Mandu, a blessing for travelers

Jorge Reverter · Oct 11th, 2005, 23:42

As I say in the title, Mandu is a real blessing for the independent traveler.
Within a distance of 10 km you will find dozens of monuments of the 15th century of all sizes, most of them perfectly maintened. The level of the architecture there is in my opinion really great. You can also find in the middle of nowhere, lost in the countryside temples, tombs, caravanserais etc

The muslims builded there huge fortreress as well as mosques like Jama Masjid and Cenotaphs as Hoshang Tomb (first indian building all in marble). The Royal Enclosure in the northern part of Mandu has a concentration of splendid monuments hardly surmountable.

On the other hand the landscapes are spectaculars, an spot of greenery in Madhya Pradesh, with lakes..., the weather is quite cold as Mandu is 700 m. high.

Another thing that I have appreciated is the absence of tourists, only few travelers here and there.

I'll send some pictures of Mandu through my son's gallery.

Jorge

cyberhippie · Oct 12th, 2005, 02:11

Agreed Jorg a stunning place though if was around 40C when we were there and quite brown and Barren. The Baibab Tress are an interesting feature as well as are the hundreds of fruit bats flapping overhead!
Have they finished the new concrete road yet?? I hope so they were still building in April and it made the use of a bicycle to get around seem like a bad idea. We'd like to return when we can get on our bikes!!

I also loved Maheshwar and really wish we'd spent some time there, did you stop in Maheshwar for a day or two???

Jorge Reverter · Oct 12th, 2005, 05:00

They were still working on the road, this time in the middle of the village in front of Relax Restaurant and Jama Masjid, they are not for sure in a hurry to finish the road..., really funny the way they make roads, cannot explain with single words.

I was there end of August, the weather was hot (max. around 33ºc) but nothing compared with Delhi, Orchha and other cities of my journey. Even I've got a little rain.

By the way, in Mandu people were really affraid about monsoons, it seems they have got not more than 30 percent of average rains.

The main problem during my stage was the shortage og power, they were cutting off the electricity five or six times a day, and in some places like Roopmati Hotel don't even have a generator (incidentally I was dinning there in the grass and they don't even gave me a candle). In my Hotel Tourist Cottages in front of the lake, no problems at all.

I spend three days in Maheshwar and Omkareshwar, was a great time and enjoyed the ghats and the people (most of the time in Maheshwar, as Omkareshwar takes few hours to visit, just to have a look at the ghats and to get some food in the main road (the only one).

As a conclusion, Mandu has been a great surprise and I must come back. I've got a similar sensation than in Hampi, a very special place, with very few tourist and plenty of monuments and something magical in the ambiance (may be because the baobabs....)

fredjican · Oct 19th, 2005, 17:11

....Mandu is a great place. I saw pictures of Mandu during the Monsoon, and it looked so lush and different from what I saw in January last year. One day I'll have to go to India in Monsoon time.

Mahashwar is also very nice. I like MP a lot!

cyberhippie · Oct 19th, 2005, 18:00

Quote:

They were still working on the road, this time in the middle of the village in front of Relax Restaurant and Jama Masjid, they are not for sure in a hurry to finish the road..., really funny the way they make roads, cannot explain with single words.

Jeez that's exactly the same place they were at with the road building when I was there in April. They really have a problem with road building in M.P.
I agree Jorge it is quite a novel way to build a road a foot thick swathe of reinforced concrete seems like a lot of work and the burlap sacks spread out and moistened along the concrete is a nice touch!

Funny about Roopmati Hotel not bringing you a candle though, still a great place to watch the fruitbats overhead and the food there was MMmmm.
Thanks for the PWD place in Mahashwar it sounds wonderfu,l we shot through Maheshwar but wish we hadn't, so a return visit is in order!

tstan · Nov 11th, 2005, 16:01

Glad you liked Mandu, Jorge. The baobabs, the mellow atmosphere and the splendid architecture were great.In December, water is strictly rationed and between 8am and 8.30am all the local residents collect water in buckets from 2m deep holes on the edge of the road.These holes are not always covered so if you have a few Kingfishers on board whilst returning to your guest house, be careful!

iwanttogoback · Nov 11th, 2005, 19:27

thanks jorge, mandu is one of the places i must see - the architecture seems to be fantastic.

cyberhippie · Nov 11th, 2005, 19:34

Yeah I've decided a return visit is in order it was around 40C the last time I was there so we missed quite a bit. It really is a beautiful area and worth the effort of getting there!!

Here's my photos from my trip in April

Mandu 2005

iwanttogoback · Nov 11th, 2005, 19:43

thanks cyber - beautiful place definitely.

Jorge Reverter · Nov 11th, 2005, 23:59

Thanks Cyber for the pics.

This year I have taken more than 400 pics in Mandu, but mostly are about people (probably my favourite subject) have sent some in my gallery in IM and in my son's(jorge jr) gallery too. I have also written an article (only five pages and plenty of pics) for an spanish magazine about Mandu. Is the first chapter of a series of "Hidden and Forgotten Places". Can't send to Indiamike the english translation to "Travel Articles" as the site I think is not yet running. Is a promenade about the place, the history and the monuments.

Cosmopolite · Oct 27th, 2006, 00:35

Planning to visit Mandu in third week of Dec. Can somebody recommend good budget hotels.Also suggest the minimum duration of stay needed.
Would it be more crowded, expensive and accomodation difficult to find as Christmas would be approaching? I should be there around 22nd of December.
Thanks in advance.

Oct 11th, 2005, 23:42	#1
Jorge Reverter Maha Guru Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Murcia - Spain Posts: 1,137	Mandu, a blessing for travelers As I say in the title, Mandu is a real blessing for the independent traveler. Within a distance of 10 km you will find dozens of monuments of the 15th century of all sizes, most of them perfectly maintened. The level of the architecture there is in my opinion really great. You can also find in the middle of nowhere, lost in the countryside temples, tombs, caravanserais etc The muslims builded there huge fortreress as well as mosques like Jama Masjid and Cenotaphs as Hoshang Tomb (first indian building all in marble). The Royal Enclosure in the northern part of Mandu has a concentration of splendid monuments hardly surmountable. On the other hand the landscapes are spectaculars, an spot of greenery in Madhya Pradesh, with lakes..., the weather is quite cold as Mandu is 700 m. high. Another thing that I have appreciated is the absence of tourists, only few travelers here and there. I'll send some pictures of Mandu through my son's gallery. Jorge

Oct 19th, 2005, 17:11	#4
fredjican Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Paris, France/ India Posts: 42	Indeed.... ....Mandu is a great place. I saw pictures of Mandu during the Monsoon, and it looked so lush and different from what I saw in January last year. One day I'll have to go to India in Monsoon time. Mahashwar is also very nice. I like MP a lot!

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Oct 12th, 2005, 02:11	#2
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,012	Agreed Jorg a stunning place though if was around 40C when we were there and quite brown and Barren. The Baibab Tress are an interesting feature as well as are the hundreds of fruit bats flapping overhead! Have they finished the new concrete road yet?? I hope so they were still building in April and it made the use of a bicycle to get around seem like a bad idea. We'd like to return when we can get on our bikes!! I also loved Maheshwar and really wish we'd spent some time there, did you stop in Maheshwar for a day or two???

Oct 12th, 2005, 05:00	#3
Jorge Reverter Maha Guru Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Murcia - Spain Posts: 1,137	They were still working on the road, this time in the middle of the village in front of Relax Restaurant and Jama Masjid, they are not for sure in a hurry to finish the road..., really funny the way they make roads, cannot explain with single words. I was there end of August, the weather was hot (max. around 33ºc) but nothing compared with Delhi, Orchha and other cities of my journey. Even I've got a little rain. By the way, in Mandu people were really affraid about monsoons, it seems they have got not more than 30 percent of average rains. The main problem during my stage was the shortage og power, they were cutting off the electricity five or six times a day, and in some places like Roopmati Hotel don't even have a generator (incidentally I was dinning there in the grass and they don't even gave me a candle). In my Hotel Tourist Cottages in front of the lake, no problems at all. I spend three days in Maheshwar and Omkareshwar, was a great time and enjoyed the ghats and the people (most of the time in Maheshwar, as Omkareshwar takes few hours to visit, just to have a look at the ghats and to get some food in the main road (the only one). As a conclusion, Mandu has been a great surprise and I must come back. I've got a similar sensation than in Hampi, a very special place, with very few tourist and plenty of monuments and something magical in the ambiance (may be because the baobabs....)

Nov 11th, 2005, 16:01	#6
tstan power brake keep distance Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: sydney Posts: 191	Glad you liked Mandu, Jorge. The baobabs, the mellow atmosphere and the splendid architecture were great.In December, water is strictly rationed and between 8am and 8.30am all the local residents collect water in buckets from 2m deep holes on the edge of the road.These holes are not always covered so if you have a few Kingfishers on board whilst returning to your guest house, be careful!

Nov 11th, 2005, 19:27	#7
iwanttogoback is sorry Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: perth Posts: 1,570	thanks jorge, mandu is one of the places i must see - the architecture seems to be fantastic.

Nov 11th, 2005, 19:34	#8
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,012	Yeah I've decided a return visit is in order it was around 40C the last time I was there so we missed quite a bit. It really is a beautiful area and worth the effort of getting there!! Here's my photos from my trip in April Mandu 2005

Nov 11th, 2005, 19:43	#9
iwanttogoback is sorry Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: perth Posts: 1,570	thanks cyber - beautiful place definitely.

Nov 11th, 2005, 23:59	#10
Jorge Reverter Maha Guru Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Murcia - Spain Posts: 1,137	Thanks Cyber for the pics. This year I have taken more than 400 pics in Mandu, but mostly are about people (probably my favourite subject) have sent some in my gallery in IM and in my son's(jorge jr) gallery too. I have also written an article (only five pages and plenty of pics) for an spanish magazine about Mandu. Is the first chapter of a series of "Hidden and Forgotten Places". Can't send to Indiamike the english translation to "Travel Articles" as the site I think is not yet running. Is a promenade about the place, the history and the monuments.

Oct 27th, 2006, 00:35	#11
Cosmopolite Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: NOMAD Posts: 41	Planning to visit Mandu in third week of Dec. Can somebody recommend good budget hotels.Also suggest the minimum duration of stay needed. Would it be more crowded, expensive and accomodation difficult to find as Christmas would be approaching? I should be there around 22nd of December. Thanks in advance.

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