No matter what place we go, we often tend to stumble on its history. ‘The heart of India’- Madhya Pradesh beats for its places which are bound to take you back in time. A place that has been celebrated for its magnificent history is Mandu.
Mandu is also known as Mandavgad and is a ruined city in the district of Dhar in Malwa region, Madhya Pradesh, India. It is situated along the Vindhya ranges at an altitude of 2,000 ft. In order to reach Mandu, you can take flights to Indore airport which is 99 km from here and is well connected with major cities. If you wish to take the rail route, Ratlam is the nearest station (124 km) and Indore (99 km).
There are many places of historical significance here which range from palaces, tombs and mosques. These are built with sheer compassion for art which reflects in their skilled architecture. They are an inspiration to aspiring architects.
The parapets encircling Mandu spread out to 45 km and have 12 gateways. The main entrance here is called Delhi Darwaza. The others include, Rampol Darwaza, Jehangir Darwaza and Tarapur Darwaza.
The Darwazas
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It is commonly known as Ship Palace around 120 m long and is situated between two artificial lakes. It is a two stories architectural beauty which appears as a ship floating in water. It was built by Sultan Ghiyas-ud-din-Khilji. It has become a major tourist attraction and provides awesome scenic views.
Jahaz Mahal
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It has derived its name of ‘swinging palace’ from its sloping sidewalls. It was built during the reign of Ghiyas ud-Din. The palace is moulded beautifully with intricate work of art. Amidst this there is a well called Champa Baoli which was connected with underground vaulted rooms where arrangements for cold and hot water were made. The other places in this enclave are Dilawar Khan’s Mosque, Nahar Jharokha and Taveli Mahal.
Hindola Mahal
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It is India’s first marble edifice and is a great example of Afghan architecture. The design of this tomb was served as a template in the construction of Taj Mahal.
Hoshang Shah’s tomb
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The architecture of this mosque was inspired by the great mosque of Damascus. It has been built on a grand scale with a huge domed porch projecting in the center.
Jami Masjid
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It is a reservoir built by Baz Bahadur to provide Roopmati’s Palace with water. Today, the pool is considered to be a sacred spot.
Rewa Kund
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It was built by Baz Bahadur in the early 16th century. The palace has unique features with spacious courtyards and high terraces which offer a mesmerizing view of the surrounding countryside.
Baz Bahadur’s Palace
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It was originally built as an army observation post. But since the love interest of Baz Bahadur was Rani Roopmati the pavilion turned to be a retreat for her from where they could see each other.
Roopmati Pavilion
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The other places to visit at Mandu include, Nilkanth, Nilkanth Mahal , Hathi Mahal, Darya Khan’s Tomb, Dai Ka Mahal, Beh Ka Mahal, Malik Mughith’s Mosque, Jali Mahal, Echo Point, Sunset Point and Lohani Caves.
A place which has such glorious architecture in abundance deserves to not go in ruins. Free Press Journal requests its readers to take a step in preserving our history.
Source: www.mptourism.com
