Introduction to Mandu 
Mandu, or the "City of Joy", is a superb hilltop fort, deserted,
dramatic, and alive with ghosts! It is a dream city steeped in legends of
the love of Baz Bahadur for his beloved Rani Roopmati. Breathtakingly
beautiful, this former capital of the Sultanate of Malwa is perched high on
a hill in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, 283 km away from the
capital city Bhopal. A ghost city now, Mandu was once the monsoon retreat of
the Mughal emperors. For one thing, Mandu is far from the coast. It does not
have the sort of sluicing rain that inundates some of our seaboard
destinations. Moreover, Mandu is on a plateau and regardless of how much it
rains, the water pours off in silver-threaded waterfalls which gives it a
sort of designer magic that no designer but only nature can replicate. And
finally and this is a big plus many of the monumental buildings of Mandu
have been fashioned to use this play of water and rain-heavy thunder clouds
to superb effect. You'll get an inkling of what you should expect in Mandu
when you drive through the sub-montane lands that lead up to the plateau.
Rising out of the tangles of scrub vegetation are no-nonsense, foursquare,
staging posts for horse-mounted messengers and guardhouses. Some of them
have domes, which look rather like the qullas, or foundation caps around
which some turbans are tied. Then the road winds up and pierces the edge of
the escarpment through a succession of massive gates. It is only then that
one enters the hamlet of Mandu flowing through the old monuments. The living
hamlet and the well-preserved ruins now form a seamless whole and it is
virtually impossible to see where one ends and the other begins.
Places
of Interest Jami Masjid Built in 1454, the
Jami Masjid is by far the most majestic building in Mandu. It is said that
the builders had designed it after the Omayyed Mosque of Damascus. The best
view of this monument can be had from the Ashrafi Mahal rising in front of
it. Do, however, go inside. Wander around, examine the decorations on the
lintel of the doorway, the jali (filigree) screens and the curious little
domes of the prayer hall, which are believed to be acoustic devices to
amplify voices and absorb echoes.
Hoshang Shah Tomb
From the Jami Masjid, move on to the tomb of Hoshang Shah: a massive,
foursquare monument with a huge dome. Constructed in AD 1435, it is reputed
to be the oldest marble structure in India and depicts typical Hindu
influences including carved marble lattice screens (jali). An inscription on
the right jamb of the door mentions the name of Ustad Hamid who was involved
with the building of the Taj Mahal in Agra.
Ashrafi
Mahal Ashrafi Mahal was originally built as a madarsa (a Muslim
religious school), but later extended to become Mohammed Shah's tomb. Now
only the ruins of this building are visible.
Jahaz
Mahal One of the most popular monuments in Mandu, this ship-like
structure was constructed by Ghiyas-ud-din, son of Mohammed Shah, for his
harem. According to the legends, this harem was home to 15,000 maidens.
There are two lakes on the east and west side of the palace that create a
perfect illusion of a ship with its rectangular shape.
Hindola
Mahal Near the Jahaz Mahal is the unusual Hindola Mahal (or Swing
Palace). It's a large hall supported by sloping buttresses, which,
presumably, resembled the supports of a swing. According to local legends,
both the Jahaz and Hindola Mahal were popular with the Mughals who had
parties here on monsoon evenings.
Champa Baoli
Champa Baoli is an interesting step-well on the north edge of the tank
situated there. It was a popular hot-weather retreat and featured cool wells
and bathrooms.
Taveli Mahal Taveli Mahal is
located just south of Jahaz Mahal and now houses the antiquity gallery of
the Archaeological Survey of India.
Baz Bahadur
Palace The Rewa Kund is actually a tank of sacred water from the
river Rewa, another name for the Narmada. This is the place where the love
of poet-prince Baz Bahadur and Rani Roopmati flowered. Baz Bahadur was the
last independent king of Malwa who fell in love with an ordinary shepherdess
called Roopmati. Unfortunately, their love had a tragic end when the great
Mughal emperor, Akbar, spurned by Roopmati's beauty, attacked Baz
Bahadur fled Mandu leaving his lover to poison herself. Baz Bahadur's Palace
was constructed in 1509 beside the Rewa Kund, well before he became the
king. The palace displays a curious mix of Rajasthani and Mughal style of
architecture. There was a water lift at the northern end of the tank to
supply water to the tank.
Roopmati's Pavilion
Roopmati's Pavilion, looking out over the distant river valley of the
Narmada, is situated on the very edge of Mandu Fort. It is a very romantic
building, a perfect setting for fairytale romance. From the pavilion at the
end of the terrace of this palace you feel as if you are standing on the
prow of a great ship, surging through a rising sea of clouds, with water
streaming away in cascades as you ride the swell of your imagination. It's a
heady feeling!
Nilkanth Temple Nilkanth
(literally, the blue-throated one; another name of Lord Shiva) is a shrine
dedicated to Shiva, the destroyer of the Hindu Trinity. Located on the edge
of a steep gorge, the shrine is still visited by pilgrims.
Excursion:
Places nearby Mandu Achalgarh Achalgarh,
situated around 11 kilometres from Mt. Abu, offers superb views of the
surroundings. It houses the Achalgarh Fort, built in the 15th century by
Rana Kumbha. The ninth-century Achaleshwar Temple situated here is believed
to have Shiva's toeprints, a brass Nandi and a deep hole that is supposed to
reach the netherworld. Nearby is the Mandakini Tank, where the image of Adi
Pal, a Paramar king, along with three large stone buffaloes pierced with an
arrow is a major attraction.
Guru Shikhar
Around 15 km from Mt. Abu is Guru Shikhar, the highest peak of the Aravalli
range (1,721 metres). There is certain serenity about the temple built atop
this peak. The temple might just have stepped out of a fairy tale, with only
a small portion in pink jutting out of an otherwise plain white chalk
building. Inside is a shrine of Dattatreya, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu
while outside, a little distance from its door, is a huge brass bell, which
stands as a sentinel overlooking the lush greenness of Mount Abu. The view
from Guru Shikhar, especially at dawn, is marvellous.