Mandu
A fortified plateau city of pavilions, tanks and tombs, built for pleasure and abandoned to the monsoon.
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Mandu occupies a plateau in the Vindhyas ringed by a wall some thirty-seven kilometres long, and its buildings, mostly fifteenth and sixteenth century under the Malwa sultans, were designed around water and air: the Jahaz Mahal, a long narrow palace between two tanks so it appears to float; Hindola Mahal with sloping buttressed walls; Rupmati's pavilion on the escarpment, from which the Narmada can be seen far below; and the Jami Masjid and Hoshang Shah's tomb, an early marble mausoleum that the builders of the Taj Mahal are recorded as having studied. The monsoon is when it comes into its own.
What you actually see
- Jahaz Mahal - the ship palace between two tanks.
- Hoshang Shah's tomb - an early marble mausoleum studied by Taj builders.
- Rupmati's pavilion - a hilltop pavilion overlooking the Narmada valley.
- The tanks and baolis - the water system the city was built around.
When to go
July to March; unusually for India, the monsoon is a good season here, when the plateau greens and the tanks fill, which is what the architecture was designed for. April to June is severe.
Honest expectations
Monuments are spread over a large plateau and a vehicle or bicycle is needed. Several groups charge separately. Facilities are limited and accommodation basic.
Nearby
Maheshwar lies south; Indore is northeast.
What to pack for Mandu
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
