Hi All,
I am starting to write about Gwalior, as that is a place I was brought up and know a lot about that place! I completed my schooling and graduation at Gwalior.
I would like to share this information with visitors travelling to India or to Madhya Pradesh or to specifically Gwalior.
It is a place rich in heritage, culture , incredible good food, tourists spots and all this at throwaway prices!!
Gwalior is situated in the Central India and the best time to travel is in Feb March or in Oct Nov as the other months are either extremely cold or extremely hot! Gwalior is very cheap for the food , local travel, stay and just about everything.
Travel to Gwalior-
It has good connectivity, trains, cabs, flights from New Delhi , the capital of India.
Local commuting can be by auto rickshaws, Ola and Uber Cabs.
For sight seeing- Gwalior Darshan bus is available from Motel Tansen at Gandhi Road , near City Centre
Stay at Gwalior-
Luxurious hotels options like Usha Kiran Palace Hotel, by the Taj group and Deo Bagh by the Neemrana group are two very good options followed by heritage stay options like the Dera Haveli at Phalke Bazaar. Numerous low cost budget options for stay are also available by OYO.
Places to visit-
Gwalior Fort- Saas bahu temple, Teli ki lat, Mansingh palace with a light and sound show in the late evenings, Jaivilas Palace Museum, Shinde Chatri, Sun Temple at Gola ka mandir, Gujri Mahal palace now an archaeological museum worth seeing , Rani of Jhansi tomb at phool bagh,where she died after jumping from the Massive Gwalior fort while being followed by the British army! Tomb of Tansen and his guru Mohammad Ghaus, Mandre ki Devi(temple)Tigra Dam, Deokho, BSF Academy close to Gwalior, Padavalli, Bateshwar and Mitavalli temples about 40 Kms from Gwalior. Mitavalli temple has an ancient temple basis which the parliament of India building has been constructed, a fact which very few people are aware of! Suraj Kund, Italian Garden, Shyam Vatika - a privately owned banquet hall, recognised by Guisness as the world’s largest indoor mural!
The main shopping place- Maharaj Bada is also a must see for its 6 Architectural wonders building- GPO, Old SBI, New SBI building, Printng press, Regal theatre, and Victoria market. Gorkhi, the Scindia family temple on Jiwaji chowk, Gopachal parvat.
Shopping at Gwalior-
Its a haven for shoppers!! The main shopping places are Jiwaji chowk, commonly called as 'Maharaj Bada", sarafa bazaar, topi bazar, patankar bazar and a few malls which host the usual branded stuff which you may get in any city in India now.
Gwalior is known for the Chanderi sarees- handwoven very delicate,fine and beautiful sarees in silk and cotton. Price range is from rs 1000 onwards can go up to Rs 5000 and beyond depending on the intricacy of the designs and silk and gold and silver thread used. These are available in local very old shops like Raja sons, kothari sons in sarafa Bazaar or even at the Madhya Pradesh govt run emporium called the Mrignayani Emporium at sarafa Bazar and Patankar Bazar.
For all ladies stuff like cosmetics and dupattas, stoles, hankies, socks, sweaters, kids wear,hair clips and bands you may visit the Subhash Market which is between the GPO and the old State Bank of India Building on Jiwaji Chowk.
Gwalior is also known for its colourful glass bangles called ‘Chudiya’ and has a market dedicated only to the chudiya on 'Jiwaji chowk called the chudi market.
What to eat when in Gwalior-
Fine Boondi Laddu from Bahadura, prepared in shuddh ghee!! The pearly yellow boondi cupped in laddoos are delectable!! one is not enough…forget the calories and down a few!! Bahadura is a small shop i Naya Bazar, easy to miss!! a few steps ahead is the SS Kachauriwala famous for his samosas and Kachauris!!
Then you have the best Rabri that you may have ever had at Brijwasi - two shops, one at Jiwaji chowk behind the new SBI building just at the beginning of Sarafa Bazaar and another at Shinde ki Chawni…
You get amazing spicy meat kebabs on a roadside joint earlier used to be called the ‘lal batti wala’ in Kampoo!
Then you have the usual stuff of great chaat shops and restaurants serving the usual fare however the taste you will agree is something you can get only at Gwalior…
Gwalior has fine educational institutions like the Scindia school for boys and its sister institution Scindia Kanya Vidyalaya for girls, Madhav Institution of Technical Studies(Engineering college of great repute), Gajra Raja Medical College, again of great repute for years, Carmel Convent school, Shishu Mandir, St Pauls schools and of course the new educational institutions like Gwalior Glory, DPS etc