mandu

Captain's log: stardate 290907-031007



This trip to Mandu had been waiting-to-happen for the last 10 years. Thanks to Cafe Ideal, Kingfisher and particularly Marzban and Oormi, this time it happened.

The motley crew consisted of a baawla bawa and his equally baawli biwi( Marzabaan and Oormi) , the royal couple of tarapur (Abhay and Prachi) , a historian+ Kobra mimic (Abhijit) , a super quiet photographer (Sneha), red riding hood (Reema), fat-boy slim (Sameer) and Baz Bahadur Sequel (yours truly).

For those who came in late, Mandu-or Mandavv- as it is locally and historically known, is a plateau in the state of Madhya pradesh, 98 kms from the city of Indore.

The end-of-rains time is when Mandu is at its best, and perhaps most interpretable.

The Jahaz Mahal complex with its water channels, the apertures and the ornate pools, the man made reservoirs Kapur and Champa baoli and the aqueducts and subterranean wells.

The magical acoustics of Baz Bahadur's Palace

The Baz Bahadur Palace serenading the Roopmati palace when viewed from a distance

The water channel of the Nilakanth Mahadev and the Video of the leaf 's journey in the water.

The legend of the Rewa Kund

The "siting" and the "settings" for every structure, be it tomb, masoleum, chattri, mosque

The eternal lightness of being there.

Sameep's experience of Mandu in summer will never match with mine. Chittiz and Dhanashri say that Mandu changes completely from summer through rains and winter. I believe them. Pictures on the World wide Web corroborate their comments as evidence.