The ‘City of Joy’ Mandu embodies the love of the poet-prince Baz Bahadur for his beautiful consort Rani Roopmati; her pavilion, high on the crest of a hill, still overlooks his magnificent palace, and the balladeers of the region still sing about their love.
The Malwa Sultans built exquisite palaces such as the Jahaz Mahal and the Hindola Mahal as well as ornamental canals, baths and pavilions. Under the Mughals, Mandu became a pleasure resort; with its many lakes and palaces, celebrations were extravagant, and the prevailing spirit was of gaiety.
The mosques, tombs, palaces, tanks and pavilions of Mandu are architectural gems. A majority of the standing monuments at Mandu were raised between AD 1410 and 1526, when the Muslim kings of Malwa ruled independently from Mandu. The main buildings include Dilawar Khan’s mosque, Hindola Mahal, Jahaz Mahal, tomb of Hushang Shah, Jami Masjid, Madrasa or Ashrafi Mahal, Malik Mughith’s mosque, Baz Bahadur’s palace, Rupmati’s pavilion and Darya Khan’s tomb.
The massive Jami Masjid and Hoshang Shah’s Tomb which is said to have provided inspiration to the builders of the Taj Mahal.
Explore the rich history and stories that surround the buildings in the royal enclosure – the Champa Baoli, Dilawar Khan’s Mosque, Nahar Jharokha, the Ujali (bright) and Andheri (dark) Baolis, Gada Shah’s Shop and House, and Taveli Mahal.
