Shaukat Mahal & Sadar Manzil
The Shaukat Mahal and Sadar Manzil are two architectural curiosities
of Bhopal.
Situated right at the entrance of the Chowk area, the Mahal is a
blend of both oriental and occidental styles of architecture. The
Mahal is supposed to have been designed by a decadent Frenchman who
claimed to be a descendant of the Bourbon Dynasty of France.
The building is very different from the rest of the Islamic
architecture in the vicinity.
In the Shaukat Mahal, Gothic and post-Renaissance styles have been
freely combined to produce a quaint but charming effect. The Shaukat
Mahal is a beautiful alabaster-white building that has a series of
intricate triangular-shaped arches on its roof – the unique
feature of the palace.
The exterior of the palace is also carved with exquisite floral
patterns that give the Mahal a very eco-friendly appearance.
The Shaukat Mahal is flanked by the Sadar Manzil which served as a
Hall of Public Audience during the princely period.
This brick-red building has an ostentatious appearance, and the
gardens that surround the palace makes the Manzil look as pretty as a
postcard.
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