Sept_13

DESTINATION
We climbed uphill to the
breathtaking Rani Roopmati Pavilion
that broods over her consort Baz
Bahadur’s 16th century palace. The
minstrels of Malwa still sing about
the romance of this royal duo whose
tragic lives have inspired several
celluloid versions of their love story
On our way to the Rewa Kund complex, a little beyond
the town centre, we passed local belles with pots on their
heads walking with unselfconscious grace and snottynosed
kids who ran behind our car, shouting: “Hello,
good morning.”
We climbed uphill to the breathtaking Rani Roopmati
Pavilion that broods over her consort Baz Bahadur’s 16 th
century palace. The minstrels of Malwa still sing about the
romance of this royal duo whose tragic lives have inspired
several celluloid versions of their love story. Our guide recounted
how Rani Roopmati was once married to a Rajput
prince. A devotee of the Narmada River, she would eat
only after she had splashed around in the river and worshipped
it. She spent so much time praying and singing on
its banks that her husband abandoned her and married another
woman. Sultan Baz Bahadur, also a musician, heard
her singing in the forest while on a hunt and fell in love
with her even before he set eyes on her. He subsequently
pursued her with a singular passion. It is said that when
Baz Bahadur sang the deep raag, diya would spontaneously
light up in appreciation; while when Rani Roopmati
sang, trees would blossom in multi-hued splendour. Baz
Bahadur persuaded her to live with him at his court with
its 400 musicians. He built the pavilion and two pandal
for her within 48 hours so that she could have an unobstructed
view of her beloved river that flowed across the
valley below.
Their idyllic world was shattered when Adam Khan, one
of Emperor Akbar’s generals, spearheaded the Mughal
attack on Mandu. Baz Bahadur fled to nearby Dhar, turning
out to be more valorous in song than deed. Khan, in
turn, asked the queen to marry him. Devastated by her
consort’s spineless desertion and preferring death to dishonour,
Roopmati killed herself by swallowing a cache of
ground diamonds.
When our guide, who was prone to histrionics, related the
story, there wasn’t a dry eye in the group. Rain came gusting
in and we left the pavilion of the tragic queen, clutching
FACT FILE
The best time to visit Mandu is in the rains when
the hill fort is encased in lush greenery. It is also
pleasant in winter.
GETTING THERE
By air: Indore, the closest airport, is 105 km away.
By train: The most convenient railhead is Indore.
From here, one can reach Mandu by state transport
buses or private taxis.
TIPS
The best way to explore Mandu is on foot. One can
also hire a cycle or a private taxi to explore the Rewa
Kund cluster of monuments, which lie further away
from the main village.
ACCOMMODATION
• Jhira Bagh Palace Hotel, Dhar (35 km away);
Tel: 0731-2556183; Email: jhiraplc@gmail.com
• Malwa Retreat; Tel: 07692-263235, 263221;
Email: mresoertm@mptourism.com
For more information, visit
www.madhyapradeshtourism.com
upturned umbrellas. By the time we reached our car, the
rain had stopped and a violet-grey twilight had descended
softly, just like a butterfly’s wings. Shepherds were herding
in their cattle as the first stream of blue-white smoke
coiled upwards from thatched-roof huts and sprinkled the
fragrance of wood fire in the air. Listen closely enough and
the whispers of the past mumble tales of valour, love and
loss in Mandu. h
60 harmony celebrate age september 2013