Not all castles and forts were built for the sole purpose of keeping enemies out.

Travel to Gwalior will prove this statement, as the castles in the city are not just for protection, but self expression as well.  For some reason, the designers and builders of forts in Gwalior were able to show the beauty of life while creating something extremely useful.

History of Gwalior

According to legend, the name of the city is derived from the name of a sage who helped prince Suraj Sen of the Kachhwaha clan.  The prince was lost in the jungle and was extremely thirsty when he met Gwalipa, who led him to a pond of water.  The water not only took away his thirst, but also healed him of his leprosy.  Ever thankful, the prince offered his services to the sage, who requested for a wall that would protect the wise men of the hill.  Not only did the prince build the fort, but he also built a castle within the fort and named in Gwalior.  This name stuck, and eventually became the name of the city that developed around the fort.

Tourism in Gwalior

The city has much to offer both travelers and tourists.  Every tour of Gwalior would definitely include the Gwalior Fort.  Built in the 15^th century, it provides all visitors with an awesome view of the city.  The fort itself is situated on top of a hill, and its walls stand 35 meters high.  The views of the city will definitely not be limited, as the wall curls around the fort for two miles.

Within the fort itself there is a castle that bears the name Man Mandir.  Whoever designed it had thought of giving the tourists with a sense of joy and love for life, and used different colors and designs to achieve this effect.  Tours of this castle would prove to everyone that even though each room may have a different design, all the designs could be made to come together as a whole to provide a desirable effect.  This castle definitely leaves each tourist with a feeling of happiness.

A tour of the huge fort should definitely include the Sas-Bahu temples.  Though some would say that these temples were made for a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law, the locals would say that is wrong.  Sas-bahu is the traditional name for two adjoining temples, and one would be larger than the other.  The larger of the pair contains the more elaborate carvings, with a beautiful lotus design sculpted on the roof.

Gwalior has so much more to offer every visitor, and would promise to keep a tourist busy for days.  When desiring a marvelous experience, this city should be on top of the list of considerations, as few other cities in the world will be able to provide the same charm as that of Gwalior.