Mandu and Maheshwar are two gems of Madhya Pradesh. Maheshwar is situated on the bank of river Narmada and Mandu is endowed with a very attractive natural scenery, the best of Mandu is further enhanced by about a dozen lakes and ponds interspersed on it probably the reason why the city, enclosed within its fort walls when in its prime was called by the Muslim rulers as Shadiabad (The City Of Joy).
Mumbai - Mandu - Maheshwar - Mumbai
To start with the trip I would recommend doing Mandu first. Indore is the nearest city to Mandu and Indore has an airport which is 84 kms away and takes 2 hours to reach Mandu. So plan your trip in a way that you reach Indore first and then make your way to Mandu. But, the flights to Indore will be costly which can raise your travel expenses by a great deal.
The cheapest and most convenient way to reach Indore is by train. Due to train connectivity, it makes sense to either explore Mandu and Maheshwar on two weekends from Mumbai or you can combine trips over a long weekend (Like I did). By train, it will take 14 to 15 hours to Indore from Mumbai.
From Mumbai, you can take 12961 Avantika Express on Friday from Mumbai Central at 07:10 PM and will reach Indore the next day around 09:15 AM.
For the return journey from Indore, you can take 12962 Avantika Express on Monday leaves from Indore at 04:15 PM and will reach Mumbai Central the next day early morning around 06:10 AM
Indore to Mandu
Local Bus Services: Mandu is well connected from Indore and Dhar. From Indore, there are few direct buses to Mandu. You need to check for it at the Gangwal Bus Stand or Sarawate Bus Stand. Alternatively one can take a break journey to Dhar and from Dhar, there are regular buses and even local transport which goes to Mandu. Most importantly bus frequency to Dhar is must better than the direct bus frequency to Mandu. As per locals, there are hardly 2-3 direct buses from Indore to Mandu.
Hire A Cab: Probably one of the most expensive options as it can easily cost you around ₹5000 to ₹6000. If you are 3-4 people then you can consider this option but if you are travelling solo or in a group of two, then this will again be a little expensive.
Two Wheeler: The road between Indore to Madu is in good condition, so driving to Mandu makes sense. So you can hire a bike/scooty in Indore. This is perfect for solo travellers and budget travellers. A scooty or bike will cost you around ₹2000 to ₹3000 for 3 days. However, make sure you have your driving license with you.
Where to Stay?
Malwa Resort is a property of MPT (Madhya Pradesh Tourism) located in the centre part of the town which makes it an ideal place to stay. Base category rooms will cost you around ₹3500 per room/night. Apart from the fabulous view of Sagar Lake from the room, you must check for "Puri Bhaji" at breakfast. They make amazing Puri Bhaji.
If you are travelling in a group of 8-10 people you can also check out Malwa Retreat another property of MPT (Madhya Pradesh Tourism), which has a dormitory. Including breakfast per bed will cost you ₹ 550 per night.
Day One: Magical Mandu
If you have travelled to Mandu by hired cab or bike you don't need to worry about local transport. But would recommend exploring the town on a cycle. You can easily get a cycle on rent at the bus stand or the Main Market area. Simply, you can just request your hotel front desk to arrange it, they will surely do it.
Apart from a few isolated ruins, Mandu are clustered around a small area. The first thing that you will notice is the Alamgir Darwaza one of the twelve ghats of the Mandu Fort.
The archaeological sites of Mandu can be classified into five broad groups:
Apart from these major groups, there are several scattered archaeological sites all over Mandu. There are also several gateways leading to the fortified medieval settlement of Mandu.
On day one you can easily cover the first two groups. So let's start with -
Sagar Talao Group
MPT Malwa Resort is also categorized under the Sagar Talao Group.
Echo Point
At just a walking distance from the hotel is the Echo Point on the road where a fine echo can be heard because of the deep and wooded valley below.
Dai-Ka-Mahal (Gumbad)
Dai Ka Mahal is the tomb of a royal wet nurse situated in a basement. The basement has arched openings towards the western side and the remains of circular towers on the southeastern and northeastern corners. It is said that these once supported lovely pavilions
which were in level with the floor of the tomb. The notable feature of this tomb is the elongated octagonal neck of the dome enclosed by an ornamental parapet with "guldastas" or tiny kiosks encircling the drum. This is a feature rarely found in Mandu but common in the architecture of the Deccan.
Dai-Ki-Chhoti Behan Ka Mahal (Gumbad)
Other than the Dai Ka Mahal, the Dai ki Chotti Behen ki Mahal seems to reinforce the social strata of power that wet nurses enjoyed in Mandu.
Caravan Sarai
As the name states, this used to be used to provide shelters for travellers possibly. Usual Mughal Architecture with Pillared hallways and a huge courtyard. You can still distinctly see the rooms that were a part of this complex. It is dilapidated now and good for a few pictures of the facade
Malik Mughith's Mosque
The main entrance to the mosque is from a projecting porch on the east. Strong pillars once supported a dome that did not survive the ravages of time. Although the floor plan of the
porch is square this is transformed into an octagon towards the top, by arches built across the corners. The courtyard is surrounded by carved pillars taken from ruins of Hindu temples. The western colonnade- the prayer hall- is the most imposing with intricately carved niches in the wall which are inlaid with blue tiles and floral designs.
Entry Fees (Sagar Talao Group): No Fees
Timing: Sunrise to Sunset
Mandu Village Group
Gada Shah's Shop & House
If the size is a factor, Gada Shah’s shop is more than a shop. It could easily be classified as a medieval shopping mall. It’s a huge building, featuring tall walls and high arches. The roof at the middle of the building is collapsed and the only structure that remains here is the arch.
Gada Shah (Beggar King) is often thought to be the Rajput merchant-noble who lived in Mandu and flourished in the trade of ivory, saffron and musk.
Ujali Baodi
Ujala Baodi is beautiful and it has geometric steps. The steep steps lead to the base of the Baodi. It looks beautiful from the gazebo-like pavilion on its sides.
Tomb of Hoshang Shah
One corner of the Jama Masjid has a small opening, which goes towards another courtyard—Hoshang Shah’s Tomb. India's first marble structure is one of the most refined examples of Afghan architecture. Its unique features include the beautifully proportioned dome, intricate marble lattice work and porticoed courts and towers. It served as a template for the
construction of the Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan apparently sent his architects to study this building before they started working on the Taj. The imposing white dome of this tomb is adorned with a Crescent, which was imported from Mesopotamia. The inner walls are adorned with intricate stone jaalis (lattice) in interesting geometric patterns.
Jami Masjid
Designed like Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, the 15th-century Jama Masjid is a huge structure on a high plinth, featuring a dome, which is 17m in height.
Ashrafi Mahal
The term ‘mahal’ in Ashrafi Mahal is a misnomer, as it was not a palace but a madrasa built by Muhammad Shah that serves as his tomb. After a series of battles with Rana Kumbha of Mewar, which ended in a stalemate, Mohammad Shah built a seven-storeyed victory tower in
Ashrafi Mahal to commemorate his victory of which you can only see the ruins now. Rana Kumbha erected a tower in Chittod for the same war. As per the guide, the tower of the truth still stands in Chittor while the tower of the lie collapsed long back.
Entry Fee (Mandu Village Group): ₹ 25 per person (Indian) and ₹ 300 per person (foreigners).
Timing: Sunrise to Sunset
Sunset Point
One of the most iconic sunset points I have seen. Just be there on time and you can see the sun setting in the valley. The views are awesome and people are doing their pre-wedding photoshoots here. Too good a place to go, should not miss it.
Light & Sound show at Hindolo Mahal
Set against the magnificent backdrop of Hindola Mahal (Jahaz Mahal premises), a spectacular sound and light show will unfold the 1400-year-old history of the historic Mandu region in Madhya Pradesh.
Timing: 07:00 PM to 07:30 PM (Hindi) and 07:45 PM to 08:15 PM (English)
Entry: ₹ 200 per person
Day Two: Magical Mandu
Today will be covering the most visited and popular location in Mandu, so it is better to start the day earlier to beat the crowd.
Royal Enclave Group
Jahaz Mahal
The main building of the Royal Enclave Group is Jahaz Mahal (Ship Palace) the 110 m long and 15 m broad double-storeyed building is located on a narrow strip of land between the Munj Talao and Kapur Talao, giving the appearance of a ship floating on a lake built by
Sultan Ghiyathuddin Khalji in the later part of the 15th century. It served as a large harem for the sultan and accommodated a staggering 15,000 women. Later it also served as the residence of Noor Jahan, the favourite queen of Mughal Emperor Jahangir.
The southern end of the double-storied building has stairs leading directly to the terrace. The northern end of the terrace contains a swimming pool of floral design there is a similar pool just below it on the first floor. The terrace has two domed pavillion on the southern and northern ends of the long Jahaz Mahal. The northern pavillion is not at the very end of the terrace but just south of the swimming pool. The pavilions still contain blue and yellow tiles.
Hindu Baodi
The hilltop means no groundwater. So how did people live on this hill for thousands of years? Well, they had incredible water management and purifier systems for the royal family and people living inside the Palace. You can still see them in some shape, and believe me, each water management point will pleasantly surprise you.
Hindola Mahal
Hindola Mahal is also known as the Swinging Palace because its sidewalls slope considerably. This is a t-shaped two-storey solid-looking building. Thought to have been constructed by Ghiyathud-Din in the late 1400s A.D. as the Royal Assembly Hall, it has massive walls which were constructed leaning inwards to form buttresses in order to support
the heavy roof. Hence the impression that the building swings in the breeze. A steep ramp allowed the Sultan and his entourage to ride on elephants right up to the second storey. A T-shaped building was added at a later date and this had an upper storey which was used by the ladies of the court - access was by two different passages.
Hammam
The Hammam is situated within the Royal Palace complex and features several really interesting water features - including a sauna and the provision of hot and cold water for bathing. Much of the quite complex water system can still be clearly seen. This royal
hammam or hot bath is of Turkish style and was used by the royal persons. Its ceiling is decorated by beautiful stars that have been cut for light giving the appearance of a twinkling star, shining in the sky around a full moon at night and even in the daytime.
Champa Baodi
This is unique, it is a usual large well, fed by rainwater. The inside of Champa Bavdi is square while its wall is round with niches in it. The innovation lies in building multiple stories of living apartments surrounding this round wall. Believe it or not, there are four stories of living quarters of the palace surrounding this. The final level is almost at the level of Munj Talao. The buildings stay cool because of the Baodi next to them. The long corridors allow
the circulation of air. What an intelligent way to store water and make it work as an eco-friendly air conditioner. The name Champa comes from the fact that the well top looks like a Champa Flower.
Jal Mahal
Adjoining the Jahaz Mahal is the Jal Mahal or Water Palace, surrounded by water
Mughal Emperor Jahangir writes in his memoirs Jahangirnama: "What words of mine can describe the beauty of the grass and of the flowers? They clothe each hill and dale, each slope and plain. I know of no places so pleasant in climate and so pretty in scenery as Jal Mahal in rainy season"
Dilawar Khan Mosque
The Dilawar Khan's Mosque is the oldest building in the Royal Enclave and was built in 1405 and used stones and pillars from Hindu and Jain Temples which previously existed on the site. These are most evident on the main doorways and the collonaded hall.
Nahar Jharokha - Tiger Balcony
Built of marble, this Jharokha originally rested on an effigy of a tiger, hence the name Nahar Jharokha or Tiger Balcony.
Entry Fee (Royal Enclave Group): ₹ 25 per person (Indian) and ₹ 300 per person (foreigners).
Timing: Sunrise to Sunset
Darya Khan's Tomb Group
Hathi Mahal
The name Hathi Mahal for its building seems to have been given for its rather disproportionately massive pillars, looking like the legs of an elephant, supporting the high
dome above. It is planned like a bardari with three arched openings on each side.
Darya Khan's Tomb
Darya Khan ruled Mandu between 1510 AD to 1526 AD. He built the tomb himself and his body is stored there. The tomb is a grand specimen of Muslim art and architecture. It is
located between the Hosai Village and Rewa Kund. Square in shape and supported by enormous arches, it has walls exhibiting fine and intricate arrangement of tiles. Darya Khan's Tomb has been spaced around a large tank now called Somvati Kund.
Chhapan Mahal
Chappan Mahal Museum is a showcase of tribal arts and crafts and ancient artefacts. As a recent addition to the geography of Mandu. Although there are many monuments in Mandu, it becomes difficult to choose which place to visit. But this has a high historical value and has a good collection of items. It proved to be a memorable visit!
Entry Fee (Only for Chappan Mahal): ₹ 5 per person for Indian and other ₹ 25 per person
Timing: Sunrise to Sunset
Rewa Kund Group
Rewa Kund
This is an artificial lake/pond which was witness to the legendary love story of Roopmati and Baz Bahadur. It was constructed to ensure regular water to Rani Roopmati's Pavilion. As per local this place is now also used for Antim Sanskar - cremation ceremony under Hindu religion.
Baz Bahadur Palace
Baz Bahadur's Palace is situated on the slope of a hill amid picturesque nature. It was constructed in the early 16th century and is notable for its spacious courtyard fringed
with halls, and high terraces which give a terrific view of the lovely surrounding. The main palace consists of a spacious open court with halls and rooms on all four sides and a
beautiful cistern in its middle. On the terrace are seen two beautiful baradaris which provide an enchanting view of the surrounding country.
Rani Rupamati Pavillion
The original structure is actually a sandstone structure built as an army observation post. This can be clearly seen from the east which consists of a lower but massive hall with two rooms The corridors in these basements have a number of arched openings across their width to support the ceilings. The western area of the basement contains a large cistern to
which only rainwater could be supplied during monsoons by means of a channel running from the roof to the reservoir below.
Rani Rupamati Pavillion knows after Rupamati who used to come here daily for darshan of the sacred river Narmada.
Sunset at Rani Rupamati Pavillion
The beautiful landscape surrounding Rani Rupamati Pavillion gets bathed in the magical colours of the sunset. TRULY SPECTACULAR!
Entry Fees (Rewa Kund Group): ₹ 25 per person (Indian) and ₹ 300 per person (Foreigners)
Timing: Sunrise to Sunset
Day 3: Goodbye Mandu - Maheshwar Here We Come
Before saying goodbye to Mandu do try Mandu ki Imli aka Baobab fruit. Baobab is a native of Africa but grows abundantly in the Mandu. Sadly there are no records of exactly when the baobab trees were introduced in India. However as per the local guide, it was introduced in the Indian Sub-Continent by Arab traders.
You find makeshift stalls of Baobab juice and dried baobab pulp & seed in major tourist spots.
Baz Bahadur’s Palace & Roopmati’s Pavilion, Rewa Kund Group
In front of Jami Masjid and Ashrafi Mahal, Mandu Village Group
In front of Jahaz Mahal, Royal Enclave Group
A glass of baobab juice cost ₹ 10. Dried pulp chunks and dried powdered pulp & seed are available in pouches of different sizes with prices starting from ₹ 20 each.
Mandu - Maheshwar
There is no direct bus service between Mandu and Maheshwar. There are two options one needs to take a break journey first is Mandu-Dhar-Maheshwar and the second, is Mandu-Dhamnod-Maheshwar. In both of the cases, on average it will take you 3-4 hours. Through private vehicle, Mandu to Maheshwar is a smooth one-hour drive which will cost you 1200 one way.
Maheshwar - Ancient alleys and Remnants
The capital of the Holkar dynasty of the Maratha empire, Maheshwar retains its glory in the form of its picturesque temple/fort town on the banks of Narmada. The moment you set foot in Maheshwar, its mellow vibes seeping through its ancient alleys and the remnants of what once was a fort make a lasting impression on you. You walk through the marketplace
and up the hill through the grand old entrance gate and into almost a different world. The incredible view of the beautiful temples spread at the base of the fort and the swollen but calm Narmada beyond simply lift you with joy.
The exquisite beauty of Maheshwar and River Narmada is captured in some Bollywood movies. Some of the movies shot in Maheshwar including the movie-
Yamala Pagla Deewana (Dharmendra, Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Kulraj Randhawa came here for shooting) film's 50-minute shot done here at Bazar Chowk, Rajwada, Ahilyabai Chhatri, Ahilya Ghaat, and many more location.
The shooting of the "Radha Nachegi" song from Tevar was done here.
A few scenes of Bajirao Mastani and Neerja were shot here.
The film Pad Man directed by R. Balki starring Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, and Radhika Apte was shot here.
The title track Hud Hud Dabangg 3 by Prabhu Deva directed, an Arbaz Khan production movie "Dabangg 3" starring "Salman Khan" was shot.
The shooting of "Kalank" is also done here.
Rajwada
This is the place where Queen Ahilyabai used to stay. The palace is not very grand although rooms are available for stays for tourists. In the palace, you see a very simple seat of Ahilya Bai where she would meet her council and the public. From her room, there's a direct line of sight of the Narmada which used to revere a lot. Her palanquin and the weapons she used are also displayed in this courtyard.
There's a small adjacent room where shiv linga made of silver are kept. This sanctum sanctorum has a rudraksha mala horseback soldier Malhari Marthand who is Ahilya Bai's Kuldevta
Chattri of Devi Ahilya Bai
Close to the palace in front of Rajwada, a huge statue of Devi Ahilya Bai is there this 13 feet high statue made of metal by Sculptor Uttam Panharne from Mumbai
City of Temples
Maheshwar is a city of temples most of the temples are of lord Shiva. The most numbers of Mahadev temples in Maheshwar rename the city as "Gupt Kashi". Famous temples here in Maheshwar are Shri Rajrajeshwar Mahadev, Kashi Vishwanath, Ahilyeshwar Mahadev, Jwaleshwar Mahadev, Baneshwar, Kaleshwar are there.
All year pilgrims visit the temples of Maheshwar, as well as the people in the circumambulation of river Narmada (PARIKRAMAWASI).
Narmada Ghat
Walked through the temple courtyard and onto the Narmada ghats. The mellifluous crashing of waves on the steps of ghats, the clinking of heavy chains, the shrieking of gulls,
prayers of devotees and the infinite calmness in between. It was such a blissful experience that we just did not want to leave. Don't miss to take a boat ride along the ghat of river Narmada
Rehwa Society (Maheshwari Sarees)
In order to find a better livelihood, the Maharani invited weaver communities to come and teach her people the craft of weaving. The community of weavers that settled in Maheshwar due to her efforts were originally known to be from Mandu- weaving for the Mughals, what was then known to be the finest fabric of Madhya Pradesh. The craft slowly found royal patronage and thus, the handloom weaving tradition in Maheshwar began. Maheshwari saris were traditionally made in colours like peacock blue, bright yellow, forest green and an Indian red dye called Aal. The pallus were designed with stripes of red, white and gold zari. Originally, the classic Maheshwari saris were only woven in pure cotton, 9 yards long, and with pallus at both ends- so when they frayed, the saree could be reversed and worn some more. That was the uniqueness of a Maheshwari sari- its elegant versatility and durability.
Maheshwari to Indore
With this, we come to the end of an amazing trip through the ruins of the ancient empire. Plenty of government and private buses run between Indore and Maheshwar. On average, Indore to Maheshwar travel time is 2 hours.
Good To Know:
June to March is the best time to visit due to the pleasant weather. November to February is the peak tourism time in this region. The only downside is that you can find a large crowd at the heritage sites, especially during weekends and holidays.
Except for the Rewa Kund Group and Sagar Talao Group, all locations have been touristy so generally, they are very crowded, I would advise you to reach as early as possible if you don’t want to ruin your photographs.
Don’t forget to hire a tour guide as a one to one attention is exactly what you will need for a wonderful, unforgettable experience. An authorized Tour Guide for a full tour of all the locations given above will cost ₹ 1500 for a group of 1-9 people. Remember to check their ID card issued by MPT (Madhya Pradesh Tourism).
Please be polite and gentle with the native people, because you are their guest.
It's best to dress modestly and act conservatively.