Hindola Mahal, Mandu

The Mandu Hindola Mahal is also known as the swinging palace and it’s a very popular tourist destination. This place has an enigmatic beauty in its architecture and it’s one of the basic reasons it attracts tourists from distant places. The beauty of this place is not limited to just the exterior but its interior holds an exquisite beauty. Innovative structure of the Durbar hall is something to admire and explore. The structure is done in a Malwa-Sultanate architecture, and its architecture is a famous attraction for driving thousands of tourists throughout the year.

The palace isn’t just built with a brilliant architectural style but also with a modernized system of provisions is kept in mind. The building has a hot and cold water connection to the well-constructed rooms. This structure stands strong with the test of time, unlike many ancient structures. However, renovation is done regularly to keep the place well-maintained.

The recent structure of the Hindola Mahal in Mandu is a T-Shaped building which is now used as an audience hall and also as an open-air theater. The best thing about this architecture is its simplicity that singles this out from the rest of the structures around. You will come across interesting archives. For people with a taste to explore history and architecture, this place is the best spot to start with. Here are some of the important details before you plan a visit.

Quick Glance

Location: Mandu, Madhya Pradesh, India

Entrée fee: INR 100

Timing: 6:00 am – 7:00 pm

The time required: 1-2 hours

Best Time to Visit:

You must know that this place is best explored during the day time, so stick to the time between sunrises to sunset. Though the palace is suitable to visit throughout the year, you can plan your trip around October-April. The weather is said to be quite pleasant and it attracts tourists from all over the world. The next best thing about this Mahal is its architecture.

Architecture

The Mandu Hindola Mahal is also known as the swinging palace due to the unique sloping side of the walls. The T - shaped structure has a traverse projection towards the north. There are six arched openings to both the sides of the hall, and the windows have beautiful tracings. The roof also has an arch that supports the transparent ceiling.

The interior of the palace is done in the form of a cross by the main passage which leads all the way into the main hall. The exterior looks equally beautiful and neatly chiseled in a very simple way. The buildings were given to Ghiyas-Ud-Din’s rule during the end of the 15th Century A.D.

•  The audience hall or Diwan-e-Aam consist of innovative techniques
•  The best-visited place in the entire palace is the hall with curved and round arches that form a roof over your head.
•  The Hindola palace is also known as a swing and on looking at the structure you will find a visual display of a swing with its sloping roof and high roof.

History

The Mandu Hindola Mahal was built in 1425 C.E during the rule of Hoshang Shah in the 15th century. This palace in Mandu is the first architecture that you will come across while visiting Mandu through Delhi Darwaza. You will love the brilliant architecture and simple carvings on the wall; it contains superb sculptures to mesmerize you with the historic beauty. Apart from this preserved heritage and architecture of this place, you also have some interesting surrounding places to visit. Here are some of the places you must know about.

Surrounding Attractions

There are a few more interesting places which you can visit in Mandu, they are equally stunning and contains history, architectural beauty, preserved heritage and many other interesting additions that are best for any tourists. Some of the places are as follows:

•  Jahaz Mahal
•  Rani Rupmati pavilion
•  Jama Masjid
•  Baz Bahadur’s Palace
•  Ashrafi Palace
•  Jain Temple
•  Taveli Mahal

These places are best explored if you have a guide, you may hire a local resident to help you with the tour.

How to Reach?

The city of Indore and Dhar are in a very close distance to the Hindola palace. The place is well-connected with all the major transportation platforms from all the surrounding cities.

Shopping in Mandu

Even though you won’t find a lot of different items, you will still be able to get a lot of souvenirs to take back home. You will be able to find showpieces, colorful textiles, and essential fabric while making an exit from Madhya Pradesh.

Once you have explores the surrounding beauty and architecture of the Mandu Hindola Mahal, you would love to pay a second visit. Especially, people with a taste of exploring ancient monuments will love to visit the Hindola palace. Stick to some basic rules while exploring the palace, like wearing comfortable shoes, and carrying your own bottle of water, will make your journey much easier.