High on the Vindhya hills in Madhya Pradesh lies Mandu, a city that feels as if it has stepped out of both history and legend. Surrounded by valleys, lakes, and rolling mist, Mandu is not just a collection of ruins but a place where stories of joy, music, and romance still echo in the silence of stone. Once the proud capital of kings and sultans, it later became a retreat for artists, poets, and dreamers. Today, when you walk through its gates and along its old walls, you can almost hear laughter, music, and whispers of love carried by the wind.The name Mandu comes from the ancient word Mandapa-durga, meaning a citadel on a hill. True to its name, the city is ringed by strong fortifications with grand gateways that once welcomed traders, travellers, and kings. Inside these walls, however, lies a city that was far from stern or severe. Mandu was celebrated as the “City of Joy,” a place where rulers balanced duty with the pleasures of music, poetry, and companionship. Walking through the ruins today, you notice that every building seems to tell two stories at once: one of power and protection, and another of beauty and celebration.At the heart of Mandu stands its most famous monument, the Jahaz Mahal. This long, graceful palace was built between two lakes, and from a distance it looks exactly like a ship floating on water. Standing on its terrace as the sun sets, it is not difficult to imagine why the sultans once filled it with musicians, poets, and courtiers. The walls are lined with delicate carvings, the corridors open wide to the breeze, and hidden water channels were designed to keep the palace cool in summer. It was more than a building; it was a stage set for evenings of performance and leisure, with the reflection of the moon shimmering on the waters on both sides.But Mandu is not remembered only for its palaces. It is also home to one of India’s most poignant love stories—that of Baz Bahadur, the last independent ruler of the city, and Roopmati, a gifted singer. Baz Bahadur was a warrior who loved music as deeply as battle. When he first heard Roopmati’s voice, he was enchanted. Their love story is said to have blossomed amid Mandu’s gardens and courtyards. Yet Roopmati had one condition before she would marry him: she wanted to be able to see the sacred Narmada River every day. To fulfil her wish, Baz Bahadur built her a pavilion high on a cliff, from where she could gaze at the river’s silver ribbon winding through the valley below. For a time, they lived happily in Mandu, surrounded by music and poetry. But history had other plans. When the Mughal army attacked, Baz Bahadur fled, and Roopmati, refusing to be captured, chose death over defeat. The ruins of Baz Bahadur’s Palace and Roopmati’s Pavilion still face one another across the hills, silent but enduring reminders of their romance.Elsewhere in Mandu, the Jama Masjid rises with domes and arches inspired by the great mosque of Damascus. Its vast courtyard still echoes with the footsteps of pilgrims, though centuries have passed since prayers first filled its air. The Hindola Mahal, or Swing Palace, with its sloping walls, creates the illusion of movement as though the building itself were swaying. Inside, the acoustics are so finely tuned that a clap or chant can be heard across the hall with dramatic effect, as if the walls themselves had been built to sing. Mandu’s builders understood sound and space in a way that feels almost modern, and these experiments with architecture give the city a distinct personality.Nature plays as much a role in Mandu’s charm as its monuments. The monsoon season transforms it into a dreamscape. Clouds drift low over the palaces, often swallowing them whole. Waterfalls rush down the cliffs, and the lakes swell with rain. For visitors, walking through Mandu in the rains feels like stepping into a fairytale where walls disappear into mist and the past seems closer than ever. In winter, the air is crisp, and the views stretch endlessly over the Narmada valley. Even in summer, breezes run through the hilltop city, cooling its courtyards. Perhaps this is why Mandu has always been seen as a city of joy—a place where nature and architecture blend so seamlessly that one cannot be imagined without the other.Even today, Mandu’s legacy is carried forward in folk songs sung in Madhya Pradesh. They speak of Roopmati’s voice, of Baz Bahadur’s devotion, of palaces that looked like ships, and of rains that turned stone into magic..The city of joyMandu earned this name because its rulers loved poetry, music, and especially the rains, which made the whole city sparkle..A love story rememberedBaz Bahadur and Rani Roopmati’s romance is still told in songs, and her pavilion overlooks the Narmada River..A city of thousandsAt its peak, Mandu had over 3,000 structures—palaces, stepwells, mosques, and gardens spread across the hills..Cool stables for giantsSpecial underground rooms were built to keep royal elephants cool during the hot summers..Before the MughalsMandu flourished under the Malwa Sultans in the 15th and 16th centuries, long before the Mughals ruled Delhi..A city within wallsMandu’s fortifications stretch nearly 37 kilometres, enclosing not just palaces but villages, tanks, and farmland..Water everywhereStepwells, tanks, and reservoirs were built all across Mandu, turning it into one of the most water-rich hill forts in India..The swinging wallsThe Hindola Mahal has sloping walls that carry sound in unusual ways, making even whispers travel..A palace that sailsThe Jahaz Mahal was built between two lakes, making it look like a ship floating on water.
