed Ghaus, erected during the early part of Mughal emperor Akbar’s reign, and the tomb of Mian Tansen, a great singer and one of the 'Nine Jewels' of Akbar's court.
Close to the heart of the city is splendid Jai Vilas Palace, patterned on the French palace of Versailles. The town has a museum situated in the Gujari Mahal.
[edit] Lashkar
Lashkar is derived from the Persian lashkar, meaning army, or camp, as it was originally the camp, and later the permanent capital, of the Scindia dynasty of Gwalior state. Jayaji Chowk is the central focus of Lashkar, with a large square, a former opera house, banks, tea, coffee and juice stands and a municipal market building. Thriving bazaars surround the chowk.
Many shops of jewellery situated near Jayaji Chowk aka Maharaj bada. A source of water for the city Tighra is 10 km north of here. Gajra Raja Medical College (1946) Stand in lashkar On palace road, near katora taal. Thia is a great Contribute Of Maharaj Jiwaji Rao Scindia & Maharani Vijayaraje Scindia.GAJRA RAJA MEDICAL COLLEGE is a group of many hospitals.
[edit] Morar
Morar, formerly a separate town, lies three miles east of the old city. It was formerly a British military cantonment .Morar was the scene of the most serious uprising in Central India. By 1900 it a centre for local trade and had an important tanning industry, with a population of 19,179 in 1901.
2nd Temple of Sun in India is situated in Morar At Residency Road after The Konark...Sun Temple.
Cantt Area makes a large area of Morar which is official residence of Indian Army. It has many canteens for Army personnel.
Morar is generally a Rural farmer's Culture Town.There is a big Galla Mandi.
There are some beautiful places in Morar also. This is also know as green part of Gwalior because of number of rural areas situated in morar.
[edit] Geography
Gwalior is located at [1]. It has an average elevation of 197 metres (646 feet).
[edit] Demographics
As of 2001 India censusGRIndia, Gwalior had a population of 826,919. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Gwalior has an average literacy rate of 70%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 76%, and female literacy is 63%. In Gwalior, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age.
[edit] Research Institutes of Gwalior
- Cancer Research Institute
- Defence research Institute
- Potato Research Institute
- Cancer Research College Of Life Science
[edit] See also
- Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary is the chosen site for Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project which will establish the world's second completely separate population of the wild free ranging Asiatic Lions in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India.
- Asiatic Lion
- Wildlife conservation
- Extinction
- in-situ conservation
- Gir Forest National Park in the state of Gujarat, India
[edit] External links
- DISTRICT PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICE
- DAINIK MADHYARAJYA
- GWALIOR TIMES
- Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Management
- Gwalior Travel Guide
- BSF School, Tekanpur[1]
