Mandu, a city of Forts, is situated at an elevation of 633 M (2079 feet) and extends for 13 km (8 miles) along the crest of the Vindhya Range, overlooking the plateau of Malwa to the north and the valley of the Narmada River to the south. It is surrounded by a long 45 km wall and also surrounded by hilly rivers. Kakra Khoh or deep narrow ravine has separated Mandu from the mountain.

Mandu is 19 km away from Gurjari and 95 km away from Indore on the National Highway linking Mumbai with Agra/ Delhi. The buses ply betwen Mandu and Ahmedabad / Vadodara of Gujrat via Dhar 35 km away on Ahmadabad –Indore highway. The nearest Airport is Indore 100 km away.

History: Ananda Deo Rajput founded Mandapa-Durga in 590 AD, i.e. a dais for the Goddess Durga on the high ridge of Vindhya mountain, the place was later on named as Mandabgarh or Mandu. The fort also came up in the beginning of the 6^th century.

Hindu King Bhuj (1010 -1042) founded Mandu as a retreat in the 10^th century. In the 11^th century Parmar Kings founded Malwa as a separate kingdom forming Mandu as its capital. The place was called Mandabgarh. Mandu's old name was also "Shadiabad" meaning the city of happiness (Anand Nagari), the name was given by then ruler Allauddin Khilji. During its time of prosperity, there was nobody poor in the city. Any poor permitted to stay in the city was donated a brick and a gold coin each by the residents of the city so as to bring him / her at par with others. The live example is "Dai Ka Mahal" which was built by a poor old woman on joining the city.

In 1227 Iltutmis and in 1293 Jalauddin conquered the surrounding area of Mandu but Mandu was under the control of the Hindu king. In 1304 Malwa along with Mandu went under the control of Ghori & Khilji. Hosang Shah the son of Dilwar, after being enthroned in 1405 shifted his capital from Dhar to Mandu and declared himself as Hosang Shah Ghori. Thereafter, Mahmud Shah Khilji captured Mandu in 1436. During his rule of 33 yrs Hindu, Jain & Muslim cultures gained momentum as he was a great patron of art & culture. In 1526 Bahadur Shah of Gujarat captured Mandu defeating Mahmud. In 1534 Mughal emperor Humayun snatched mandu from the clutches of Bahadur Shah. After much ups & down, in 1554 Malik Bayajid a notable musician & son of Suja, became the king of Mandu and named himself as Baj Bahadur. Akbar conquered Mandu in 1561. In 1732 Mandu went into the hands of the Marathas and the capital shifted over to Dhar.

The town:

Central Group: The marble fort Asrafi Mahal was built by Mahmud Shah, and defeating Rana Kumbha of Mewar. A tomb (152ft high) like a replica of Chittor (of Rajasthan State) is found there. Beside bus stand there is Ram Temple built in 957 Sangbat and there are idols of Ram-Lakshman-Sita.

Royal Group: To the west of the village crossing Elephant Bridge, a little ahead there are the Spartan Lohani Caves of Royal Enclave Group. They were excavated in about the eleventh or twelfth century A.D. In plan they represent a few rock-cut cells meant primarily for residence, perhaps for "Shiva Yogis" (Yogins). The local museum at Dharmasala attached to Hoshang’s tomb exhibits some sculptures of those period or prior to that

In the midst of 2 artificial lakes, Manja Kapur is situated Ship Palace or Jahaz Mahal, a ship-shaped 2 storeyed palace over 120x15m.

A little further is Hindola Mahal (1425 AD) or Swing Palace built by Sultan Ghiyasud-din Khilji –a meeting place of their subjects and citizens and the palace is made of sand stone.Hindu God & Goddess are portrayed and painted on the walls of this Mahal.

Out of the ruined mahals, Roopmati Mahal or the 6.5m deep Champa Baoli (well) is to the north of Munja lake. Beside there is Makbara or Mosque of Dilwara Khan built in 1405. The ruins of Jal Mahal, built by Jahangir, are situated on the left.

Rewa Kund Group: Crossing Sagar Talao to the south of bus stand, there is Roopmati Pavilion founded by Baj Bahadur in Afghan style of architecture. It has 2 Chabutara or high tombs to watch and observe movements of the enemy.

Beside on the slope of the hill, Baj Bahadur built Rewa Kund to supply water to the palace, an extraordinary blend of Rajasthani–Mughal architecture adjacent to kunda.

In 1561 AD, Akbar undertook the conquest of Malwa which had been interrupted by the events leading to Bairam Khan’s downfall. Bairam Khan was the guardian of minor Mughul ruler Akbar. The choice of commanders was unfortunate and proves the unmistakable influence of Maham Anaga (the chief nurse of the emperor who had risked her life when the prince was thrown open to the gun shots of Mirza Kamran at Kabul) and the harem party. The Mughal army led by the Adam Khan, his foster mother’s son and Pir Muhammad Khan invaded Malwa and marched unopposed to Sarangpur where at last the musician-king Baz Bahadur, a voluptuary par excellence, gave battle but, deserted by his Afgan officers who were discontented was easily defeated by the superior army of Akbar and put to flight (29 March, 1561). All his treasures, elephants and his harem fell into the hands of the victors but his beloved the famous Rupmati, the romantic theme of artists and poets, took poison to evade the clutches of ‘her conqueror rude’. The two commanders who according to Badauni, considered human beings as ‘leeks, cucumbers and radishes’, perpetrated acts of Barbaric cruelty, massacring the prisoners and putting to death even their wives and children –not even sparing Sayyids and holy men with copies of the Quran in their hands, as Badauni expresses with righteous indignation. Adam Khan, puffed up with pride at his easy success, behaved as if he were independent. He sent to the emperor a report of his victory and only a few elephants, himself appropriating the rest of the spoils. Akbar resented this insolence and personally marched to Sarangpur to punish the delinquent who being taken by surprise, surrendered to the emperor. Adham Khan was excused through the intercession of Maham Anaga who did not hesitate to kill two innocent girls of Bahadur’s harem as they were witnesses to her son’s scandalous conduct. Though not immediately, Adham Khan was recalled from Malwa and Akbar made over the command to Pir Muhammad who reduced Bajigarh with general massacare and then invaded Khandesh where Baz Bahadur had taken refuge. He captured the fort of Asirgarh and proceeded as far as Burhanpur, massacaring or enslaving the people and destroying towns and villages on the way, but was defeated by the coalition of three powers: Mubarak Khan of Khandesh, Baz Bahadur and Tufal Khan, the de facto ruler of Berar. As he was retreating towards Malwa he was drowned while crossing the Narmada, the just retribution for the sighs of the orphans, the weak and the captives, as Badauni affirms. The confederate army pursued the Mughuls and drove them out of Malwa, and Bahadur recovered his kingdom. In 1562 a second army sent by Akbar under ‘Abdullah Khan’, the Uzbeg, invaded Malwa and compelled Baz Bahadur to flee to Chitor. “Abdullah Khan took Mandu and restored Mughul authority in Malwa. Baz Bahadur remained a fugitive at various courts until November, 1570 when surrendered to Akbar at Nagaur and joined his service.

Other Monuments: Nilkanth Palace of the 16^th century, made of red stone is simply unchallenging. Water palace was built on old Shiva temple by Mughal Governor Shah Badgah khan for the Hindu Queen of Akbar. This Mughal palace surrounded by the water of Sagar Talao was a favourite of Jahangir. Bajirao 1 won Mandu in 1732 and made it a Hindu Temple of Lord Shiva after through renovation. The temple is shaded under the African Baobab tree. There is an Echo Point, on the bank of Sagar Talao. If you say something aloud, your last word resonates in the hills.

The latest attraction of Mandu is Malab or Malab festival in the end of winter.

Mandu is also famous for its special kind of tamarind known as Mandu ki Imli, the fruit looks like a papaya. The second famous fruit of the Mandu is "Khirani", a yellow coloured fruit also known as "Mandu ka Mewa".

Last Updated on Tuesday, 19 January 2010 21:32