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Mandu
is a celebration in stone, of life and joy, of the love of the
poet-prince Baz Bahadur for his beautiful consort, Rani Roopmati.
The balladeers of Malwa still sing of the romance of these royal
lovers,and high up on the crest of a hill, Roopmati's Pavilion
still gazes down at Baz Bahadur's Palace, a magnificent expression
of Afghan architecture . Under Mughal rule, Mandu was a pleasure
resort, its lakes and palaces the scenes of splendid and extravagant
festivities and the glory of Mandu lives on, in legends and songs,
chronicled for posterity.
Perched
along the Vindhya ranges at an altitude of 2,000 feet, Mandu,
with its natural defenses, was originally the fort capital of
the Parmar rulers of Malwa. Towards the end of the 13th century,
it came under the sway of the Sultans of Malwa, the first of whom
named it Shadiabad - 'city of joy'. And indeed the pervading spirit
of Mandu was of gaiety; and its rulers built exquisite palaces
like the Jahaz and Hindola Mahals, ornamental canals, baths and
pavilions, as graceful and refined as those times of peace and
plenty. Under Mughal rule, Mandu was a pleasure resort, its lakes
and palaces the scenes of splendid and extravagant festivities.
And the glory of Mandu lives on, in legends
and songs, chronicled for posterity. Each of Mandu's structures
is an architectural gem; some are outstanding like the massive
Jami Masjid and Hoshang Shah's tomb, which provided inspiration
to the master builders of the Taj Mahal centuries later.
Places
to visit
The
Darwazas
The
45 km parapet of walls that encircle Mandu are punctuated by 12
gateways. Most notable of these is Delhi Darwaza, the main entrance
to the fortress city, for which the approach is through a series
of gateways well fortified with walled enclosures and strengthened
by bastions such as the Alamgir and Bhangi Darwaza, through which
the present road passes. Rampol Darwaza, Jehangir Gate and Tarapur
Gate are some of the other main gateways.
The
Royal Enclave Jahaz Mahal
This 120 mt long "ship palace" built between the
two artificial lakes, Munj Talao and Kapur Talao is an elegant
two storeyed palace. Probably it was built by SultanGhiyas-ud-din-Khilji
for his large harem. With its open pavilions, balconies overhanging
the water and open terrace, Jahaz Mahal is an imaginative recreation
in stone of a royal pleasure craft. Viewed on moonlit nights from
the adjoining Taveli Mahal, the silhouette of the building, with
the tiny domes and turrets of the pavilion gracefully perched
on the terrace, presents an unforgettable spectacle.
Hindola
Mahal
An audience hall, also belonging to Ghiyas-ud-din's reign, it
derives its name of "swinging palace" from its sloping
sidewalls. Superb and innovative techniques are also evident
in its ornamental facade, delicate trellis work in sand
stone and beautifully moulded columns. To the West of Hindola
Mahal there are several unidentified buildings which still bear
traces of their past grandeur. Amidst these is an elaborately
constructed well called Champa Baoli which is connected with underground
vaulted rooms where arrangements for cold and hot water were made.
Other places of interest in this enclave are Dilawar Khan's Mosque,
the Nahar Jharokha (tiger balcony), Taveli Mahal, the two large
wells called the Ujali (bright) and Andheri (dark) Baolis and
Gada Shah's Shop and House, all worth a visit.
The
Central Group Hoshang Shah's Tomb
India's first marble edifice, it is one of the most refined examples
of Afghan architecture. Its unique features are the magnificently
proportioned dome, marble lattice work of remarkable delicacy
and porticoed courts and towers to mark the four corners of the
rectangle. Shah Jehan sent four of his great architects to study
the design of and draw inspiration from the Tomb. Among them was
Ustad Hamid, who was also associated with the construction of
Taj Mahal.
Jami
Masjid
Inspired by the great mosque of Damascus, the Jami Masjid was
conceived on a grand scale, with a high plinth and a huge domed
porch projecting in the centre, the background dominated by similar
imposing domes with the intervening space filled up by innumerable
domes. One is struck by the huge proportions and the stern simplicity
of its construction. The great court of the mosque is enclosed
on all sides by huge colonnades with a rich and pleasing variety
in the arrangement of arches, pillars, number of bays, and in
the rows of domes above.
Rewa
Kund Group
Rewa Kund A reservoir, built by Baz Bahadur with an aqueduct
to provide Roopmati's palace with water. Today, the pool is revered
as a sacred spot.
Roopmati's
Pavilion
The pavilion was originally built as an army observation post.
From its hilltop perch, this graceful structure with its two pavilions
was a retreat of the lovely queen, from where she could see Baz
Bahadur's palace and the Narmada flowing through the Nimar plains
far below.
Hathi
Mahal, Darya Khan's Tomb, Dai ka Mahal, Dai ki Chhotti, Behan
Ka Mahal, Malik Mughit's Mosque and Jali Mahal are some
of the other fascinating monuments. There is also the Echo Point,
the 'Delphic Oracle' of Mandu. A shout from here reverberates
far below and is heard clearly back. The Lohani Caves and Temple
Ruins, not far from the royal enclave area also merit a visit
due to their association with Mandu's history and monuments. Sunset
Point, in front of the caves affords a panoramic view of the surrounding
countryside.
Access
Air:
The nearest airport is at Indore, 99 km away,connected to Mumbai,
Delhi, Gwalior and Bhopal.
Rail:
Convenient railheads are Ratlam (124 km ) on the Mumbai-Delhi
main line and Indore (99km).
Road
: Regular bus services connect Mandu with Indore, Dhar,Mhow,
Ratlam, Ujjain and Bhopal.
Best
Season: July to March
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