Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh is a destination that should be on your bucket list. The monuments, the markets, the food, and the heritage combination are a perfect gratification for your weekend gateway. The city budget friendly too when it comes to accommodation, travel and food.

Gwalior has historic significance and cultural pride for India. Gwalior was found in the 3rd century AD and named after a sage Gwalipa. The Grid region's largest city has been a part of Kachchhapaghatas kingdom in the 10th century, Tomars era in the 13th century, followed by Mughal Empire, Maratha Empire in 1754 and Scindia dynasty in the 18th century. During the British Raj, it was a princely state with Scindia dynasty as the local rulers.

Gwalior also holds significance from art, culture and literature perspectives. Many talented musicians, singers, writers and artists have hailed from Gwalior over centuries. Interestingly, Chaturbhuj Temple at the Gwalior Fort claims the world's second oldest existence of zero numeric decimal as a written record. The construction is around one and a half millennia old.Annually Tansen Music Festival is held in December at the Tansen Tomb. Tansen Sangeet Samaroh gives a platform and opportunity to artists across India to showcase their musical, vocal and instrumental talent through live performances.

Maharaja Madho Rao Scindia, the King of Gwalior started Gwalior Trade Fair in 1905 to allow local businesses and entrepreneurs to network and grow and get in touch with the consumers. Till this date over a century, it is conducted in January and February.

Tomara dynasty constructed the magnificent Gwalior Fort which is amajor tourist destination. Mughal Emperor Babur described it as "the pearl in the necklace of the forts of Hind" due to its architecture and opulence and the way it overlooks the city. It is commonly called "the Gibraltar of India". It is spread over a 3 square km area with 5 entrances named after the directions.

Within the Fort premises is the Koteshwar Temple of Lord Shiva which is 7 centuries old. Gopachal Parvat contains statues of Jain Tirthankaras which is situated on the mountainous terrain at the slopes of the Fort.Municipality Museum, Hathi Pol, Vikram Mahal, Karn Mahal, Bhim Singh Rana Chattri, Rani Lakshmibai's tomb, Gujari Mahal, Shyam Vatika, Saas-Bahu Mandir, Garuda Mandir dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Teli ka Mandir are the other places to visit and behold within the Fort.

As per local folktale, there was once a dispute between the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law of the royal family regarding worshipping the deities. To resolve it the statues of both, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva were placed and it became to be known as the Saas-Bahu temple which is built on the Gwalior Fort in the 11th century. Sculptures of the holy trinity of Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva and Goddess Saraswati are finely made at the entrance of the Saas-Bahu temple. The entry fee here is 15 bucks. The architecture detailing will leave you speechless.

Gurudwara Data Bandi Chhor is another holy place built inside the fort’s complex, and it was where the respected sixth Sikh Guru Hargobind Sahib was kept as a prisoner by evil Mughal Emperor Jahangir.

The Gwalior Fort has two gates; one on the northeast side with a long access ramp and the other on the southwest. The primedoorway is the ornate Elephant gate (Hathi Pul) and the second is the Badalgarh Gate. The Man Mandir palace or citadel was built in the 15th century and is located at the northeast end of the fort. The water tanks of the fort provide water to a 15,000 garrison.

August to March months is considered to be the best time to visit Gwalior Fort. The entry fee is around 80 bucks and you would need 3 to 4 hours to have a visit and tourof the fort.

Jai Vilas Palace is the residential palace turned museum of the Maratha rulers of Gwalior – the Scindias which was built in 1874. The palace has notable collections of centuries-old antiques. The complex is built in a mixture of British and Hindu architecture.

Sun Temple is dedicated to the Hindu Sun God and its architecture is inspired bythe Konark Sun Temple of Orissa.

Gwalior's Lakshar area has multiple parks. Phool Bagh which means Garden of Flowers was built to welcome the Prince of Cambridge. The Italian Garden was a personal garden for the Scindia Royal family constructed in Italian style with a water pool. Ambedkar Park and Gandhi Park are other significant parks where you can consider picnicking. All the gardens are good locations for Instagram-worthy photos and reels.

If you like enjoying watching animals like white tigers, snakes, hyenas, golden pheasants, monkeys and others, you can consider visiting Gwalior Zoo. For a boating experience, you can visit Thigara Dam.

For a local shopping delight, you should visit Patankar Bazaar and Sarafa Bazaar and you can look for local handicrafts, handloom items, textiles, jewellery and statues. You can have kachoris, imartis and jalebis in the market.

Hindi is the major language spoken by the locals. Indian Coffee House near railway station is very popular and you should have a coffee once there in your trip. Gwalior is well connected by Rail, Road and Air and is a beautiful destination for Heritage Tourism.

About Devesh Purohit:

Devesh Purohit is a Mumbai-based PR Expert who likes travelling & exploring and sharing his navigation experiences.