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One of the most unconquerable forts lies in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, Man Singh Palace stands at an isolated rock. The fort is comprised of several buildings and is one of the biggest forts in India. Also acknowledged as Gwalior fort nestles in the very city of Gwalior, overlooks the town of Gwalior.
As per the historical records, this renowned palace was constructed in the 15th century and plays an integral part of the history of the kingdoms of North India. According to the legends, it is said that the Mughal Emperor Babur expressed this revered palace as “The pearl in the necklace of the forts of Hind”. Even, the fort has also been rendered a soubriquet as ‘Gibraltar of India’.
The fort has been constructed at an elevation of about 300 m above the sea level, providing a panoramic vista of the old town of Gwalior, which lies in its east.
The palace is an imperial structure of art and has been all ornamented by the frescos of yellow ducks. The fortifications of the fort are strong built with sandstone, encircling three temples, six palaces and a count of water tanks. Since its construction, the fort has been under the influence of many kings and rulers such as Tomars, Mughals, Marathas and Bristish, who surrendered it in the hands of the Scindias.
The history of the fort reveals the two names of it namely, the main fort and the Gurjari Mahal and the Man Mandir palace. The former part was built during the early Tomar rule, while the second part, the Gurjari Mahal, which now has been converted into a Museum and third part which is a palace, was constructed by Raja Man Singh Tomar in the 15th century for his favorite queen, Mrignayani.
It stands as one of the finest examples of the Hindu Architecture, possessing two open courts, which is flanked by apartment. There is also a basement, which has been constructed for hot summers and is connected by the speaking tubes that are built into the walls and were used by the Mughals as prison cells.
Gwalior Fort also stands to be the place where the first ever recorded use of zero was made. There used to be a 16th-century Hindu temple Vikram Mandir, which was destroyed in World War I. Narrow galleries connect it to the narrow, elongated two-storey Karan Palace, next to an old jailhouse. There is a tank in the fort called as the Jauhar Kund, which was used by the women for committing suicide as to avoid their rapes by the Iltutmish, the slave king of Delhi. At the northern end, there are two famous palaces namely Jehangir Mahal and Shah Jahan Mahal, which renders some breathtaking views of Gujari Mahal and lofty hills.