The Royal Enclosure north of Mandu is the prime attraction. Everything about this enclave is majestic and regal, from the lakes to the palaces to spas and even an opera theatre. The splendid architecture and water management mechanism are a testimony to how advanced the makers were in design and engineering. Watching the sheer size and attention given to constructing these structures will leave you awed and amazed. It will also provide a glimpse of the luxurious lives these royals enjoyed. The Ghuri and Khalji dynasties built this monument group from 1320 to 1531. In a span of two centuries, Mandu saw a unique mix of architecture and got the nickname ‘City of Joy.’ Read on to know how we explored the Mandu Royal Enclosure Monuments.
Munj and Kapur Lakes
After purchasing entry tickets, we enter the Royal Enclosure. The Jahaz Mahal, with lakes on either side, grabs our attention. (More on Jahaz Mahal later.) Mandu has no river, plus since it is located at a height of 2000 feet, finding groundwater was difficult, explains our guide, Javed. Every drop of water was precious and needed to be conserved. The Mandu kings were brilliant in finding a solution. They used rainwater harvesting techniques and constructed and engineered their lakes and wells so that there was no wastage or shortage of water.
The Kapur Lake and Munj Lake are two artificial lakes in Royal Enclosure. The former gets its name from the camphor that was burnt to prevent mosquito breeding and the latter from Raja Munj, who constructed it. Channels interconnect the two lakes on either side of Jahaz Mahal. This mechanism ensured there was no overflowing of lakes, the water level in both the lakes was the same, and water wasn’t wasted, explains Javed. The reflection of the Jahaz Mahal in the lakes makes for a beautiful sight. The Jal Mahal is located inside Munj Mahal.
Taveli Mahal
On entering the Royal complex, the Taveli Mahal is on the immediate right. It was the ‘Tabela’ or stable and, over time, became known as ‘Taveli’. It is a ground plus one structure, which eventually got converted to a guest house and a museum. The lower floor houses a museum. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had stayed in one of the upper floor rooms.
Jahaz Mahal or Ship Palace
Mandu is not near the coast, but that didn’t stop the erstwhile royals from building a ship palace for themselves. The Jahaz Mahal or Ship Palace was as close to a cruise ride as the royals could have in a bygone era. They built the palace between two artificial lakes so that one would get a feel of being on a ship or cruise from the top floor! Ghiyas-ud-din Khalji built the Jahaz Mahal from 1469-1500. He is said to have had 1500 women in his harem! The Ship Palace was the Harem or Pleasure Palace!
The two-storeyed Jahaz Mahal is an elongated building measuring 110 meters in length, 15 meters in breadth and 9.7 metres in height. One can enter the palace’s lower floor from a marble gateway. There are rooms with lofty arches that merge into the domes. There is a tortoise-shaped pool, the ‘pleasure pool’ for the king and his innumerable women.
A grand flight of stairs takes one to the terrace or deck of the Ship Palace/Jahaz Mahal. On the terrace are umbrella-shaped pavilions, swimming pools, spiral snake-shaped aqua ducts… We get an aerial view of the royal enclosure and its structures: the Taveli Mahal, The two lakes, the Hindola Mahal and the royal palace. If you haven’t been on a cruise, here is your chance to get a vicarious experience.
Grinder Machine
Javed shows a grinding machine used to prepare the raw materials to restore the monuments. A circular channel with a pole like a clock arm has a disc-shaped grinder. The bulls move the grinder, and raw materials are ground in the channel.
Close by are fields with water channels. Javed explains the water harvesting, storage and filtration system that ensures no water is wasted and clean water is available for use.
Hindola Mahal
The Hindola Mahal or Swinging Mahal is so called because its sloping walls give one the feeling that one is on a swing. It served as Diwan-e-Khas or Hall for Private Audience. The ground plus one structure is in a T-shape. Its roof has given way. We see six lofty arches with light filtering through the open top. On a wall is a Jharokha/Balcony where the king sat. There are arched-shaped lattice windows on the upper floor. Javed explains that since royal women were in purdah(veil), this arrangement allowed them to see the proceedings inside the Diwan-e-Khas without the audience seeing them. We could almost visualise the king sitting and watching the going Ons in the palace. Was some important matter being discussed, perhaps an emissary from another city/country visiting or maybe a dance recital…
Mandu Royal Palace
Next, we head to the Royal Palace, a maze of ruins. Without our guide, we wouldn’t know each of these structures and their function. The complex houses the naturally airconditioned underground cells, secret labyrinths, hamam/spa, the theatre, wells and numerous other structures.
Champa Baoli
The waters of this well had the fragrance of the Champa flower, hence the name Champa Baoli. An underground passage from the well is connected to the tehkhanas/underground cells. This mechanism helped keep the palace cool.
Tehkhanas/Underground Cellars
Next, Javed takes us to a three-story palace building with two stories underground and one at ground level. One might think the tehkhanas/underground cellars would be hot, suffocating and dark. But they were constructed so that they remained cool even in summer. I fear stepping down in the tehkhanas as the stench of bat droppings is a put-off and conjures horrific images. But Javed assures us it is not as bad as we imagine, and we follow him. There are arch-shaped passages with light entering from openings on the side. ASI has shut the cellars below this level to the public.
Hammam
Who doesn’t like a day at the spa when massages, sauna steam, fragrant oils and warm baths pamper one? The Hammam served this very function for the royals in the bygone days. We visit the Hammam, which has dome-shaped structures on the top. Javed points to the ceiling and explains the functioning of the hammam. There are holes in the dome from where light filters in. There is a fireplace where coal was burned, and the heat generated would convert the water into steam. Through channels and holes in walls, the steam would enter the hammam. There were bathing pools with openings for warm and cold water to enter. One can only imagine a day at the hammam would have been like.
Opera Theatre
We next head to what Javed describes as the theatre where plays and operas were staged. In front of us is a raised platform that served as a stage with three large circular openings on a wall at the back. The light from these openings served as natural spotlights. On either side of the stage were the green rooms. In front of the stage was an open courtyard where the audience assembled to watch the performances, explains Javed. What a life these royals led- Massages, royal baths, theatre…
Jal Mahal
We next head to the Jal Mahal, or Water Palace, in Munj Lake. It was the monsoon retreat for the royals, explains Javed. It was also where the travelling guests stayed. We see ruins of what was a palace building, flower-shaped swimming pools, water tanks, and fountains. These royals of yesteryears indeed put water to good use!
Javed takes us back to the Jahaz Mahal, and that’s where we end our tour with him for the day. (We continued exploring the Sagar Talao group of monuments after this, which you can read about here.)Light has been playing hide and seek with us as the sky is overcast with clouds. Rafiq decides to come the next day to get some good shots of the monuments, hopefully with better light. We also realise that there are some monuments which we hadn’t covered. So, the following day, we again visited the Royal Enclosure. Here is an account of what we explored the following day.
Nahar Jharokha
Tiger Balcony/Window is the literal translation for Nahar Jharokha. Near Hindola Mahal is a square platform with a fragmented balcony. Behind the balcony is two two-storeyed building. There is a Mughal garden with water channels. Close by is a water fountain in a square. So, what was the purpose of the Nahar Jharokha? It was customary for the kings to come on the balcony every morning and give an audience to the commoners. The king showed up for the general public assembled for his darshan. Mughal emperor Jahangir started this tradition, and he built this structure.
Dilawar Khan’s Mosque
Located close to the Royal Palace is Dilawar Khan’s Mosque. Dilawar Khan, the first Muslim king of Mandu built the mosque in 1405 . There is a central courtyard with pillared corridors on all four sides. The pillars have carvings as one sees in temples. The western wall has the Mirhab. The mihrab is in the direction of Mecca, so the faithful face the mihrab and offer prayers.
Gada Shah Mahal
Who is Gada Shah? What does Gada Shah mean? ‘Gada’ means ‘beggar’, and ‘Shah’ means ‘master.’ So a literal translation in English means ‘Beggar Master’, an oxymoron! Some believe that Gada Shah was Medini Ray, a Rajput chief who worked for Sultan Mahmud II and eventually became an important figure.
Gada Shah Mahal was the home of this Rajput chief. It is a two-storey building with arched doors. There are rooms on both floors. In front of the two-storey building is an octagonal platform with crumbled pillars.
Gada Shah’s Shop
While the Hindola Mahal was the Diwan-e Aam or House of Private Audience, the Gada Shah’s Shop was the Diwan-e-Khas or ‘Hall of Public Audience.’ Authorities have restored the Hindola Mahal but Gada Shah’s Shop structure is in ruins. The structure’s roof has given way, and what is left now are lofty arches and parts of the walls with arches and niches. A pre-wedding shoot is in progress here.
Ujala and Andheri Baolis
‘Ujala’ means ‘light or bright’, and ‘Andheri’ means ‘dark’ in English. There are two wells close to each other. The Ujala Baoli is a stepwell open to the sky and bright as there is light. Women are washing clothes on the steps that lead to the well. There is an umbrella-shaped pavilion on one of the corners of the stepwell.
A few feet away is a covered square-shaped structure with arches. There is a circular opening on the roof from where water is drawn. This is the Andheri Baoli.
Light and Sound show
If you plan to stay overnight in Mandu, do watch the light and sound show.
Mandu Royal Enclosure Monuments have left us spellbound with its grand palaces, water harvesting system, and regal buildings. One can almost walk back in time, imagining the king and his 1500 women frolicking in the pleasure houses. No wonder people called Mandu the City of Joy!
Without access to modern technology, these kings had succeeded in making state-of-the-art wells, palaces, and amenities, which would be difficult to replicate today, even with technological advances. We have lots to learn from them about rainwater harvesting, for sure. If you’re short on time, the Royal Enclosure should be the first on your list of monuments to visit in Mandu.
You can read about the Sagar Talao Group of Monuments here. End of Part 4 of 5. Read Part 5 here.
GETTING THERE
Nearest Airport: The nearest airport to Mandu is the Devi Ahiliyabai Holkar Airport in Indore, with connectivity to major cities in India.
Distances:
Mandu- Indore: 85 km or 2 hours 15 mins.
Mandu- Maheshwar: 40 km or 1 hour.
Where to stay: We stayed at the MPT Malwa by Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation. You can do a net search for hotels depending on budget and comfort.
Guide Details: Javed 7748072889
Travel Tip: Wear comfortable shoes and a hat as there will be considerable walking in the sun. Carry water bottles to keep yourself hydrated. You will need at least two days to explore Mandu, so plan your trip well.
Other Mandu Blogs on ‘So Many Travel Tales’
Mandu Sagar Talao Group of Monuments
Mandu – Rewa Kund Group Monuments
Mandu – Group of Monuments between Sagar Talao and Village
Mandu – Village Group Monuments