It is located in the Malwa and Nimar region of western Madhya Pradesh, India, at 35 km from Dhar city.

An inscription discovered from Talanpur (around 100 km from Mandu) states that a merchant named Chandra Simha installed a statue in a temple of Parshvanatha located in the Mandapa Durg.

The town of Mandu, situated at an elevation of 633 metres (2,079 feet), is perched on the Vindhya Range extending for 13 km (8.1 mi) while overlooking the plateau of Malwa to the north and the valley of the Narmada River to the south which acted as natural defences for the fort-capital the Paramaras.

As "Mandapa-Durga", Mandu is mentioned as the royal residence in the inscriptions of the Paramara kings starting from Jayavarman II.

It is possible that Jayavarman or his predecessor Jaitugi moved from the traditional Paramara capital Dhara to Mandu, because of attacks from the neighbouring kingdoms.

Balban, the general of the Delhi's Sultan Nasir-ud-din, had reached the northern frontier of the Paramara territory by this time.

Around the same time, the Paramaras also faced attacks from the Yadava emperor Krishna of Devgiri and the Vaghela king Visaladeva of Gujarat.

Ayn al-Mulk Multani, the newly appointed Governor of Malwa, was sent to expel the Paramara king Mahalakadeva from Mandu and cleanse that place from "the odour of infidelity".

When Timur captured Delhi in 1401, the Afghan Dilawar Khan, governor of Malwa, set up his own little kingdom and the Ghuri dynasty was established.

[citation needed] In 1526, Mahmud II the sixth Khalji ruler made no resistance against the invading Bahadur Shah of Gujarat who conquered Mandu 28 March 1531.

[12] After Akbar added Mandu to the Mughal empire, it kept a considerable degree of independence, until taken by the Marathas in 1732 by Peshwa Baji Rao I.

The capital of Malwa was then shifted back to Dhar by Marathas under Maharaja Pawar, re-establishing Hindu rule.

Mandu, due to its strategic position and natural defences, was an important place with a rich and varied history.

Rewa Kund A reservoir constructed by Baz Bahadur for the purpose of supplying water to Rani Roopmati's Pavilion.

Hathi Paga Mahal or Elephant Leg Palace is located on the south-eastern side of the Darya Khan Complex, and is crowned with a massive dome.

[13] Jami Masjid Inspired by the great mosque of Damascus, this enormous structure is striking in both its simplicity and architectural style-with large courtyards and grand entrances.

There is a seven-story winning memorial at the north-east of the palace, and also a fascinating Ram Temple nearby, which was built by Maharani Sakarwar Bai Pawar in 1769 CE.

Hoshang Shah's Tomb India's first marble structure[citation needed], it is one of the most refined examples of Afghan architecture.

Its unique features include the beautifully proportioned dome, intricate marble lattice work and porticoed courts and towers.

[14] Jahaz Mahal/Ship Palace Situated between two artificial lakes, this two-storied architectural marvel is so named as it appears as a ship floating in water.

This is The Water Palace shown in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1832, from a painting by Copley Fielding together with a poetical illustration by Letitia Elizabeth Landon.

With a series of adventure activities, music shows, lights, and balloon festivals that happen every year in the winter season.

Along with a colourful celebration, the sound and light show at the Jahaz Mahal is another interesting event that holds the eyes of every tourist.