[JoshMachine]

Mandu. Mandavgad. Mandava.

The magical "mahal ka shahar" located in Madhya Pradesh goes by many names. For the common tourist, it may not matter much.
What matters and actually captivates, is the mesmerizing, magic-like, mystic environs of the place.

We visited this place couple of weeks ago in Feb'22 while on a trip to Bhopal. Actually, we considered this as a sequel to our previous (A chilled-out road trip to Bhopal) travelogue, except this time round we travelled from Pune to Bhopal on an Airbus' 10 wheels, not the 4 of our beloved Vento.

Mandu is so much draped in rich and vivid history that it is difficult and probably not fair, to cover all of it in a single travelogue.

So, I would describe our trip to Mandu in the form of a photologue instead, interspersed with some pics that I merrily clicked along the way.

Sample the below sunset mellow, for example. A moment like this makes you want to pause everything around you, soak in everything what you see and just remain still!



Another sample:



This is like a visual labyrinth. The more you look at it, the more you get engrossed in its beauty. And just imagine if you are actually standing in front of it, in real!

More of such, in the posts below.
With some historical ‘seasoning’ added at various places, in an attempt to make the thread more delectable.

[JoshMachine]

Since Bhopal was the base of our journey, the route of approx. 291 km to Mandu took about 5.5 hrs. Uneventful travel.

The roads, as has been the experience in the past, were good all the way.



We had to make the mandatory stop at the 'world-famous' Dodi Highway Treat on the way.



Lip-smacking kachori (with the watered-down buttermilk) and poha, alongwith some hot cuppa tea to wash it all down!



I was amazed to witness the amount of improvements that have been made at this fantastic place.



Came across a Maruti Suzuki shareholder:-



Tummies full, we headed towards Indore enroute to Mandu.
Again, super smooth roads kept us company:



Stopped to sip a relaxing hot tea at the trusted 'Gurukripa' restaurant:



And with minimum fuss, reached the MP Tourism's Malwa resort:

[JoshMachine]

If you are heading to this part of the world, the MP Tourism's Malwa resort is the best place to stay. It offers a nice blend of proximity to the heritage sites (critical factor for such visits) and offers a good amount of facilities once you are back at the premises.





The rooms are nicely spaced out and done up to give you that old world charm.





The views behind the resort overseeing the small lake, prepare you for the heritage tour ahead with structures like these (not accessible for the aam janta, though):



We reached the place around lunch time, had a sumptuous meal (another good part about the resort, offers a variety of veg/non-veg options) and rested for some time.
Made plans to head out in the late afternoon.

[JoshMachine]

Before we begin our visual tour, it is important to know that Mandu was known in medieval times as the largest fortified city in the country. The uniqueness - situated on the top of a large, flat plateau, surrounded on all sides by steep slopes making it an important military outpost due to its strategic position and natural defenses. The Vindhya range of mountains and the river Narmada which blocked the enemy’s way, thus leaving North as the only direction to enter from.

The central fort is 82 km in perimeter and is considered to be the biggest in India. The fort was once the monsoon retreat of Mughal emperors, who termed it Shadiabad or the City of Joy.

Now, the Malwa resort is uniquely placed in Mandu such that almost all heritage attractions are present on either side of it, at a distance of about 3-4 km each way. This makes it convenient to plan the visit with any available time at hand, given that most of the attractions close by 6 pm or so.

So we chose to visit one side of the town first, covering Baz Bahadur Mahal + Rani Roopmati pavilion etc.



Constructed in the year 1508-1509, this palace is the best place where one can see beautiful architecture. This palace was constructed by Khilji Sultan Nasir-ud-din. This palace shows a perfect blend of Afghan and Rajasthani architecture, which is a rare combination. The king was very fond of this palace due to his eternal love and attachment with Rani Roopmati.

As per the local folklore, Baz Bahadur as Sultan did not bother to look after his kingdom nor did he maintain a strong army, being devoted to the arts and to his paramour. The Mughals defeated him and captured his Hindu queen Rani Roopmati, who killed herself at this turn of events.





From atop the palace, one can clearly see Roopmati pavilion in the distance:



This pavilion consists of a backstory of a medieval romance that started between Baz Bahadur and Rani Roopmati. There is a hilltop structure in front of the pavilion and during the early period, it was guarded by the skilled army men. Two watchtowers are located in the Pavilion.



It is said that Roopmati agreed to come over to Mandu only with the condition that she will be able to have a darshan of the Narmada river.



Two watch towers constructed atop the pavilion, this was both for the cavalry to keep a watch and also for Roopmati to view the Narmada from a distance.



It is said that during those times, the Narmada could be visible to the naked eye as a thin sliver.



It being primarily used for the soldiers, the place had excellent water reservoir and filtration facility:





Some more breathtaking views of the pavilion:







And finally, a view while going down:



While we were going down, came across this giant of an 'imli' or tamarind, called Khorasani imli, said to be found only in Mandu in the whole of Asia. Local folklore goes that consumption of this imli in dry, arid weather (which Mandu is notorious for) reduces the urge to drink water.



With that, headed straight for the resort.

Came across an interesting 'touristy' place, called Echo Point. Its true to its name, no doubt about that. You can holler anything while standing at the place, and yes sir, you can hear the echo alright.



As we reached our resort, couldn't resist capturing this beautiful sunset moment:



As I mentioned in the opening post, moments like these take you back into time and make you aware of the rustic brilliance of the good old days.

[JoshMachine]

Next day morning, went for a sunrise stroll nearby.

Managed to click some surreal pictures near the resort:



This one was for the lake located behind the resort:



Again, one of my favs from this trip, just purely from a photography perspective:





After breakfast, went over to visit the famed Jahaz Mahal

It is one of the main attractions of Mandu where tourists make their way. This Mahal was built under the supervision and reign of Sultan Ghiyas-ud-din-Khilji. Built-in the 15th century, this palace sets an example of fine Afghan architecture that is rare to witness in the entire country.





Surrounded by ponds on all sides, it is not hard to guess why the place gets its name. The image of the palace seems like it floats on the water like a ship. Standing mighty in the shape of a ship, it presents the best amalgamation of Afgan, Mughal, Hindu, and Egyptian architecture.





It won’t be wrong stating that this place carries the main essence of the ancient city Mandu and missing this point of attraction will be a huge loss.





The place is famous for one the largest open water filtration systems ever built in that era:



There are so many other wonderful aspects about the mahal - about how the architects built the water reservoirs, the baths, the rain water harvesting systems - that you admire the sheer engineering marvel of that time! And all of this, by leveraging mother nature's laws of physics and chemistry.

The 120 meter long Jahaz Mahal complex is studded with many water structures. The twin lakes of Kapur (camphor) Talab and Munj Talab abutting the palace not only stored water but helped cool its surroundings. Together, these lakes also irrigated the lands surrounding the structure and charged the ground water table.

Next up, was the Hindola Mahal or the swinging palace as is more popularly called.



As per wiki, the Hindola Mahal might have been constructed during the reign of Hoshang Shah about 1425 C.E. but may date to the end of the 15th century during the reign of Ghiyas-al-Din. It is one of a set buildings making up the royal palace complex. The Mahal may have been used as an audience chamber.

The Hindola Mahal represents the characteristic elements of the architectural style of the Malwa period: simplicity, boldness, and well-proportioned.



The chambers inside the mahal:



And the beauty of it all, at night:



If you have visited Mandu but not seen the Light & Sound show at the Hindola, then the visit is not worth it.

There is a ton of info available on YouTube, here's a sample:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3twMKcJnxs

Within the Jahaz mahal complex, there is also the royal hot bath or 'Hammam' as it is popularly called.





Following this, there's also Hoshang Shah's tomb:



The tomb is India’s first marble tomb and holds an important position in the history of India. It is famous for its wonderful Afghan art style and the unique and amazing decoration of the southern doorway.

It is said that the Taj Mahal's architectural inspiration can be traced back to this heritage structure.

After this, we went to the Jami Masjid, yet another architectural masterpiece:



Inspired by the great mosque of Damascus, this enormous structure is striking in both its simplicity and architectural style-with large courtyards and grand entrances.



And last but not the least, the Ashrafi Mahal:



As per the stories, Ghiyasuddin Khilji made his queens climb the stairs of this palace and rewarded them with Ashrafi. To help his queens reduce weight, Ghiyasuddin Khilji came up with this plan and since then the palace is known as the Ashrafi Mahal.

[JoshMachine]

The following day, we were scheduled to return to base i.e. Bhopal.

For almost the entire stretch, we could see miles & miles of golden brown wheat fields, ready for harvesting:



And at some places, lush green mustard fields as well:



And since Indore was enroute, with time at hand and foodies galore in the car, how could we miss out a visit to this:



Incidentally, this was my first visit to Chappan Dukan, the iconic must-visit place for all foodies where you can find all street food, namkeens, and other food/noon-food items (there are a couple of apparel stores also).



It was mid-morning by the time we reached there, so utilized that excuse to convert it into a mini-brunch at the Vijay Chaat House:



Had the delicious Batla patis and the Khopra patis, topped it off with Shahi Lassi. And followed by the finger-licking masala paan!

Thereonwards, off we headed back to Bhopal. And again this time round, a great ride back home on the smooth asphalt of the Indore-Bhopal highway section.

A pleasure to ride on this tarmac!

And with that, to liberally borrow from Alonzo Mourning - our eventful, epicurean journey came to a wonderful end on the back of a wonderful ride!

Would love to return to Mandu in the monsoons to savor the beauty again.
Till then, happy tripping!

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Dr.AD]

Very nice travelogue and nice photographs too! The photos give a good feel of the place and the ambiance. Thank you for sharing this.

Originally Posted by JoshMachine

Mandu. Mandavgad. Mandava.

I did not know of this place at all. Thank you for introducing this place through your travelogue. It is always a lot of fun to read about new and unknown places, and I enjoyed reading this too.

[rideon74]

Thanks for sharing your travelogue. Nice pics and an easy read. I'd never heard of this place. The architecture of the bygone era must be mesmerizing when experienced personally. Well, that adds one more location to my already long bucket list!

[nvn]

Great travelogue. Thanks for sharing. Very pleasing to see how clean everything everywhere is. And ofcourse the architecture is simply amazing.

[JoshMachine]

Originally Posted by Aditya

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks Aditya!

Originally Posted by Dr.AD

Very nice travelogue and nice photographs too! The photos give a good feel of the place and the ambiance. Thank you for sharing this.
--
I did not know of this place at all. Thank you for introducing this place through your travelogue. It is always a lot of fun to read about new and unknown places, and I enjoyed reading this too.

Thanks Dr.! Humbled to read these kind words from yourself, who has set the benchmark for drives and travelogues on the forum.

Mandu is quite a lovely place to visit in M.P.
Just like the rest of the state, this town's beauty and charm is also understated.

Originally Posted by rideon74

Thanks for sharing your travelogue. Nice pics and an easy read. I'd never heard of this place. The architecture of the bygone era must be mesmerizing when experienced personally. Well, that adds one more location to my already long bucket list!

Thanks! You said it absolutely right, witnessing the architectural (=engineering) marvels in person, is a treat to the eyes.
Mandu is highly recommended to visit, specially just after monsoons when the lakes are likely to be full with water and surrounded by lush greenery.

Originally Posted by nvn

Great travelogue. Thanks for sharing. Very pleasing to see how clean everything everywhere is. And ofcourse the architecture is simply amazing.

Thanks!
Indeed, very pleasantly surprising to see the level of cleanliness and due care being accorded. Credit goes to the M.P Tourism authorities to keep it that way. The govt is quite diligent about not allowing snacks/street food at most of the designated places.

[nvn]

Originally Posted by JoshMachine

Thanks!
Indeed, very pleasantly surprising to see the level of cleanliness and due care being accorded. Credit goes to the M.P Tourism authorities to keep it that way. The govt is quite diligent about not allowing snacks/street food at most of the designated places.

Great to here about the MP Tourism actions and kudos to them. Hope the best practices get shared and implemented at other places too.

[vineetklkrn]

Thanks for sharing the travelogue. Very well written. The architecture is stunning and so is the photography and narration!

[sandeepsc]

Thanks for intrducing this unique historical place. I had just heard about this place but not knowing that it has such magnificiant architecture. Your narration and photos has generated curiocity to visit this place. One more place added to my bucket list. I have heard a lot about great street food available in and around Indore. Have you tried them also? Thanks for sharing with us.

[nitin_knw]

Originally Posted by JoshMachine

Mandu. Mandavgad. Mandava.

The magical "mahal ka shahar" located in Madhya Pradesh goes by many names. For the common tourist, it may not matter much.
What matters and actually captivates, is the mesmerizing, magic-like, mystic environs of the place.

We visited this place couple of weeks ago in Feb'22 while on a trip to Bhopal. Actually, we considered this as a sequel to our previous (A chilled-out road trip to Bhopal) travelogue, except this time round we travelled from Pune to Bhopal on an Airbus' 10 wheels, not the 4 of our beloved Vento.

Mandu is so much draped in rich and vivid history that it is difficult and probably not fair, to cover all of it in a single travelogue.

So, I would describe our trip to Mandu in the form of a photologue instead, interspersed with some pics that I merrily clicked along the way.

Sample the below sunset mellow, for example. A moment like this makes you want to pause everything around you, soak in everything what you see and just remain still!

Attachment 2284870

Another sample:

Attachment 2284869

This is like a visual labyrinth. The more you look at it, the more you get engrossed in its beauty. And just imagine if you are actually standing in front of it, in real!

More of such, in the posts below.
With some historical ‘seasoning’ added at various places, in an attempt to make the thread more delectable.

Wonderful post, the architecture is really amazing at Mandu, got a chance to visit in December 2021 luckily it was during the ongoing Mandu festival with lot of adventure activities going on.