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Gwalior(India )

Bec
2004-09-18 17:54:09

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land but the local populations remained largely Hindu as the Muslims did not attempt to enforce mass conversions in India as they had done elsewhere.

The Sikh religion is also represented here by this modern marble Gurudwara (gateway to the guru) on which work is still in progress (two men laying an intricately designed marble pavement in this photo).

Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak (born in 1469), as a reaction to the injustices of the caste system. It retains elements of Hinduism such as reincarnation and karma combined with the Muslim belief in a unique god and the ritual of purification by bathing. The rejection by the Sikh of some Hindu and some Muslim beliefs made them enemies of both of the older religions and they had to adopt a martial tradition to survive in north west India. Their spiritual center lies in the Golden Temple in Amritsar near the Pakistan border. Sikhs are easily recognised by the turban in which they hide their uncut hair. They are supposed to wear shorts and carry a knife, a steel bracelet and a wooden comb.

After a century of Muslim rule, Gwalior was regained by the Tomar Rajputs in 1398 who held it for a century before it fell to the Moguls in 1516. Man Mandir Palace, facing the north east approach to the fortress, was built around 1500 by Raja Man Singh, the last of the Tomar dynasty (not the same as the Man Singh who ruled Amber a century later). Below, two views of the Man Mandir Gate.

The large but plain Karan Mandir Palace was built by Raja Kirtti Singh (1454-1479), before the more famous Man Mandir Palace.

Jauhar Tank where the Hindu Rajput ladies of the royal harem committed mass suicide to avoid falling into the hands of the invading Muslim forces in 1232.

Below, a friendly sadhu giving me a peace sign as I explored the fort and the ancient Chaturbhuja shrine (875AD), half way down the northeast approach.

The northeast approach is defended by a succession of gates of which this one, the Badalgarth Gate near the bottom.

Finally, the last gate, or the first if you are coming instead of leaving as I was, the Gwalior Gate of more recent vintage.

I had come here from Khajuraho by the regular bus service which is cheap and goes everywhere.

It's cheap and it goes everywhere but it is not very comfortable and there are generally a dozen or more standees hanging onto the ceiling bar even on long trips!

For the record, here are some of the public transport options available for short distances. I was going all the way to Hyderabad so I took the train.

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