Mandu

Mandu is a historic site in Madhya Pradesh sitting on a sandstone plateau surrounded by a long stone wall. The complex spreads across a wide area with palaces, mosques, tombs and water structures now mostly standing as ruins.

After several centuries under local kings, the site was taken by the Sultanate of Delhi in the 14th century. Over the following decades, successive rulers built many of the mosques, tombs and palaces that still stand today.

The Ship Palace ruins take their name from the building's position between two lakes, appearing from some angles like a floating vessel. Other structures show the crafting methods of the period, with domes and arches built from local stone without modern tools.

Most visitors come between October and March, when the weather is cooler and walking across the wide complex is easier. The main structures lie scattered, so having a vehicle or spending more than one day helps to see several sites.

Many structures still carry traces of colored tiles and patterns that are now hard to spot but appear on walls and arches when examined closely. Some of the balustrades and windows were designed to direct light and shadow in particular ways, visible during early morning or evening hours.