Jain Sanctuaries of the Fortress of Gwalior

Author(s): T V G Shastri
Publisher: Kundkund Gyanpith Indore

Page 27

GEOPHYSICAL SETTING AND PRE - HISTORIC
REMAINS OF GWALIOR
INTRODUCTION:
The country around Gwalior city is punctuated by hill ranges and their off-shoots cutting across the broad plain stretching from west-to-north, which shows, in general, an elevation ranging from 500-1100ft. above the sea level.'
Most of the hill ranges and their off-shoots belong to two significant rock systems, the Vindhyan and the Aravallis. The Vindhyan system occupying NE-SW shows gentle slope, towards north-west with profound unconformity upon the Gwalior facies of Aravalli system. The typical Gwalior series correspond to the upper part of the Aravallis sequence, which is predominently seen in the hill ranges that run from east to west.
THE GWALIOR SERIES:
The Gwalior rocks, named after the city of Gwalior, occupy a small area in the district about 50 miles long and 15miles wide with E-W strike, and dips towards north, not exceeding 5o. The hill ranges surrounding the city are composed of sandstones, limestones, with ferriginous bands and beded traps- The Gwalior series, in general, can be divided into the Par stage, after the river Par near which, it is predominent. Similarly, the Morar stage is seen near Morar. The Par stage is unequal in the lower levels and varies from 20-200 inch thickness, while the upper Morar stage is of uniform thickness, about 2000 ft.
The lower Par stage is fine grained and semi-quartzitic at the base. It is thinly beded and conglomoratic and occupies the top of the escarpment. It derives its name as it originates from the vicinity of Par river. It extends upto the Sindh river on the east. Incidentally both the rivers, the Par and Sindh join, the river Chambal which is drained into the Yamuna. The Morar stage consists mainly of thin flaggy silicious ferriginous shales conspicuously interbeded with hornblende and jasper. It is frequently of brillant colour because of its iron content.
The limestones occur at two different principal horizons in shales, but usually in thin layers ranging from 4 ft. to 3ft. alternating with thin sillicious layers which are often of red jasper, when thicker, the limestone is consistent and discontinuous.
1. Here the metric system which is normally followed today is not given. The heights and distances are given in terms of feet and miles, as given by the earlier Geologists, Wadia, Pasco and others