Hindola Mahal

About Hindola Mahal

Hindola Mahal stands in the royal enclosure at Mandu, a short walk from Jahaz Mahal, and it is one of the boldest pieces of Malwa Sultanate building on the plateau. Hindola means swing, and the name comes from the outer walls, which are so steeply battered that they appear to tilt. Seen from one end the whole mass looks caught mid swing, which is an illusion created purely by the slope of the masonry.

Structurally the slope is doing real work, buttressing walls that carry a wide, high hall. The plan is a long hall with a cross wing attached, giving the building a T shape, and the interior is a tall open space lit by arched openings in the thick walls. It is generally understood to have served as an audience or durbar hall, where the ruler received people, and the proportions of the interior support that reading.

What to look for

The battered outer walls

Stand at one of the long sides and look along the wall rather than straight at it. The steep inward lean is immediately obvious from that angle, and it is the whole reason for the building's name.

The great hall inside

The interior is one tall, uninterrupted space, far more impressive from within than the plain exterior suggests. Arched openings in the thick walls throw light across the floor in bands.

The T shaped plan

A cross wing joins the long hall, so the building is not the simple rectangle it looks like from outside. Walking the full plan makes the junction of the two parts clear.

Its place in the enclosure

The hall sits among the other royal structures, with Jahaz Mahal close by. Reading the two together shows the difference between a palace built for pleasure and a hall built for ceremony.

Planning your visit

Hindola Mahal is inside the same royal enclosure as Jahaz Mahal, so a single walk takes in both along with the smaller buildings around them.

• Do this with Jahaz Mahal, since the two share one enclosure and one approach.
• Step outside and look along the walls from an angle, not just head on, to see the slope properly.
• The interior is cool and shaded, which makes it a good stop in the middle of a hot morning.
• Confirm opening hours and entry arrangements locally before you travel.

Best time to visit

Low sun is the friend of this building, because raking light across the battered walls exaggerates the slope that gives it its name. Mornings and late afternoons are therefore the most rewarding, and the cooler months make the whole enclosure walk easier to do at a proper pace.