Rewa Kund Monument
¤ Grand Reservoir
You’ll have to trek about 3.2km south of the monuments around the
village to reach this group of buildings. The Rewa Kund is a tank of
sacred water from the Rewa, another name for the revered Narmada. This
is where the love of the musician-prince Baz Bahadur and Rani Roopmati
flowered.
¤ Palace of Baz Bahadur
Perched on the hill is the Palace of Baz Bahadur (1509), once
supplied with water from this very kund or tank by a water lift. An
interesting blend of Rajput and Mughal styles, it was actually built
well before Baz Bahadur came to power.
The main part of the palace is a spacious open court with halls and
rooms on all four sides. On the northern side, beyond the colonnade is
a projecting octagonal pavilion with arches overlooking an old garden.
On the terrace at the south end are two beautiful baradaris offering
a lovely view of the countryside.
¤ Rani Roopmati’s Pavilion
To the south of Baz Bahadur’s Palace, near the edge of the fort
are Roopmati’s Pavilions. Built in three different stages,
probably early 15th century with extensions later, these
pavilions were occupied by Baz Bahadur’s beloved mistress, Rani
Roopmati.
It is believed that the pavilion was originally built as an army
observation post. It was initially a massive low hall with two rooms
at each end and a thick sloping plinth. Subsequently, the building was
extended westward alongside the plinth, but it is the latest addition,
the pavilions, that made this building special enough to house the
love of Baz Bahadur’s life. The pavilions are square in design
with hemispherical domes. These pavilions were special to Rani
Roopmati too because she could see the Narmada in the valley below.
Indeed, the view from here at sunset or by moonlight across to the
Narmada valley 305m below is truly sensational.
¤ Love At The Time of Akbara
Baz Bahadur, ever so fond of music, was the last independent ruler of
Mandu. Once out hunting (typical setting for a king-meets-peasant-girl
love story), Baz Bahadur chanced upon a shepherdess frolicking and
singing with her friends. Smitten by both her enchanting beauty and
her mellifluous voice, he begged Roopmati to accompany him to his
capital. Roopmati agreed to go to Mandu on the condition that she
would live in a palace within sight of her beloved and venerated
river, Narmada. Thus was built the Rewa Kund at Mandu.
¤ The End of The Love Tale
Unfortunately, the fairytale romance of this Muslim prince and Hindu
shepherdess was doomed to failure. The great Mughal Akbar decided to
invade Mandu, spurred partially on by the accounts of Roopmati’s
bewitching beauty. No match for the great Mughal army, Mandu fell in
the hands of Akbar. Baz Bahadur fled the fort while Rani Roopmati
stoically poisoned herself. Thus ended this magical love story steeped
in music, poetry and beauty.
|
