Lake Palaces, Mandu

The most famous Islamic works of architecture in India were left by the Moghuls in the 16th and 17th centuries, but there were other pre-Moghul Islamic dynasties in North India, such as the Tughlaq or the Lodi Dynasties of the 15th centuries, whose magnificent remains are not very well known outside India. One of the great late-15th century sites is Mandu (Mandavgad), in the state of Madhya Pradesh, where a brief dynasty called the Ghuri Dynasty flourished in the 1400s. Spread out over a vast area are ruins of the once great city, including a giant mosque, numerous tombs, a caravanserai, and a palace complex with huge man-made lakes and marvelous pavilions. This is one such pavilion, the Jal Mahal in Mandu’s ‘Royal Enclave’. The pavilion was built out into the lake (arches of an aqueduct can be seen in the background), and was once roofed, so the members of the court could enjoy a swim and stay cool in the shade, caressed by breezes.