The Pursuit of Nobility

ON HER MAIDEN TRIP TO GWALIOR, BAYAR JAIN MEETS WITH THE ROYAL MOTHER-SON DUO OF THE CITY-MAHARANI PRIYADARSHINI RAJE SCINDIA AND YUVRAJ MAHANAARYAMAN SCINDIA WHO INTRODUCE HER TO THE MANY WONDERS OF THE HISTORIC CITY IN THE NEW VOLVO XC90.

AS I SIT TO WRITE THIS STORY, I can't find the right words for Gwalior. Do I talk about the city's history, dating back to the eighth century when the fortress first got its name? Or do I speak about its political prowess that flourished under the aegis of multiple dynasties like the Kachchhapaghatas (in the 10th century), Tomars (13th century), Mughals and Marathas (18th century), and finally, the Scindias, the last dynasty to hold the royal seat before the nation gained independence in 1947? To rid myself of this conundrum, I turn to Maharani Priyadarshini Raje Scindia and Yuvraj Mahanaaryaman Scindia, the royals of the city and cover stars of Travel+Leisure India & South Asia's first issue of 2023, in whose company I am to discover this remarkable land.

"Madhya Pradesh has some of the most beautiful landscapes you will ever see," says the prince. The queen mother agrees. "For me, it's home! An ideal vacation for me would be in Madhya Pradesh itself-one where Mahanaaryaman and I would just drive [around the state]," she says with a glimmer in her eyes. On this trip, the new Volvo XC90, a mild hybrid seven-seater SUV that makes city and highway drives conscious and comfortable, is our road companion. The tech-savvy millennial prince connects his phone to the car's built-in Google interface to play music on the Bowers & Wilkins high-fidelity audio system. The rest of us-his mum and the shoot crew-eye the display screen as it maps the directions towards our first stop: Harsi Dam.

Located roughly 80 kilometres from Jai Vilas Palace, the royals' home-turned museum, Harsi Dam is fed by the Atal Sagar River and is made entirely of clay. The water, I learn, serves as an important source of irrigation and is used by locals to catch fresh fish. In the distance, a green hilly island dons the hues of the setting sun.