Page 253 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

M ADH Y A PR ADESH & CHHA T TISGARH  251

t Mandu
Dhar district. 105 km (65 miles)
SW of Indore. @ n Malwa Resort,
(07292) 263 235.
Perched on a crest of the Vindhya
Mountains is the deserted citadel
of Mandu, one of India’s most
romantic and picturesque sites.
Enclos ed within its winding
parapet walls, and surrounded
by steep, wooded ravines, are
palaces, mosques, lakes and
pleasure pavilions, built between
1401 and 1529, by the sultans A row of lofty arches in the Hindola Mahal, or Swinging Palace, Mandu
of Malwa, who referred to it as
Shadiabad, the “City of Joy”. summer days. To its east are Gada an inscription on the door
Mandu is spread over a 23-sq km Shah’s House and Shop, which recording the visit of four of
(9-sq mile) area, but its major belonged to an ambitious Rajput Emperor Shah Jahan’s architects
monuments are clustered in chieftain at the court of Mandu. in 1659.
three groups – the Royal Enclave, The so-called “Shop” was actually Opposite it is the magnificent
the Village Group and the Rewa an audience hall, while the house, Jama Masjid (built in 1454). It
Kund Group. a luxurious double-storeyed is said to have been inspired by
structure with water the Great Mosque at Damascus.
T Royal Enclave channels and fountains, Three large domes and 58 smaller
Open daily. & still has traces of two fine ones surmount its colonnades,
Dominating the Royal paintings of the chieftain and the mihrab is decorated with
Enclave are the Jahaz and his wife. The earliest beautiful calligraphy. Next to it
Mahal (see pp252–3) of the monuments is the Ashrafi Mahal madrasa
and the majestic Detail from Hoshang in the Royal Enclave with the ruins of a seven-storeyed
T-shaped Hindola Shah’s tomb is Dilawar Khan’s Victory Tower, acclaimed in
Mahal (“Swinging Mosque, built by the contemporary accounts as
Palace”), whose massive inward- first Malwa sultan in 1405, using Mandu’s finest structure. It was
sloping walls give the impression the stones and pillars of Hindu built by Sultan Mahzmud in
that the building is swaying. Built and Jain temples that had stood 1443 to mark his battle with the
in the late 15th century as the here earlier. maharana of Mewar. Interestingly,
royal assembly hall, has an austere the latter also built a Victory
façade lightened by delicate T Village Group Tower at Chittorgarh (see pp406–
tracery work on its arched Open daily. 7) after the same battle.
windows. Next to it is a well, the The first marble tomb to be built The Rewa Kund Group lies
Champa Baoli, connected to a in India, Hoshang Shah’s Tomb 4 km (2 miles) to the south, and
series of subterranean rooms (1440) is a perfectly proportioned comprises Mandu’s ruler Baz
cooled by flowing water, where structure, where Malwa’s most Bahadur’s Palace and the beautiful
the ladies of the harem spent hot powerful sultan is buried. It has singer, Rupmati’s Pavilion.
Plan of Mandu
1 Delhi Gate 1
2 Hindola Mahal
3 Champa Baoli 2
4 Gada Shah’s House 3 4 5
5 Jahaz Mahal 6 7
6 Hoshang Shah’s Tomb 8
7 Ashrafi Mahal
8 Jama Masjid
9 Malik Mugith’s Mosque 9
10 Dai ka Mahal 13
11 Baz Bahadur’s Palace 10
12 Rupmati’s Pavilion
13 Neelkanth Mahal 11
12
0 metres 800
0 yards 800

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