Mandu Tourism

The historic city in Malwa plateau, Mandu houses a large number of historic monuments. It was earlier known by the name of Mandavgarh & Shadiabaad, and under the Mughal rule Mandu was a pleasure resort. Mandu is the tribute to the love shared between the poet prince Baz Bahadur and his beautiful consort Rani Rupmati. Once the monsoon retreat of the Mughal Emperor, one can observe the ruins of palaces, ornamented canals, baths, pavilions etc in Mandu.

Attractions

One of the popular attractions of Mandu is the Jahaz Mahal, also known as the Ship Palace built in the 15th century by Ghiyas-ud-din, son of Emperor Mohammed Shah. Lying between the two artificial lakes of Munj Talab and the Kapur Talab, the two storey palace houses open pavilions, an open terrace and balconies. Another popular attraction is the Taveli Mahal, situated to the south of the Jahaz Mahal, and has an antiquity gallery displaying fragments of vessels and utensils, along with some stone images that were found at this site.

Another major attraction is the Rupmati Pavilion, originally built as an army observation post. It is a huge sandstone structure, and was the residence of Queen Rupmati. From here, she could see the palace and the Narmada River. It is also an ideal place for watching the sun set over the River Narmada.

Shri Mandavgarh Teerth, situated inside the Mandavgarh Fort, is another prominent attraction of Mandu. The teerth is dedicated to Shri Suparshwanath Bhagwan, and there is a white stone idol of Shri Suparshwanath Bhagwan in the padmasana posture inside the temple. A trust called the Shri Jain Shwetambar Teerth Pedhi manages this temple, along with the nearby dharamshala and bhojanshala.

Hindola Mahal, also known as the Swing Palace, is also a popular must visit attraction of Mandu. The Mahal was names as Hindola Mahal due to its sloping side walls. Local inhabitants believe that the palace was constructed during the reign of Hoshang Shah in 1425. It is a T-shaped structure with crossbars in the exterior walls.

Best Time to visit
Best time to visit Mandu is from October to March. Winter is the best season of all. During monsoon Mandu receives average rainfall, and summers are scorching.

How to reach Mandu
By Air – The nearest airport to Mandu is at Indore and is well connected to the major neighboring cities, like, Mumbai, Delhi, Gwalior and Bhopal.
By Train – The nearest railhead is Ratlam - on the Delhi-Mumbai main line. The other option of availing the railways while reaching Mandu is the Indore railway station on a branch route.
By Road – The different cities and towns of Mandu are well connected via well maintained roadways. Buses run at regular intervals between Mandu and Indore via Dhar, Mandu and Ratlam and even between Mandu and Bhopal.