The Darya Khan Group

Darya Khan was a minister in the court of Mahmud Khalji II. The walled tomb complex is centred round the tomb of Darya Khan, with its massive tomb. The complex also houses another tomb, Darya Khan’s Mosque, Lal Sarai (Sarai means inn) and Somvati Kund (Kund means pond). The entry to the complex is through the west. Straight ahead is the Somvati Kund and beyond that is the Tomb of Darya Khan, which is also enclosed by a high wall. On the right is the Lal Sarai and on the left is the mosque. The other tomb lies on the north east of the mosque. Souce

Sarai Kothari

Location : Google Maps

Sarai is a inn/guest house. No information is available about this place. Most probably this was a inn owned by someone named Kothari.

During its heydays Mandu was a flourishing trading center attracting travellers and traders from different parts of the world. No wonder Mandu had several inns (sarais) providing shelters to these travellers. Mandu still houses a series of sarais scattered all over the plateau. This small sarai lies on the western side of the north - south road of Mandu in between Darya Khan Group and the Royal Group. It is a small sarai with nine arched entrances. Source

The rear

There's a unidentified structure just behind it : Location

Panch Devali

Location : Google Maps

This entrance to this place was locked, some pics thru the window grill.

This unknown tomb lies a couple of yards north - east of the mosque. A small tomb with a unknown occupant. The entrance is on the south through a triple arched entrance. The flat roof contains a large dome the corners are flanked with smaller domes. The central dome is plane while the corner ribbed and are garlic shaped. Source

Darya Khan Masjid

Location : Google Maps

The small mosque has a central dome. The northern and southern sides have three small domes each. The corners are marked with small turrets.The entrance on the east is flanked with 9 arches, The central arches is flanked on either side by smaller arches. Source

Darya Khan Tomb

Location : Google Maps

The most interesting feature of this building are the small domes at the four corners surrounding the main dome in the centre. The interior is a square with arches built across the corners to support the dome above. The tomb was built for Darya Khan in A.D.1510-26 Source

The tomb is within a rectangular complex, which has a water tank on one of its side. The tomb stands on a raised platform. Its exterior is faced with red masonry and was once decorated with coloured enamels in various intricate patterns. Near the piers of arches are seen octagonal posts in the traditional style. Source

It's possible to climb up to the upper level.

That's Hathi Paga Mahal in the distance.

Plenty of baobabs in Mandu.

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Somvati Kund

Location : Google Maps

This small pond lies east of Darya Khan's Tomb. The pond known as Somvati Kund is stone lined on all sides. Source

Lal Sarai

Location : Google Maps

Lal Sari, literally meaning the Red Inn, was a guest house for travellers who visited Mandu. It lies on the right side of the entrance and on the south - west corner of Dary Khan's Tomb.The structure consists of a series on rooms arranged in a rectangle, surrounding a large open courtyard. Source

Roja (Khadija Bibi) ki Makbara

Location : Google Maps

This is located on the opposite side of the Dary Khan’s Tomb Complex and is approached by a dirt road. Roja or Khadija Bibi, was a women sufi saint, probably the one of its kind in the whole of Mandu. She was cremated inside the tomb. The black stoned built domed structure has a arched entrance on the western side and there are several other graves inside the tomb. Source

There's a unidentified domed structure between the Darya Khan and Sagar Talav groups, here

Hathi Paga Mahal

Location : Google Maps

The name Hathi Mahal seems to be have been given to it for its rather disproportionately massive pillars, looking like the legs of an elephant, supporting the high dome above. It seems that the building was originally constructed as a pleasure resort and later converted into a tomb, since a sepulchre is now seen inside and a mosque is also standing nearby, rather too close, thus spoiling its external architectural effect. It is planned like a baradari with three arched openings on each side. The dome has here, externally, a high octagonal base divided into bands of masonry molding which have thus imparted an unusual height to the dome. Source

Hathi Paga Mahal, literally meaning Elephant Leg Palace, (also referred as Hati Mahal). is a domed structure located on the south - eastern side of the Darya Khan Tomb Complex. The four massive pillars supporting the structure represents the elephant's leg and hence the name. It is crowned with a massive dome. It was probably built as a pleasure resort but later converted into a tomb. It contains the mortal remains of a unknown person and he is buried below the tomb. A flight of stairs leads to the underground crypt, but sadly the passageway have been blocked off. On the western side of the tomb is a small mosque crowned with three domes. A stairways leads to the mosque terrace offering great views of the surrounding, including the Darya Khan Tomb Complex. Source

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Last updated 25 Oct 2023