Man Mandir Palace

A heartrending ambiance of graciousness and valor of those days still loiters in the silent chambers this royal mansion. The fort inside which this majestic Man Mandir stands actually dates back to an era of the 10th century. The fort has been under the control of several ruling powers; starting from the Kachwaha Rajputs, Kutubiddin Aibawk, the Tomars, Mughals, Marathas, British and then to the Scindias. The Man Mandir however was built by the Man Singh Tomar between the year 1486 – 1527. Though the palace had not survived the beatings of time, it hold its elegance and lend a hand to the visitor to go back to the medieval period. Worn out by the passage of time, the interior of the palace is nearly empty. The exquisitely designed tiles adorn the exterior of the palace. The only fascinating feature in this palace is the nicely carved stonewalls of the vast chambers. One among the important spot in this palace is the Jauhar Pond, where the Rajput ladies committed sati. The circular prison in the palace had witnessed the brutal murder of Murad by the hands of his own brother. The place has separate chambers for dealing with state affairs and also for relaxation. The interior is decorated with beautiful brilliantly colored paintings of human figures, animals and flowers and glazed tiles. Below the storey there are other structural features like the Jhulagar, Kesar Kunda and Phansi Ghar. The dungeon below the palace was in use during the Mughal era. The palace exhibits a combination of both the Hindu as well as the Mughal architectural touch. On visiting the palace one would be drawn towards the elegance of the medieval period.