Thursday, December 18, 2008

INDIA VACATION 2007




MANDU - PALACES AND MOSQUE

Mandu is a lovely town, near Maheshwar in the state of Madhya Pradesh, off the beaten track approximately one day's drive from the city of Indore. The Jahaz Mahal, pictured in the first photo above, is a palace built between 1469 and 1500 in a blend of local and imported styles, one of the latter having come from Afghanistan.

The mosque of Dilawar Khan, built in 1409, is a blend of Islamic and Hindu architectural styles. It is shown in the middle photo.

The Hindola Mahal is called the Swing Palace because the distinctive sloping walls are said to look as though the building is swaying from side to side. The palace has very advanced systems for providing and disposing of water and for heating and cooling. It is pictured in the last photo above.

The government of India appear to be devoting resources to make Mandu a tourist destination. The guide we had was excellent, a wealth of information and very personable. The site itself was very attractive and well-maintained. And extensive road construction was underway in the vicinity to improve access to the area.

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