Man Mandir Palace in Gwalior

Travel to India > Gwalior > Man Mandir Palace in Gwalior

The Man Mandir palace in Gwalior is one of the splendid architectural structures inside the Gwalior Fort. Built during the 16 the century, the palace reflects the essence of the Rajput chivalry and valor. With the decay of time, the interior of the palace is vastly empty but the royal mansion still attracts tourists for its beautifully curved stone walls and the history of medieval India associated with it.

Man Mandir Palace


The fort inside which this majestic Man Mandir stands actually dates back to the era of Huns of the 10th century. The fort has been under the control of several ruling powers; starting from the Kachwaha Rajputs, Kutubiddin Aibawk, the Tomars, Mughals, Marathas, British and then to the Scindias. The Man Mandir however was built by the Man Singh Tomar between the year 1486 - 1527. The entire structure has 3 floor above the ground and 2 floors below the ground. The following are some of the facts related to the architectural splendour of the palace.
  • The place has separate chambers for dealing with state affairs and also for relaxation.
  • The palace interior is decorated with beautiful brilliantly colored paintings of human figures, animals and flowers and glazed tiles.
  • The halls for music and dance were decorated with stone screens on which 'jaali' or lattice work is done.
  • The walls were fitted with triangular shaped friezes. Though we can only see the ruins of such magnificence, but it was said that if a single candle was lit, the light would be reflected and the entire room would be illuminated.
  • Below the storey there are other structural features like the Jhulagar, Kesar Kunda and Phansi Ghar.
  • The dungeon below the palace was in use during the Mughal era. It was here where the Murad was captivated here and was later killed by his brother Aurangzeb.
  • The palace exhibits a combination of both the Hindu as well as the Mughal architectural touch.
  • The palace has a Jauhar Pond, where the Rajput women used to commit Jauhar.
Man Mandir Palace in Gwalior


The Gwalior Fort has been the subject of various literary works since time immemorial. Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty once mentioned the fortress as the pearl among all the forts of India. The Man Mandir is the one of the attractive buildings of the fort. It also fascinates us with the romantic linkage with Man Sing and his wife Mriganayani, a brave village girl. On visiting the palace one would be drawn towards the elegance of the medieval period.