Mandu sparks joy

This offbeat gem in Madhya Pradesh overwhelms with its history, architecture, tranquillity and romantic air, writes Manjulika Pramod

Jali Mahal

Jahaz Mahal

Last year, the pandemic had resulted in no travels, loss in hospitality and unemployment. Now seems to be a good time to revive the sector. After caution and trepidation, I started my travels by visiting Mandu, an architectural legacy of Madhya Pradesh, an offbeat gem of India.

The three-day Mandu festival was exemplary in its theme and intention. It not only showcased the hill town differently but also identified the immense potential of rural tourism in India.

It is very true that the more one unravels Mandu, aka Shadiabad or the ‘City of Joy’, the more one craves for it. Historically resplendent and singularly beautiful, Mandu is a treasure trove of stories of medieval times. At first, it appears as a regular destination but it soon wins over you with mystique and romance. The hill town springs many surprises with its innumerable water bodies, deep ravines, beautiful vistas, green valleys and stunning architectural wonders. There was a time when this region used to be heavily populated with over nine lakh people. But today, merely 15,000 or lesser people live here. However, its monuments still sing the magnanimous tales of its yesteryears.

Mandu is blessed with a vantage location. On the crest of Vindhyan ranges, with rocky outcrops on all sides and the Narmada Valley as a natural protector, it emerged as the safest and favourite seat of many ambitious Maharajas, Sultans and rulers of Malwa. Over the years, it became a powerful seat in Central India and witnessed a boom in fortifications, trade and commerce.

Some historians suggest that Mandu used to be a major pilgrimage for the Jain community. There are evidences that in the 6th Century C.E, it was called ‘Mandapadurga’, inspiring the name Mandu. In the medieval period, Malwa plateau and Dhar region shot into the limelight when the Paramaras moved their capital to Mandu. The Lohani caves, Shiva temples and some of the talaos and kunds depict the splendour of those times. Later, it thrived under the Sultans, who built many monuments and mosques in Mandu. There came a time when this enchanting medieval town shone at its glorious best, within its fortified walls and came to be known as Shadiabad, or the ‘City of joy’.

Mandu overwhelmed me with its history, architecture, tranquillity and romantic air. It enhanced my love and admiration for the rich heritage of India. The pictures of its handsome Boabab trees, humble village settings and the interesting notes about its monuments will always be my best takeaway from there.

I was bewildered to learn that Mandu has more than 3,000 small and big monuments in a mere 29 square metres and each of them is a revelation of sorts. A local guide helped me discover some of the bedazzling facts, for instance, the Jami Masjid, a beauty in red sandstone was inspired by the great mosque of Istanbul. The Jahaz Mahal, the 120-metre-long palace built between two artificial lakes, Munj Talao and Kapur Talao looks like a floating ship in the monsoon. The impressive Hindola Mahal or the ‘swing palace’, a one-of-its-kind building, has no foundation but sloping outer walls. The tomb of Hoshang Shah is India’s first marble tomb and when Shah Jahan learned about it, he had sent his architect Ustad Hamid to look into its architectural intricacies to replicate it for Taj Mahal. And of course, no visit to Mandu is complete without visiting Rupmati’s pavilion and Baz Bahadur’s Palace, to relive their tragic love saga.