Maheshwar is dominated by its fort, whose huge ramparts, towering above the river ghats, were built by Emperor Akbar. The Maheshwar Palace and several temples within the fort were added by Queen Ahilyabai in the 18th century. The palace is part public courtyards, part posh hotel. During daylight hours small parts of the complex (the gardens and a tiny one-room museum dedicated to the queen) are open to the public, but come sunset the imposing wooden gates are closed.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
17.69 MILES
The Royal Enclave is the largest group of monuments, with several beautiful buildings from the 15th- and 16th-century Ghuri and Khilji dynasties set near…
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0.08 MILES
Down to the right of the ramp descending towards the ghats are the chhatris (cenotaphs) of Ahilyabai and Vithoji Rao, a Holkar prince who was trampled to…
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0.09 MILES
Running along the banks of the holy Narmada River and shadowed by the daunting walls of the fort, the ghats are the life and spiritual soul of the town…
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15.03 MILES
A pleasant 4km cycle south of Mandu village brings you to the Rewa Kund tank and the two monuments of the Rewa Kund Group, Baz Bahadur's Palace and…
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17.21 MILES
This group, straddling the main road in the centre of the village, comprises three grand edifices constructed in the 15th-century by the Ghuri and Khilji…
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14.86 MILES
Standing at the top of an escarpment falling 366m to the plains, Rupmati’s Pavilion has a delicacy of design and beauty of location unmatched by Mandu's…
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17.24 MILES
Entered by a flight of steps leading to a 17m-high domed porch, this disused red-stone mosque dominates Mandu village centre. Hoshang Shah begun its…
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17.76 MILES
Dating from the 15th century, this is the most famous building in Mandu. Built on a narrow strip of land between Munja and Kapoor tanks, with an upper…
Nearby Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh attractions
0.08 MILES
On the way down from the palace to the ghats, a small doorway announces the NGO Rehwa Society, a craft cooperative where profits are ploughed back into…
0.08 MILES
Down to the right of the ramp descending towards the ghats are the chhatris (cenotaphs) of Ahilyabai and Vithoji Rao, a Holkar prince who was trampled to…
0.09 MILES
Running along the banks of the holy Narmada River and shadowed by the daunting walls of the fort, the ghats are the life and spiritual soul of the town…
0.25 MILES
From the river ghats, incense smoke and colourful small boats (₹50 per person or ₹200 for 10 minutes) drift across the water to Baneshwar Temple on a tiny…
14.86 MILES
Standing at the top of an escarpment falling 366m to the plains, Rupmati’s Pavilion has a delicacy of design and beauty of location unmatched by Mandu's…
15.03 MILES
A pleasant 4km cycle south of Mandu village brings you to the Rewa Kund tank and the two monuments of the Rewa Kund Group, Baz Bahadur's Palace and…
15.12 MILES
Baz Bahadur (r 1555–61) was the last independent ruler of Mandu. His palace, a curious mix of Rajasthani and Mughal styles, was built in 1508–09 by the…
16.13 MILES
If you have time, this group of handsome buildings is worth a detour between Mandu village and Rewa Kund. The main ones are Malik Mughith's Mosque, built…