WITH LOVE FROM MANDU

Naam gum jaayega
Chehra yeh badal jaayega
Meri Awaaz hi pehchan Hai
Gar yaad rahe

I often wonder when Gulzar Saab, India’s most respected poet and writer had penned these lines for his 1977 movie, Kinara, did he know that his words would get etched in history.  

This inimitable song, beautifully composed by RD Burman and rendered soulfully by the eternal voices of Lata Mangeshkar and Bhupinder Singh – unfolds itself to a place which is yet unknown, MANDU. 
It is a rare experience to see how a composition has immortalised itself with the Legendary Love of Sultan Baz Bahadur and Rani Roopmati which is centuries old. 

MANDU has not forgotten them. 
Every blade of grass, every still rock, every moss pathway here hums the romance of these royal lovers, so powerful, yet mysterious.

My quest to explore the glory of MANDU got me back a second time.

The hill fort of MANDU is perched along the Vindhyan ranges at an altitude of 2000 feet. 
As we drive towards MANDU which is about 100 kms from Indore* airport (*City in the State of Madhya Pradesh), fragrance of the wet blanket over the hilly range welcomes us.

DISCOVERING MANDU

MANDU’s unparalleled mystic views coupled with the misty weather, especially during rains promise some breathtaking evenings.

Experience one such evening at HINDOLA MAHAL while watching the exquisite LIGHT and SOUND SHOW, where just being in the midst of the Royal palaces at dusk is simply magical.

LIGHT AND SOUND SHOW

There are two shows every evening – 7 pm and 7.50 pm in two languages : Hindi and English
Tickets : INR 150 for Indians and INR 300 for Foreign nationals 
Counter opens at 6.30 pm every evening, so reach early to get the best seats.
Important : Entry is from the Rear gate of Jahaz Mahal and not the Main gate of Royal complex.

RULERS OF MANDU

In the middle of 6^th century, a legendary tale has a mention of Mandana, a goldsmith who discovered the Paras stone (magic touch stone that turns iron into Gold by touch). 
Mandana handed over the magic stone to the reigning King, Anand Deo Rajput who used all the gold made from Paras stone for the welfare of people and built the first palace in MANDU over a span of 12 years.
It is believed that Mandapa Durg, the name of this hill fort was given in the middle of 6^th century and over the next few centuries, it was called – MANDAV.
Even today, MANDU is popularly referred by locals as MANDAV.

There are remnants of Jain temples in MANDU believed to have been built in 555 AD by Jain merchant, Chandra Simha and MANDU, then, was one of the holiest places for Jain pilgrims. 

Till the 8^th Century, there were rulers from Gurjara Pratihara dynasty, followed by the brave Kshatriya Parmara rulers.
Towards the end of 10^th Century, MANDU was the fort capital of the Parmara rulers under Raja Munj and Raja Bhoj.
It is believed that the fortifications were further strengthened at this time since there were standing threats of invasions.

Post 1305, with the invasion of Alauddin Khilji, the Hindu kingdom was under attack and MANDU was made part of the Delhi Sultanate.

In 1401, Subhedar Dilawar Khan of Malwa declared MANDU independent and became the First Sultan of MANDU gaining complete authority of the province.
After the death of Sultan in 1405, his son, Hoshang Shah ascended the throne and declared MANDU as the capital of Malwa.

His contribution to the beautification of MANDU is significant.
Besides strengthening the walls of the fort, he constructed Jami Masjid, lakes and gardens, palatial buildings inside the royal complex and a beautiful marble tomb for himself, Hoshang Shah’s Tomb, which became the inspiration for the world’s most famous mausoleum, Taj Mahal.

Sultan Dilawar Khan and his son, Hoshang Shah are known as the Builders of MANDU for they led the construction of some of the finest Darwazas (Gateways), mosques and monuments in MANDU.

Hoshang Shah died in 1435 and MANDU’s throne was ascended by his son, Mahmud Shah Khilji and he started expanding the boundaries of his Sultanate. Magnificent monuments like Ashrafi Mahal, Tower of Victory and his own tomb were built during his reign.
During this period, art and literature of MANDU blossomed. 
Ambassadors of major countries were now being sent to MANDU which included emissaries of Egypt who brought with them many variety of muslin, Arabic horses, exotic birds, dancers and performers. 

In 1469, Sultan Ghiyasuddin succeeded his father Mahmud Shah and ruled MANDU for 31 years. 
The architectural marvel, Jahaz Mahal is attributed to him.

In the middle of 16^th Century, there were many wars and rivalries.
In 1534, Humayun conquered the fort, however as soon as Humayun left Malwa, Mallu Khan, from the Khilji dynasty crowned himself at MANDU in 1536.

In 1542, Sher Shah Suri invaded and conquered Malwa. After assuming throne of the Sultanate, Sher Shah Suri had sent Shuja Khan as Subhedar to MANDU.
After the death of Shuja Khan in 1554, his son, Malik Bayazid, declared himself as an independent ruler of MANDU.  
As a warrior, he swooped down on his enemies like a Falcon, and people named him, Sultan BAZ Bahadur.
In 1561, Akbar ordered his general, Adham Khan to invade MANDU. Baz Bahadur’s troops were defeated and he escaped from the battlefield. 

Under the Mughals, MANDU lost its former glory.
Akbar had halted at the fort during his military missions. Thereafter, his successor, Jahangir spent several months here in admiration of the place and held state functions.
After Jahangir, there was no interest shown by the subsequent Mughal rulers and MANDU remained deserted.

In 1732, the Marathas, under Malhar Rao Holkar defeated Diya Bahadur, the Mughal Governor of Malwa.
Thereafter, MANDU continued to be under the Maratha rulers of Dhar, the successors of Parmara rulers.

With centuries gone by, MANDU’s history had witnessed a full circle, where it had begun.

DID YOU KNOW ?

BAOBAB tree in MANDU

MONUMENTS AT MANDU

Rulers of MANDU believed in simplicity with minimal ornamentation in their monuments and massiveness of construction.

In addition to the 12 Darwazas (Gateways to the fortress city), the monuments are spread in three distinct clusters :
– The Royal Complex which is a huge enclave of palatial structures
– Rewa Kund Group with Baz Bahadur Palace and Rani Roopmati Pavilion
– MANDU Village which has magnificent monuments like the Jami Masjid, Tomb of Hoshang Shah and Ashrafi Mahal.

All of these well preserved monuments with an array of miniature domes, turrets, arches, pavilions, reservoirs set against a backdrop of rain bound grey sky teeming with the riotous display of green cover is nothing less than an exhilarating experience.

THE ROYAL COMPLEX

JAHAZ MAHAL

JAHAZ MAHAL or the Ship Palace reflects the palace life of the ruling dynasties, the Sultans of MANDU.

This spectacular monument was artistically built during the reign of Sultan Ghiyasuddin Khilji from 1469 to 1500.
The two storeyed palace which is about 120 metres long with width of 15 metres and height of 9.7 metres, rests between two artificial lakes, Munj Talao (Lake) and Kapur Talao.
Every monsoon, when both the lakes are full to the brim, JAHAZ MAHAL appears to be sailing in water.

The Front gateway of JAHAZ MAHAL made in white marble was built by Emperor Jahangir in 1617 who had stayed in MANDU for 7 months.

The pinkish beige hue of this palace comes from the red sandstone used in the making of the palace which was transported from Dholpur in Rajasthan.
Inside the palace, there are three large halls on the ground floor with connected corridors and narrow rooms at the extreme ends. Each of these halls have balconies overlooking the Munj Talao.

The Central Hall has an ornamental dome shaped ceiling with a band of blue, green and yellow tiles which were procured from Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
The walls here are around 3 metres in width which bears white fresco and Parvez explained how iron clips were used as interlocking system to join two pillars.

We walk up to the terrace through a flight of stairs, about 40 of them.
There are two pavilions with beautiful domes and turrets with the most stunning views – Munj Talao and Jal Mahal on one side and Taveli Mahal and Kapur Talao on the other side and the far stretching Royal complex with many imposing monuments.

The most intriguing feature of JAHAZ MAHAL is the Water channel system.
There are two water well/tanks on the terrace, one for rain water harvesting and the second for water channeling to the swimming or bath pools, one located on the terrace and a large pool at ground level.

On the south east corner of the upper pool is a spiral aqueduct that supplied water to the pool. The channel controlled the water flow for a royal bathing experience.

THE ROYAL PLAN : RAINWATER HARVESTING AND WATER FILTRATION SYSTEM

MANDU atop the Vindhyas at 2000 feet had no groundwater.
Rulers, way back several centuries had realized the need for Rainwater harvesting for survival and built 2 Artificial Lakes, 4 BAODI (Wells) and 6 Reservoirs within the Royal complex.

Every monsoon, water from Munj Talao (Lake) would be lifted into JAHAZ MAHAL through Persian wheels – traditional water lifting system, into a central channel. This channel had small water blocks to clear impurities and dust particles.
There are water channels running along the terrace of JAHAZ MAHAL.
Parvez showed us how rainwater would flow from the terrace through the spiral aqueducts to the open bath/ swimming pools.
He explained how water channels built within pillars of the palace, would further let the water flow into the reservoir which is seen outside the palace.

Main reservoir outside Jahaz Mahal

From this reservoir, water would flow through the arched underground water channel which exists even today, to another channel for the first round of Water Filtration with two defined blocks containing Sand and Charcoal.
This water would then flow into the Kapur Talao.
The name of this lake was derived from the word, Kapur or Camphor which was incensed over a specified area around the lake and acted as a mosquito repellent.

Water filtration channel with two blocks which would contain sand and charcoal

Water from Kapur Talao would further flow into the final filtration area which had large blocks or compartments of sand, limestone and charcoal. Water would pass through these different blocks which were uneven in size and height as they had different measures or quantity that was required for filtration.

Final Filtration area

This filtered water would flow into the Baodi (wells) for drinking and other purposes to be used by the Royal family.

It is remarkable to see how our earlier civilizations were adaptors to environmental challenges.
Over 500 years back, MANDU’s rulers, architects, scientists and engineers had envisioned Rainwater harvesting and had also designed 3 stages of water filtration.

DON’T MISS : THE GIANT GRINDER

The Giant Grinder made of red sandstone is still under use today for the restoration work of the monuments.
Centuries back, a mixture of sand, brick, limestone, nutmeg, lentil, egg and jaggery was used for construction

HINDOLA MAHAL

HINDOLA MAHAL reflects an elegant style of construction with massive sloping sidewalls.
The T shaped monument is believed to be the Diwane e Khaas, Hall of the Sultan and his ministers. 
Walk through main hall and admire the six arched openings on both sides of the hall. The interiors were planned with different passages, a distinct one for the Sultan and the sloping stages for the women of the Royal family to go up in a palanquin.
The exterior of the monument is neatly chiseled with no ornamentation which gives a majestic appearance.

CHAMPA BAODI

It is believed that CHAMPA BAODI (Well) was built between 14^th to 15^th century and was one of the prime water wells for the Royal women who lived in the underground rooms or Tahkhana of the SHAHI MAHAL.

SHAHI MAHAL

SHAHI MAHAL or the Royal Palace was a 3 storeyed structure with 2 underground levels. One can walk through the -1 level now, -2 level has been closed by ASI.
With some initial hesitation, Parvez convinces us to walk through the underground chamber or TAHKHANA.
He explains how this monument was constructed and connected with the well and the pavilion, towards the bank of Munj Talao, thereby allowing light and cross ventilation and making the stay comfortable for the Royal women.
Parvez followed the water channel trail and showed us how water would flow into Champa Baodi and thereafter could be accessed through the two underground levels of Shahi Mahal.

If only the silent pillars in this TAHKHANA could tell the tales of the Royal women who lived here, and the gentle breeze could whisper how often it ruffled the silk curtains in these vaulted rooms.

TAHKHANA or underground chambers inside SHAHI MAHAL in which Royal women used to reside across 2 underground levels. Only -1 Level can be accessed by tourists now

HAMMAM

DILAWAR KHAN’S MOSQUE

NAHAR JHAROKA

NAHAR JHAROKA and the Moghul Garden ahead

Locals here refer NAHAR as the Tiger and JHAROKA means Balcony.

During his stay at MANDU, Emperor Jahangir built this Hall of Commons or Diwan e Aam. The Marble Jharoka here originally carried a huge effigy of a Tiger – a broken portion of the structure lies within the monument.
Walking past Nahar Jharoka, we see a Water Fountain and an intricately designed Mughal Garden, exemplifying Mughal architecture of that era.

JAL MAHAL

JAL MAHAL was the home of all the MANDU Rulers – Ghori, Khilji and Mughals from 13^th to 17^th Century. Royal guests who would halt at MANDU would also reside here.
JAL MAHAL overlooking the Munj Talao has 5 Water reservoirs,
Four of them inside the palace complex and one reservoir attached to the beautiful Lotus shaped Water Fountain.
“Capture the view of Jahaz Mahal from here. You will not get this one again.” said Parvez.

View of Jahaz Mahal as seen from Jal Mahal

As we walked back towards the main gate, Parvez’s narrative had cast a spell, as if we could hear the past, a sense of being part of something vast, and a feeling of being dwarfed by the magnificence of these monuments.

Closer to the exit, I kept turning back, gazing at JAHAZ MAHAL.
I quietly asked Parvez – “Can we comeback early tomorrow morning before we start looking at other monuments?”
“Yes, we can certainly! Early morning will be good to take pictures and if we are lucky with the weather, we can capture some unforgettable moments.”

Next morning, Parvez was right there as he had promised and we drove down to the Royal Complex. It was around 7 am and the sky was overcast.
“This is it,” exclaimed Parvez and I could not believe my eyes.

A veil of clouds had descended here. Embracing the mist and drizzle, we started walking through the royal corridors where every monument was calling out – all over again.

LADY OF THE LOTUS : RANI ROOPMATI

Sultan Baz Bahadur enamoured by the alluring voice of Roopmati
Illustration is a water colour painting by Gautam Chatterjee (email : gautamchat68@gmail.com)

I did attempt to unknot the tangled string of many tales that surround the love story of Prince of Shadiabad, Malik Bayazid Baz Bahadur and Lady of the Lotus, Rani Roopmati.
And I found myself further drawn and entwined into many more.

What is real then?  Together, Baz Bahadur and Rani Roopmati were the embodiment of pure love. Their romance filled with verse and music was so powerful that even today, it leaves a lasting impression amongst the travelers to MANDU.
For me, this expression of MANDU, remains mysterious.

As stories say, Roopmati was the daughter of Thakur Than Singh of Dharampuri, a well placed Rajput aristocrat of the Rathod clan.
At a very young age, Roopmati would listen to musicians who were invited to perform on various occasions in her father’s court.
Her yearning for music was further harnessed by her uncle, Thakur Riteshwar Singh who was a great exponent of Hindustani classical music.
Thus, began little Roopmati’s musical journey, who was barely 6 years old. She practiced and learnt music with great dedication and she grew up singing on the banks of River Narmada with the first rays of the sun.
Over the years, she revered River Narmada as her mother and would seek Her blessings every morning.
Roopmati’s dazzling beauty and her magical voice, her poise and grace was unmatched across Malwa.

Sultan Malik Bayazid, one of the three sons of Shuja Khan crowned himself as Sultan Baz Bahadur and became the independent ruler and the last Sultan of Malwa in 1554.
Sultan’s prowess as a warrior to sweep through the air and come down attacking his enemies, just, like a FALCON, gave him the title, BAZ Bahadur.
As a poet and a musician, Baz Bahadur hosted many performances of renowned musicians and dancers in the music chambers of his palace.
It was during one of his deer hunting expeditions in the dense forests near Dharampuri, Baz Bahadur heard the alluring voice of Roopmati on the banks of River Narmada.
He was completely mesmerised by her melodious voice and captivating beauty and sought Roopmati’s consent to accompany him to MANDU.
Roopmati who worshipped River Narmada every morning, relented and said that she would not be able to live in a place without the sight of her beloved mother, River Narmada.

It is then, Baz Bahadur had built REWA KUND transporting holy water from River Narmada so that Roopmati could worship her every morning.
Baz Bahadur had conquered Roopmati now –  it was the coming together of two souls for their love of poetry and music.

MANDU was taken over by Baz Bahadur’s poems and the enchanting voice of Rani Roopmati. They would sing to each other, songs of love that would reverberate through the music chambers and illuminate the palace.

Destiny, however usurped their selfless love and this rhythm of life was silenced forever.
As Emperor Akbar’s show of power spread across the region, he set his eyes to overthrow this Afghan ruler, Baz Bahadur who defied orders from the Delhi Sultanate.

Ballads of Sultan’s love for Rani Roopmati had reached Akbar. He had also heard the praises of Rani Roopmati’s beauty and her finesse in singing.
In 1561, Akbar called his general, Adham Khan and ordered him to proceed with a formidable battalion and invade MANDU.
Baz Bahadur’s men were no match to the mighty Moghul army. Facing defeat and death in the hands of the invader, Baz Bahadur’s commander advised him to flee and save his life.
Baz Bahadur escaped from the battlefield and rode away to a distant land. An abandoned Rani Roopmati was left behind at MANDU.

Being victorious in this battle at Sarangpur against Baz Bahadur, Adham Khan marched towards MANDU. His desire now was to overpower Rani Roopmati.
Devastated with this sudden separation from her Sultan, Rani Roopmati lamented through her songs and pined for him.
Her plea for mercy and messages to Adham Khan to show generosity, were all in vain. He was a manifestation of vice and greed and pride.
There are tales which reveal the pain of a desolate Rani Roopmati who made several bids to escape and save her life from this indignation.
She was however captured by Adham Khan’s troops and brought back to MANDU.

Rani Roopmati’s helplessness made her realise that she could never run away from her ill fate. She poignantly accepted that her life had drifted away, far away from her beloved.
The looming threat made her more vulnerable and miserable with every passing day.
Rani Roopmati looked at the sky which appeared hazy now with the dust of ambition, and felt the deep silence that had engulfed the empty palace. She finally resolved to make the foremost choice, her honour.
Rani Roopmati sent a message to Adham Khan to meet her after three nights.
On that fateful night, while Adham Khan rejoiced and celebrated, Rani Roopmati adorned herself in royal finery for one last time.
She concluded her last song in sorrow of her Sultan and consumed poison, leaving behind a lifeless Rani Roopmati who remained faithful to her Sultan. This Lotus never to bloom again.

It is believed that 26 poems written by Rani Roopmati were collected by Ahmad Ul Umari in 1599 during Akbar’s reign.
Through hundreds of years and after changing many hands, the original manuscript later reached Colonel C E Luard and then translated into English by L M Crump in 1926 as –
LADY OF THE LOTUS, RANI ROOPMATI, QUEEN OF MANDU

REWA KUND

Following the mist and raindrops, we reached the REWA KUND which is quiet, and stands testimony to this immortal love story.
Baz Bahadur Palace and Roopmati Pavilion glow in remembrance, as this is where conversations in music and love were woven.

REWA KUND today is worshipped as part of Narmada Parikrama.

Water from the REWA KUND was drawn through Persian wheels that would further run through the water channels or aqueduct built over the tall arches to the Baz Bahadur Palace courtyard.
The walls of Baz Bahadur palace then were connected with Rewa Kund.

BAZ BAHADUR PALACE

Water reservoir in the palace courtyard

The two storeyed Palace situated on the slope of a hill was built originally by Nasiruddin Khilji, son of Ghiyasuddin Khilji in 1508-9.
Parvez points out at the inscription in Persian on the Main gateway of this palace that mentions the name of the Sultan and the timeline.
Later, during Mughal era, Baz Bahadur took over this palace as his own and stayed here with his soldiers.

As we walk through the arched gateway, there is a passage that leads to the outer court of the palace with another doorway that further leads us to the Main palace.
Inside, there is a spacious open court with surrounding halls on all the four sides and the water reservoir inside the courtyard is stunning.

Baz Bahadur had designated a section of his palace as the music chamber and the sound of music and dance would reverberate through the pillars and passageway into the courtyard.

What left us spellbound is the natural acoustics embedded in the structure which brings out great clarity of any rendition – a voice or a song.

Such was the celebration of life in Baz Bahadur’s music chamber, ornate with musicians playing their instruments and dancers tossing their feet with the sound of thousand ghungroos (anklets with tiny bells) that would embellish every corner of the palace.
Parvez pulled me back from the trance and led us further to the open terrace which has two domed pavilions.
From the terrace, there is a spectacular view of Roopmati Pavilion.The green foliage surrounding the palace are traces of erstwhile gardens which added to the elegance of the palace in those times.

View of Roopmati Pavilion from the terrace of Baz Bahadur Palace

ROOPMATI PAVILION

Originally built as the Watchtower and for the military, this sandstone structure was built on the crest of another hill, close to Baz Bahadur Palace – the ROOPMATI PAVILION.
The magnificent arched openings in the basement corridors and the beauty of the two pavilions on the terrace that was built by Baz Bahadur for Rani Roopmati – give way to a gorgeous view of the green plains that stretch as far as eyes can meet.

ROOPMATI PAVILION overlooking the Nimar plains

It is believed that Rani Roopmati who stayed at Jahaz Mahal would visit here at the break of sunrise for a glimpse of River Narmada and offer her prayers.
And on a sunny day, they say, a silver stream of River Narmada is visible far away amidst the Nimar plains.

Pause here for that moment to watch the sun fading away in the horizon,
And as the twilight sets in, walking down the slopeway of Roopmati Pavilion,
There is stillness and a sense of being alone
Many a night, Rani Roopmati may have been here by herself
Singing in despair, away from her beloved.

A DAY AT MANDU VILLAGE

Today, this place is the centreplace of MANDU, abuzz with locals and tourists.
There are three magnificent monuments here – Jami Masjid, Tomb of Hoshang Shah and the Ashrafi Mahal.

All these monuments that were planned and built by Hoshang Shah and Mahmud Khilji had a grand design with an aesthetic sense of architecture and great simplicity.

JAMI MASJID

Courtyard of Jami Masjid

The construction of this majestic mosque was planned and started by Hoshang Shah and completed in 1454 by Mahmud Khilji, almost 33 years later.
At the entrance, the hugeness of this monument leaves you baffled.

The elevated structure on a huge plinth which is 4.6 m high above ground level, has everything inside that is a marvel.
There are 4 Domes, first one at the entrance and three Domes above the Main Prayer hall and a courtyard which could accommodate 4000 people for namaz (prayers).

The huge domed porch is the centre point of the mosque and it is believed that Imam’s prayers could be heard towards the end of the courtyard as sound would travel through the domed porch to the surrounding miniature domes. It is estimated that there were 120 miniature domes in the original structure.
Combination of Basalt rock, red sandstone, marble and granite that have been used here reflects the detailing that has gone behind the making of this monument.

The gigantic size of the prayer hall with multiple rows of arches and pillars, the jaali screens and patches of blue coloured tiles here and there, many hundred years old, can be felt and seen – simply evokes a sense of awe for a plan and scale that was envisaged in those times.

TOMB OF HOSHANG SHAH

Tomb of Hoshang Shah, India’s first Marble monument

Through a connecting gateway from the Jami Masjid and a fleet of steps, we reach another distinct monument, the Mausoleum of Sultan Hoshang Shah.
This is India’s first marble monument and Parvez calls out with pride that this monument is also called MANDU’s TAJ MAHAL.

There is an inscription on one of the doorposts that Emperor Shah Jahan who was highly inspired by this monument had sent four of his best architects in 1659 to pay homage to the builders of this tomb and study the design and features. One of these architects, Ustad Hamid was associated with the construction of Taj Mahal.
Work on this marble mausoleum was initiated by Hoshang Shah and was completed by Mahmud Khilji.

At the entrance, there is a red standstone porch which opens itself to the grand marble structure made from Makrana marble procured from Rajasthan.
The mausoleum stands in the centre of a quadrangle on a square marble platform.
There are carved ornamental borders on the platform supported by a row of elephant tusk brackets. The Main dome of the mausoleum has smaller domes in the 4 corners and has Jaali carved windows with intricate floral and geometric designs allowing subtle light to enter inside the mausoleum.

ASHRAFI MAHAL

Flight of steps to ASHRAFI MANZIL

ASHRAFI MAHAL is right across the road, facing Jami Masjid.

Ashrafi Mahal served as the Madrasa (school for elementary education and learning of the Holybook, Quran) which was attached to Jami Masjid.
Largely in ruins today, Parvez persuades us to have a look at Ashrafi Mahal which was one of the most significant monuments built during Mahmud Khilji’s times.
The impressive entrance to Ashrafi Mahal is still very enticing and we walk up the broad steps to a massive open space above.
Parvez was right – there could have been another huge and magnificent monument in the same place.
The dilapidated structure gives an impression of a huge enclosure that may have existed here with a number of small classrooms for students.

Remains of MADRASA inside ASHRAFI MAHAL

Moving further ahead on the same level, is the Tomb of Mahmud Khilji. It is certain that there may have been a grand mausoleum here, however, the remains and ruins and traces of Persian inscriptions lying around, tell us a story that is timeless.

Remnants of Mahmud Khilji’s Mausoleum

TOWER OF VICTORY

Remains of the seven storeyed Tower of Victory built by Mahmud Khilji

Next to the Ashrafi Mahal, Mahmud Khilji had built the seven storeyed TOWER OF VICTORY in celebration of winning one battle against Rana Khumbha of Chittorgarh.
While the entire structure has collapsed, the basement of this tower is still visible which has a height of 9.8 m.
It is believed that the Tower of Victory was one of the most imposing structures with an enormous height of 45.7 m that existed earlier.

STOP BY AT THE ECHO POINT

Echo Point of MANDU where a shout reverberates far ahead and is heard back

Walk down to Dai ka Mahal

Before we head towards our Resort, Parvez takes us for Darshan at Chaturbhuj Shree Ram Temple which was built in 1823.
Stepping out from the Temple, we stop by Pawan Yadav’s Devta Tea stall for some refreshing tea.

PARVEZ QURESHI, Our Story Teller

“What next,” I ask Parvez.
Quick comes his reply, “I would like to be behind the lens and shoot.”

Parvez who explores MANDU everyday says, “I am always happy to meet new people who visit MANDU and I try to give them an experience that they will never forget.”
And he lives every word through his tireless effort and superb story telling ability.

Parvez is certified as Tourist Guide by Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board and Tourist Facilitator by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
He has also been nominated by Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board as State Guide for G20 delegates visiting MANDU.

Email : parvezqureshi541@yahoo.in
Mobile :  +91 8819077812 /+91 9752548067

UNWIND AT MALWA RESORT, MANDU

The overwhelming emotions that are aroused while walking past those remains of many centuries, can be put to rest at this beautiful resort maintained by Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation (MPSTDC).

MALWA RESORT is the best place to stay at MANDU – open, spacious and well designed. I was lucky to get a room overlooking the lake with a fascinating view.

The walls and passageways of the Resort are bedecked with large sized GOND Paintings which celebrates the togetherness of fauna and flora filled with bright colours. This showcase of GOND Art adds an extraordinary charm to the place.

NILKANTH TEMPLE : A PRAYER AND THANK YOU

Before I could leave MANDU, I knew that there was that significant something which was left to be completed.
Waiting at the resort gate, Parvez in a hurried voice said “Let’s go, or you will be late.”

Not very far from MALWA RESORT, with a small diversion, we reached the NILKANTH TEMPLE.
The sight of climbing down those steep flight of 60 steps to reach the temple, left me a bit unnerved, however, Parvez was right there.
“Slowly, one step at a time,’ his reassuring voice and hand led me to the Temple courtyard.
Surrounded by trees, this courtyard which stands at the edge of a deep gorge offers another breathtaking view.

Built during the Mughal era in the 16^th Century by Emperor Akbar’s Governor, Shah Badgah Khan, NILKANTH TEMPLE is one of the oldest shrines of Lord Shiva.

Streams of water from the hills can be seen running through the walls of this temple and showering over Shiva Lingam, and then leaving the temple, flowing down the gorge.
It looked like the water route was planned this way, and then very quickly realized that it is just nature’s own way and divinity of a different kind.
I seek Lord Shiva’s Blessings and Grace, and stay there for some more time gazing at the gurgling stream.

Suddenly, this moment was like the closure of the trip.
I could feel the timelessness whistling in the air and fragmented images of MANDU seeping into the soul.

I did carry back many stories, many moments and huge amount of gratitude for so many people as the grandness of MANDU would have remained unknown to me without them.

While the grandeur of the monuments stands testimony of great rulers and civilizations, the continuity of bringing alive this vastness of MANDU rests on a long chain of those very simple people like Parvez Qureshi, Sandeep Baghela, Sanjay Sharma and many others.

A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF THEM.

Best time to visit MANDU : July to Jan
It is one of the best monsoon getaways, so it is a Must Visit between July to September.

How to get there : Nearest airport is Indore
From Indore, it is around 100 km drive and takes about 2 hours to reach Malwa Resort, MANDU

PICTURES OF THE PAST

JAHAZ MAHAL

ROOPMATI PAVILION

TOMB OF HOSHANG SHAH