MANDU M.P.

The region of malwa- of which dhar an mandu were the twin capital cites.Mandu or Mandavgad is a ruined city in the present-day Mandav area of the Dhar district. It is located in the Malwa region of western Madhya Pradesh, India, at 35 km from the Dhar city.It gained prominence in 10th and 11th century under the Parmars (who called it Mandavgarh), from whom the control was snatched by Khiljis in 1305.

Then ruler Allauddin Khilji named Mandav as "Shadiabad" meaning the city of happiness (Anand Nagari), after the name of princess Mandvi Chouhan of Khandwa .

DHAR AND MANDU AT MP

• In the 10th century Mandu was founded as a fortress retreat by Raja Bhoj, but was conquered by the Muslim rulers of Delhi in 1304.

• When Timur captured Delhi in 1401, the Afghan Dilawar Khan, governor of Malwa, set up his own little kingdom and the Ghuri dynasty was established, and thus began Mandu's golden age.

• His son, Hoshang Shah, shifted the capital from Dhar to Mandu and raised it to its greatest splendour. His son and third and last ruler of Ghuri dynasty, Mohammed, ruled for just one year till his poisoning by the militaristic Mohammed Khalji.

HINDOLA MAHAL

• The Hindola Mahal might have been constructed during the reign of Hushang Shah about 1425 C.E. but may date to the end of the 15th century during the reign of Ghiyas al-Din.

•Swinging palace constructed by Alp Khan, later known as Hoshang Shah who had also built the city wall

•It is one of a set buildings making up the royal palace complex at Mandu, which consists of the Jahaz Mahal, the Hindola Mahal, the Tawili Mahal, and the Nahar Jharokha.

•The Hindola Mahal may have been used as an audience chamber.

• T – shaped plan with rectangular hall measuring 18.2m X 26 m and a transverse projection at the north with rooms at back in two floors

• Creates illusion of swaying like a swing – use of massive sloping walls – far more stable than structurally required for this modest building.

• Severe form diluted by typical Hindu balconies and jharokhas

• On both sides of the hall there are six arched openings above which there are windows filled with beautiful tracery work for admitting light and air inside.

• The exterior of the building with neatly chiseled masonry is extremely simple.

• The coloured tile work, commonly used in the scheme of decoration of the other buildings in Mandu, is found almost discarded.

• Architecturally, the building has been assigned to the end of Ghiyasu'd-Din's reign i.e., end of the fifteenth century A.D.

JAMI MASJID (MP)• The Jami-Masjid is most majestic and imposing

building at Mandu.• Its construction was started by Hoshang Shah

and completed by Mahmud Khalji in A.D. 1454.• The whole construction stands on a huge plinth,

about 4.6 m high above the ground level. On both sides below the porch the façade of the plinth has been arranged into a varandah.

• The plinth is artfully concealed by the arched openings of cells with the huge domed porch projecting in the center. The background being dominated by three similar imposing domes, the space between them being filled up by seemingly innumerable miniature domes(cupolas).

COURT OF MOSQUE

HUGH DOMES

PORCH

• Beyond the western door of the porch is the great court of the mosque, enclosed on all sides by huge colonnades with a rich and pleasing variety in the arrangement of their arches, pillars, number of bays and rows of domes above.

• The prayer hall is the most imposing of all, with numerous rows of arches and pillars which support the domical ceilings of the eight domes and the three large ones rising majestically above the rest.

JAHAZ MAHAL • Jahaz mahal is located in MANDU which is a popular monumental building.

• Jahaz Mahal is a jewel built somewhere around 1436-1439. (15th century) It's built by SULTAN GHIYAS-UD-DIN-KHILJI.

• The Mahal is standing in the middle of two artificial lakes Munj Talao and Kapur Talao. upon a narrow strip of land. It given an impression as floating structure on water .It has been named as "Jahaz"means "ship" and "mahal" means " palace ".

• Jahaz mahal is 110mt in length and 15mt in width .• Jahaz mahal is two storied architecture marvel . It is a rectangular structure, three

feet tall with two floors and thick walls.• Inside the fort, there are three huge halls, separated by corridors, having small

rooms in the end. Northern end of the terrace leads to a bath with broad steps leading into it.

• At the southern end of the Jahaz mahal are the remains of complex system of waterworks that at one time have equipped with design such Persian wheels to maintain a balance between the water tanks on ether side of this ' ship palace '

• A board flight of steps , probably necessitated by the waterworks , takes one straight up to the terrace from the Southern end .

Jahaz mahal(munja talao)

• MUNJA-city of joy

• By knowing the potential of Jahaz Mahal, later Khalji kings surrounded the Munja talao with a series of summer retreats and fancy palaces These includes Champa Baori ,consists of subterranean passages communicating with vaulted rooms.

• The talao and its waterfront architecture of summer houses ,pavilions and palaces had provided an ideal enviroment away from reality .

• The atmosphere of munda attracted mugal ruler Jehangir to visit and spend amounts on its maintance .

• Having space on the bank of munja talao , the khalji kings spread out their building operation,and proceeded to erect an endless series of private pleasure pavilion.

TOMB OF HOSHANG SHAH

• A square tomb located behind western wall of Jami Masjid and built entirely in white marble. •The entrance to this tomb is through a porch, square in plan, with well-proportioned and artistic ached openings on three sides supporting the marble dome above.

•Beyond the porch inside is a stone pavement which runs along he northern and southern sides only of the big court, in the middle of which stands the mausoleum on a square marble platform.

②Western corridor, from southeast

①Exterior of tomb,from south

Exterior of tomb Right; north gate

① ②

③

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④Cenotaph, from southwest

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•Massive dome sited at top seems to be too large for the square base – not quite successful in proportion.

•Shah Jahan after deciding to Taj Mahal had sent his architects to study this mausoleum as preliminary research.

•Probably the idea of placing small domes around the central one in Taj Mahal was inspired by this tomb.