The fortress palace at Datia is described as one of the most interesting buildings architecturally in the whole of India. It is an examplary alliance of the Rajput and Mughal building arts and bears the clear stamp of one man upon it, the Bundela chief, Bir Singh Deo.Built in 1620 on a rocky elevation, the five-storeyed palace appears much taller than its actual 130 feet. Its balconies,bridges and oriel windows provide attractive panoramas from any viewpoint.In 1818 Datia played host to the British Governer-General, Lord Hastings and a splendid durbar was held in 1902 for the Viceroy, Lord Curzon. But by then the princes had long found it impossible to maintain such state and Datia had already lain deserted for more than 60 years.

Deogarh - Fort of the Gods - and Chanderi stand either side of the Betwa river on the main route to the Deccan. For nine centuries, armies with caravans in their wake have moved through this region, power shifting back and forth between Hindu and Muslim, each breaking and building a new. Within its ancient, broken curtain walls lie the remains of over 30 Jain temples, dating back mostly to the 9th and 10th centuries but in one case, a Varaha temple dedicated to the boar incarnation of Vishnu, probably dating as far back as the 5th century. Just below the fort in a field by a well, not far from the banks of the Betwa, is the jewel of Deogarh. Here a gigantic black-painted statue of Shantinath, one of the Jain pontiffs whose symbol, as at Gwalior, is an Antelope. Worshippers still make the pilgrimage to venerate the gods of Deogarh, as they have done for 1500 years. Babur, first of the Mughal Emperor, took this title when he took Chanderi in 1528. The outer walls of the fort are granite formations : the breach made by Babur's guns is clearly visible. Chanderi had been well established as a strategic holding by the 10th century, when it was controlled by the Pratihara kings.

Gwalior is dominated by its fort which tops the long hill to the north of Lashkar, the new town The old town clings to the hill, north-east of the fort.Gwalior fort rises 100 metres above from the town and the fort hill is about three km in length. Its width varies from nearly a km to less than 200 metres. The walls, which encircle almost the entire hilltop, are 10 metres high and imposingly solid. Within the fort walls are several interesting temples and ruined palaces such as jain sculptures, Teli ka mandir, Sasbahu temples,Man Singh Palace, etc.The dramatic and colourful history of the great fort goes back over 1000 years.

There are many legends about this fort. One of them ascribes the fort of Kalinjar to the son of king Bharata from whom India took its ancient name i.e., Bharat. The other claim it to be the aboard of Lord Shiva-Kal means death and Jar means decay: thus the name exalts the god of destruction.But Kalinjar is inextricably linked to the fortunes of the Chandella Kings of Jijhoti or Bundelkhand. The history of Kalinjar moves in half-light till the second half of the 10th century. In 1182 the Chandella forces were defeated by the Hindu Chauhan Emperor. In1203Kalinjar fell to the Muslim hosts of Qutub-ud-din Aibak.It was taken back by the Hindus after defeating Afghan King Sher shah Suri in 1545. Mughal Emperor Akbar captured the fort of Kalinjar in 1569 . It remained a part of the Panna state untill surrendered to the British in 1812. The journey up the fort is very straineous and hard and very few courageous can climb and explore the wonders of the fort. The journey downward is also very precarious.

Its other name Shadibad means ' City of Joy '. Former magnificent and courtly capital of the Central Indian Kingdom of Malwa is now a romantic ghost city spread over an area of 12 sq. kms. hilltop. Wonder around some of the 70 or so fine Muslim and Hindu monuments built during its heydays from 11th to 16th centuries specially under Mahmud Shah (1436 -69) and Ghiasuddin (1469 -1500 ) who was devoted to women - his harem was reputed to have 15000 pretty maids. The 500 elephant parade heralding the entry of Mughal Emperor Jahangir in 1617 was one of Mandu 's last great spectacles. Visit the magnificent Jama Masjid and wander in the ruins of Jahaz Mahal and indulge in a sunset at the palace of Baz Bahadur and his Rani Rupmati (India's Romeo & Juliet). Baz Bahadur was defeated by Emperor Akbar and he had to flee in the face of Mughal defeat. Rupmati captured for the general's future pleasure committed sucide by swallowing ground diamonds.