Forgotten City of Joy

In the central region of the country, a land blessed with dense forests, teeming wildlife, agreeable weather, fertile soil and unassailable hills lay the foundations of Mandu. It’s no surprise this town has been continuously inhabited through the centuries by everyone from primitive hunters, who recorded their exploits in nearby caves and rocks, to Hindu kings like the Paramaras, who used the town as a fortress, to the Pathan dynasties, who carved a beautiful citadel out of this green idyll.

 

It was under the Pathan Sultans, from the mid-1300s to the 1500s, that the ancient town achieved the status of capital. During this brief period of 150 years, Mandu covered itself in glory as it transformed into Shadiabad – ‘The city of joy’. A syntheses of Hindu and Muslim culture and craftsmanship, the Indo-Islamic architecture of Mandu was inspired by the grand monuments of Delhi but differentiated itself as the Malwa style with two main elements. The first of these indigenous features was the high plinths or platforms on which the buildings were constructed, an obvious feature of the Hindu temple style. The second and the most striking element was the use of colour as an important architectural scheme, combining the influence of Hindu and Persian traditions.

 

This period of innovation was short-lived as other, more prosperous Islamic kingdoms further refined the style. Soon after the decline of the Pathan dynasties, the spotlight on Mandu began to dim only returning for a brief seven months during the visit of Jahangir in 1617. The city saw considerable activity during the Mughal emperor’s visit: restorations, functions, hunts and meetings with embassies. After the fall of the Mughals, the kingdom came under the rule of the Marathas who moved their capital to the nearby Dhar, leaving Mandu to fall to ruin and be reclaimed by nature.

 

We’d like to show you around this beautiful forgotten kingdom through a collaboration between Sarmaya and photographer Amit Pasricha and his initiative India Lost & Found, which is reviving an interest among young Indians in the lost and overlooked heritage sites of our country. Charming watercolour art in the form of 19th-century engravings from the Sarmaya collection are accompanied with panoramic photographs from India Lost & Found to introduce you to the architectural marvels hidden away in this forested corner of Madhya Pradesh.

curated by Kuhu Kopariha, Curatorial and Research Associate, Sarmaya

Delhi Gate by artist J Guiaud based on a sketch by Captain Claudius Harris, 1859 ©️Sarmaya Arts Foundation

Delhi Darwaza is the main entrance of the historical fortress of Mandu, positioned at the northern tip of the city. Once an imposing structure, the present condition of the gate can be credited to the rage of many besiegers as well as to a period of insignificance immediately after Muhammadan rule.

At the turn of the 15th century, Dilwar Khan, formerly a governor under the Tughlaqs of the Delhi Sultanate, declared Malwa to be an independent state. He laid the foundation of the fort of Mandu, later completed by his son Hoshang Shah, under whose reign the archway was built.

Delhi Darwaza is constructed in beautiful red limestone mixed with red clay. The high arch and the roof have fallen, while the graceful lower arch still stands tall. Beyond the gate, the passage is further covered by arches to impart a sense of grandeur to anyone walking through.

'The Modern Village of Mandoo, and the Ancient Mosque the Jummah Musjid' by artist J Guiaud based on a sketch by Captain Claudius Harris, 1859 ©️Sarmaya Arts Foundation

The road from Delhi Darwaza bifurcates and one path leading to the Great Mosque or the Jami Masjid. An inscription carved on the doorway states the construction of the mosque began under Hoshang Shah but was completed under the reign of his successor Mahmud Khalji.

Sultan Hoshang Shah inherited Shadiabad (renamed from Mandu by his father) in the year 1405. He ruled Malwa for 27 years, making Mandu an impregnable fort and a beautiful city. The Sultan was determined to extend his territory, reaching Kalpi in the north (in present-day UP) and Kherla in the south (present-day MP). The Sultan’s attempts to assault Gujarat and Orissa made him unpopular among his neighbours but immensely popular among his subjects. His greatest claim to posterity is his fine taste for architecture. The Great Mosque was celebrated for its innovative design.

'Front view of the ruined mosque the Jummah Musjid' by artist J Guiaud based on a sketch by Captain Claudius Harris, 1859 ©️Sarmaya Arts Foundation

The Jami Masjid's beauty comes from its red limestone and serene minimalist carvings. Raised on a lofty plinth, reached by a flight of about 30 steps, the structure showcases the influences of Hindu architecture. The steps leading up to the verandah face three arched doorways that look almost like grates on the wall. The only ornamentation the mosque wears is the carvings on the arch screens and a band of blue tiles on the platform of the domes. The door of the mosque bears an inscription which states that the mosque is designed in admiration of the Great Mosque of Damascus (Umayyad Mosque). However, the Jami Masjid resembles the mosque of Damascus only in one way: the shape of the dome, broad and weighty. The flat ribs carved on the dome make the similarity even more striking.

Interior of Jami Masjid by Amit Pasricha, India Lost and Found, 2018

Beyond the porch, the building is supported through colonnades on all four sides, and the colonnades on the north and south are three aisles deep. The shape of the arches and the pillars is extremely simple and graceful, showcasing a marked engineering skill. The pillars extend and meet in this disproportional concave fashion to support the fully domed ceiling above it. Simultaneously, the arcades create a sense of depth and calm similar to the one felt in the interiors of a Hindu temple. The walls along the pillars are equally plain though sculpted mihrabs (semicircular niches, like the ones on the right) are introduced at regular intervals.

The Jami Masjid remained functional and held a large religious assembly until the early 1840s, well over two decades after the demise of the Sultanate. Since then, it has lain abandoned surrounded by farms.

(Left) 'Juma Masjid, Mandoo' by an unidentified photographer; 'Marble Mausoleum of the Sultan Hoosein Shah Ghuree' by artist J Guiaud based on a sketch by Captain Claudius Harris, 1859 ©️Sarmaya Arts Foundation

Adjacent to the Jami Masjid stands the magnificent white marble tomb of Hoshang Shah. Like most Muslim rulers, he conceived of the tomb in his lifetime and supervised its construction. Among the architectural feats of the Sultan, his tomb was by far the boldest and most graceful of the lot. The structure uses the same stone for the platform, the walls, the turrets, the domes, making it the earliest building to be entirely faced by marble.

Hoshang Shah’s popularity lead to the sanctification of his tomb soon after he died. Admirers believed that the rocks of the mausoleum shed tears in the summer for the death of the king. The historian Abul Fazl has observed, “A remarkable fact is that in the summertime the water trickles from the domed roof of the mausoleum of Sultan Hoshang and the simple-minded have long regarded it as a prodigy, but the more acute of understanding can satisfactorily account for it.”

Hoshang Shah’s Tomb by Amit Pasricha, India Lost and Found, 2018

The tomb stands in the middle of a square enclosure on a large platform. The entrance is through an arched doorway with two perforated jalis adorned with geometrical designs, on either side. The screens offer subdued light that adds to the solemn atmosphere of the tomb. Externally, the dome appears too large and heavy for its base, and the four small turrets built too close to the dome—such design is commonly seen in the architecture of the Tughlaq dynasty. Only in this regard the tomb is inferior to the later Mughal tombs and mausoleums.

The tomb became an inspiration for Mughal architecture like the wondrous Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan is known to have sent four architects to Mandu specifically to observe the tomb. There is an inscription carved over the doorway that records architects Ustad Ahmed and Ustad Hamid, builders of the Taj, visited the tomb to study it.

Jahaz Mahal or the Ship Palace by artist J Guiaud based on a sketch by Captain Claudius Harris, 1859 ©️Sarmaya Arts Foundation

The second road from the Delhi Darwaza leads to what is known as the Royal Enclave and directly to the Jahaz Mahal or the Ship Palace. It’s unknown when exactly the palace was constructed but historians estimate it might have been between 1460 and 1500, aligning with the reign of Giyath-ud-din Khalji, the eldest son of Mahmud Kalji. He ascended the throne of Malwa in 1469 and benefited from the peace treaties his father had signed with the neighbouring kingdoms. Giyath reigned without fear of invasion and spent most of the thirty years of his reign in Mandu.

The picturesque palace is attributed to Giyath’s reign for two reasons. The spacious and fanciful creation does not align with any of the buildings in the reign of Hoshang Shah or Mahmud Khalji. Even though their structures were created with the help of local artisans, they largely stuck to Islamic architectural styles. Furthermore, Giyath is infamous for his large harem of about 15,000 women and it is estimated that he created the Jahaz Mahal as a seraglio.

The Jahaz Mahal by Amit Pasricha, India Lost and Found, 2018

The Jahaz Mahal was rightly named the ‘ship palace’. For in the rainy months of June and July, the 360-foot-long building casts reflections along on the surfaces of the two small brimming lakes, truly give it the appearance of a ship. As soon as one encounters the building, the Afghan and Hindu elements can be seen melting into one another. The visitor notices several arches above which is a chajja supported on stone brackets, ornamental arches adorned with floral motifs and the small domed pavilions on the roof—all these appear more rooted in the local architecture.

The palace architecture is built to complement the refreshing environment and lovely water bodies outside the palace that elevate the structure. The Mahal faces the talab known as Khapur (camphor) and away from the talab known as Munja. Of the two Khapur talab is smaller and surrounded by a masonry margin. Once it had a pavilion in the centre with a causeway, which is now in ruinous condition.

'Palace of Sultan Baz Bahadur and Pavilion of Rani Rupmati, his Queen' by artist J Guiaud based on a sketch by Captain Claudius Harris, 1859 ©️Sarmaya Arts Foundation

Both Humayun and Sher Shah occupied the state of Malwa intermittently, the latter appointing a governor named Shuja Khan. In 1542, Shuja Khan rebelled and declared Malwa to be an independent state once again. In 1555, the throne was succeeded by his son, Baz Bahadur. Assuming charge of a divided Malwa, Bahadur swiftly took possession of other previously independent towns though force. But soon after establishing centralised control, he became complacent. Historian Fririshta writes, “Baz Bahadur devoted himself entirely to the encouragement and refinement of music in Malwa, with his beloved courtesan Rani Rupmati.”

He moved away from Jahaz Palace with Rani Rupmati to what is known today as the Baz Bahadur’s palace. The Sultan is credited with renovating a Khalji structure situated around beautiful foliage and a reservoir known as Riwa Kund. The most prominent addition made to the palace was the huge Pavilion of Rupmati, located beyond the palace on a steep ascent. It is unclear whether Rupmati was Bahadur’s courtesan or wife. Given that she was a prolific songwriter and singer, it is more likely that she held the status of a courtesan but romantic legends have elevated her status to Queen.

Rani Rupmati’s Pavilion by Amit Pasricha, India Lost and Found, 2018

The pavilion situated ahead of the palace was in the first instance, under the reign of the Khaljis, built as a watchtower commanding a view of the plains. The original structure consisted of a low but long hall with two rooms on either end. The walls are built with a sharp slope towards the base and heavy arches supporting the ceiling, adhering very closely to the Tughlaq style of architecture.

The basement and the terrace pavilions were added during Baz Bahadur’s renovation of the building. The basement was added to hold more guards, while the terrace pavilions might have been built to provide shade to the standing guards or merely as decoration. The latter is, however, associated with Rupmati possibly because it is believed she ventured upstairs to pray to the River Narmada, which flows on the plains below.

Doha by Rani Roopmati - Jahaz Mahal, Mandu

This engraving of the Jahaz Mahal from our collection is coupled with a doha attributed to Rani Roopmati, royal consort to Sultan Baz Bahadur:

Wasted my flesh at love's fire!
Shrunk veins to my ' bin's ' tautened strings!
Yet every hair, like each wire,
With the name of the master still rings.