Mandu: The Shining Jewel of Empires

WHY MANDU

1)  THE TOPOGRAPHY

Perched on a crest of the Vindhya Mountains overlooking the hazy plains, Mandu is one of India’s most picturesque historical sites. Its winding parapet walls surrounded by steep, wooded ravines are full of palaces, mosques, lakes and pleasure pavilions.

2)  THE HISTORY

Mandu’s story is that of wars, intrigues, annexations and sieges for close to a 1000 years where it changed multiple hands.

3)  THE ARTICHITECTURE

Despite its turbulent history, the different rulers of Mandu left behind an impressive amount of historical structures with stunning innovations and in a variety of architectural styles.

WHAT TO SEE IN MANDU

Spread over approximately 20 sq-kms, Mandu can be segregated into 3 parts:

1) THE ROYAL ENCLAVE: Spend time at the Jahaz Mahal, perhaps the most impressive structure of Mandu. Built in the 15th century its shadow in the noon sun resembles a formidable ship, standing on a thin strip of land between two lakes. It housed the harem of the then Sultan of Mandu and is rumoured to have consisted of 15,000 women. True to the nature of the structure, this pleasure palace is a sensory roller coaster with pools shaped like a tortoise and one like a lotus flower.

2) THE VILLAGE GROUP: Here don’t miss out on the the imposing Jami Masjid, modeled after Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Syria. A magnificent fusion of Hindu and Islamic architecture, this mosque has a sprawling courtyard. Next door is the tomb of Mandu’s most famous Sultan Hoshang Shah. It was the first marble tomb of India, much before the famous Taj Mahal in Agra.

3) Further South, close to Mandu’s largest lake are several monuments of which the most impressive ones are the Baz Bahadur’s Palace and Rupmati’s Pavilion from where one can enjoy a spectacular view of the plains.

 

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