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Excursion
Forts
[ The Bandhavgarh Fort | Islamnagar
| Chanderi Fort | Gwalior Fort
| Rajawada | Jahaz Mahal | Orchha
Fort | Madhav Vilas Palace ]
The Bandhavgarh
Fort
The
legendary epic Ramayana mentions Laxman, the brother of King Rama
who holds the title of "Lord of the Fort". This mighty
fort has its cliff about 1000ft. The Statues of Lord Vishnu in his
various reincarnations cover the fort and a unique 35 root reclining
statue known as "Shesh Shayya" is also located at the
base. According to the references made in the ancient books like
the Narad-Panch Ratra and the Siva Purana, they say that this fort
is about 2,000 years old. The various dynasties have like the Maghas
from the 1st century AD, the Vakatakas from the 3rd century, the
Sengars from the 5th century and the Kalchuris from the 10th century,
have ruled this fort. In the 13th century AD, the Baghels took over,
and they ruled until 1617, when Maharajah Vikramaditya Singh moved
his capital to Rewa. The last inhabitants deserted the fort in 1935.
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Islamnagar
Islamnagar was the palace of Bhopal's Afghan rulers
and was built by Dost Mohammed Khan and it is locaed 11 km away
on the Bhopal-Berasia road. Conventional gardens surround the palace
and the pavilion. The pavilion, a synthesis of the Hindu and Islamic
decorative art, has columns lavishly embellished with floral motifs.
Other monuments to see are the Hamam of the Chaman Mahal and the
double-storied Rani Mahal.
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Chanderi Fort
This Moghul fort dominates the skyline of this
lovely old town, Chanderi. The vast fort was built on a 200 metre
high hill during the Mughal period. Its main gate is known as the
"Khooni Darwaza".
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Gwalior
Fort
The Gwalior Fort stands on a steep mass of sandstone,
dominating the city and this is its most magnificent monument. It
has been a scene of momentous events like imprisonments, battles
and jauhars. Steep road goes winding upward to the fort and it is
flanked by statues of Jain tirthankaras carved into rocks. The magnificent
outer walls of the Fort still stand, as one of the most invincible
forts of India. And it is two miles in length and 35 feet high.
This imposing structure inspired Emperor Babar to describe it as
the "Pearl amongst the fortresses of Hind."
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Rajawada
The Rajawada with its 7-storeyed gateway faces
the main square in the city of Indore. A mixture of French, Mughal
and Maratha styles, the palace has caught fire nearly three times
in its 200-year history. Its lofty entrance archway above a huge
wooden door encrusted with iron studs leads into a vast courtyard
enclosed by galleries' rooms. The lower three floors are made of
stone and the upper floors are made of wood. After the serious conflagration
in 1984, it's now not much more than a facade. The new palace still
remains on the north side.
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Jahaz Mahal
Jahaz
Mahal or the ship palace was built in the city of Mandu by Sultan
Ghiyas-ud-din-Khilji to maintain his large Harem (place where the
ladies of rulers lived). This palace is two storeyed and a very
elegant one, in shape of a ship and is locate between Munj Talao
and Kapur Talao (pond). The balconies hanging over the water and
the open terraces appear as a royal pleasure craft. In fact hidden
motif of building this palace might have been to carve out a pleasure
ship from stone. In the moonlight the sight of this structure as
viewed from Taveli Mahal is unforgettable. The spectacular silhouette
of the domes and turrets perched on terrace is sight to cherish
life long. Jahaz Mahal is a double storied structure, which represents
the grace of royalty, which decorated this place in the past. This
palace is 120 meter long and 15 meter wide.
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Orchha Fort
Orchha's fort complex approached by a multi-arched
bridge has three palaces set in an open quadrangle. The most spectacular
of them are:
- Jehangir Mahal: This mahal was built by Raja Bir Singh Ju Deo
in the 17th century to commemorate the visit of Emperor Jehangir
to Orchha.
- Raj Mahal: Situated to the right of the quadrangle, this palace
was built in the 17th century by Madhukar Shah, the deeply religious
ancestor of Bir Singh Ju Deo. It is the example of the Bundela
Rajput architecture.
- Phool Bagh: Laid out as a formal garden, this complex testifies
to the refined aesthetic qualities of the Bundelas.
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Madhav Vilas Palace
The Madhav Vilas Palace in Shivpuri, which was the summer palace
of the Scindias looks intensely alluring, dressed in soft shade
of rose pink. It is popularly known, is attired with marble floors,
iron columns, graceful terraces and the Ganpati mandap. From the
tall structure, one can get a splendid view of Shivpuri town and
Madhav National Park itself. Now this grand palace has converted
in to the training center of Intelligence Bureau of Government of
India, which is among the few training centers of Intelligence Bureau.
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Information on Tours & Travel excursion of Madhya Pradesh- India
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