We made a road trip from Mumbai to Mandu and Maheshwar, two historic cities situated in the heart of our country, Madhya Pradesh. Our first stop was Mandu, and as we explored the historic town, we encountered fascinating legends and architectural marvels that made us feel so proud of our rich heritage and culture.
Perched along the Vindhya ranges at an altitude of 2,000 feet, Mandu, with its natural defences, was originally the fort capital of the Parmar rulers of Malwa. Towards the end of the 13th century, it came under the sway of the Sultans of Malwa, the first of whom named it Shadiabad—the city of joy.
Yes, Mandu is a celebration in stone of life and joy. Every nook and cranny of the city is replete with ancient monuments. There is a pervading sense of gaiety in the exquisite places like the Jahaz Mahal, Hindola Mahal, ornamental canals, baths and pavilions, graceful and refined as those times of peace and plenty.
The fascinating legendary love story of the poet prince Baz Bahadur for his beautiful consort Roopmati adds an aura of a fairy tale with a tragic ending. The balladeers of Malwa still sing of the romance of these royal lovers, and high up on the crest of a hill, Roopmati’s pavilion still gazes down at Baz Bahadur’s palace. Mandu‘s spirit of love, joy, splendour, and loss reminds us of the fact that life is ephemeral and we should make the most of it.
How to reach:
The distance to Mandu is about 90 km from Indore. Indore is well connected by air and rail network to other parts of the country.
We travelled from Mumbai along the Mumbai-Agra highway. From Mumbai, the distance is about 517 km.
Places to stay:
There are a few private hotels, and we stayed at MPT Malwa Resort, which is a unit of Madhya Pradesh Tourism.
The writer is a travel enthusiast