Xplore Mandu

An attempt to document Mandu’s fading ruins ….

Xplore Mandu (ISBN: 978-8193208533)

Published 2017 (Catalogued at the British Library)

200 Pages; 150+ Photographs; 20+ Ground Plans, Flexibound

Inception | Since 2003-04, I had started to read and write about Mandu after my first visit to the ruined sight. I scanned through all available resources; from Ghulam Yzadani’s ground breaking work to ASI Guidebook by D. R. Patil; from obscure documentaries to the well-known “In Praise of Mandu” by MARG. However, none of the books showed the spectacular beauty that Mandu is. By this time, I had created a vast pile stock of digital images and often wondered, “Why should these images stay dormant in hard disks?” When Resurrect Books offered this possibility of doing a guidebook on Mandu, I was thoroughly thrilled. It also gave me an opportunity to visit Mandu, once more; see more of it. Two field visits spanning a fortnight helped me to document 61 monuments in Mandu alone.

Roles & Responsibilities | Research including multiple visits to Mandu, Budhi Mandu, Dhar, Nalchha and Bagh, Photography, Author, and collaboration with subject experts.

Objectives | Primarily to document the major monuments; bringing the lesser-known destinations into public focus. To present a holistic picture of Mandu by educating the tourists about its historical and cultural prominence. And to help the visitors to get the best of their visit, by judiciously selecting the sight-seeing options.  

Coverage | The book covers Mandu, Budhi Mandu, Dhar and Bagh Caves in good detail with photographic inputs. At Mandu alone, the book covers 61 monuments including all 14 gates of fortification. Architectural aids such as ground plans, elevations, etc. have included as and when required. A map for facilitating hassle-free movement and a section on “Practicalities” has turned the book into an indispensable repository of information on Mandu.

Response | Outstanding Work! This book stands out for its detailed and exhaustive analysis of fading ruins of Mandu. The brief historical background at the beginning serves as a very good precursor for understanding the composite culture of this region. If you are planning a trip to Mandu, then this is a must-have.

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