Mandu, dubbed the city of joy, is now a deserted hilltop
fort with tales from the past sweeping through the streets.
Mandu had once been the capital of Malwa, set atop the Vindhya
Range. Constructed by Raja Bhoj in the 10th century as a summer
retreat and fortress, Mandu is one of the finest examples
of Afghan architecture in India. Later, Mandu' control passed
from Muslim rulers from Delhi, Afghan governors, Gujurat rulers,
back to Mughals, Baz Bahadur who - after a decade of ruling
Mandu - wasn't brave enough to stand his ground against Akbar's
army.
However, the golden period of Mandu was under the rule of
the Afghan governor who turned Mandu into an independent kingdom.
Later, his son Hoshang Shah declared Mandu to the capital
of Malwa. Many temples, palaces and ghats were constructed
in Afghan architecture during their rule. Your tour to Mandu
revolves around these magnificent constructs of imagination
and love.
The buildings in Mandu can be divided into three categories
-the Royal enclave (a group of temples), the Village Group
(residential area) and Rewa Kund Group (site of legendary
romance).
The Baz Bahadur Palace, near the Rewa Kund was constructed
in a mix of Mughal and Rajasthani architecture in 1509, much
before Baz Bahadur captured Mandu in 1554. It can be clearly
sighted from Rani Roopmati Pavilion, which was built
on a higher ground by Baz Bahadur for his ladylove Roopmati,
a Hindu singer.
It is said that she sang on the pavilion, overlooking the
plains as the Narmada River meandered through the valley.
Their romance came to a premature end with Akbar's invasion
of Mandu, who, again as the legends go, was drawn by Roopmati's
legendary beauty. The two structures are testament of their
undying love for each other. You too can experience the solitude
of romance at these sites on your travel to Mandu.
Jama Masjid is a huge mosque built on the lines of
the great Omayyed Mosque in Damascus, Syria. Built in Afghan
architectural style, it was constructed by Hoshang Shah. Another
must visit architecture relic of the Afghan rule on your tour
to Mandu is the Hoshang Tomb. Albeit with distinct
Hindu architectural influences such as in the carvings on
the marble. This white marble tomb is considered to be the
oldest India, a lot older than Taj Mahal itself. In fact it
is believed that Shah Jahan consulted the intricacies of the
two structures before he commenced upon building the world
famous Taj Mahal.
On your tour to Mandu, Madhya Pradesh, there are many places
to feast your eyes on. Jahaz Mahal, built in the shape
of a ship and flanked by lakes on the two sides, is one of
the most famous buildings in Mandu. Constructed by Ghiyas-ud-din,
it housed his entourage of mistresses about 15,000 in number.
Its pools, special cool rooms and arches are a must see on
your travel to Mandu.
Other tourist attractions that you can visit on your tour
to Mandu include Traveli Mahal, Hindola Maha, Champa Baodi,
Jain Temples and Ashrafi Mahal.
Mandu is well connected by buses, auto rickshaws and trains
to Bhopal via Indore.
Tourism of Central India offers specialized tour booking,
and travel packages for Mandu, Madhya Pradesh. To book your
tour, or for more information, please fill the form below.
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