Jahaz Mahal, Mandu, Madhya Pradesh India

Although it is called a Ship Palace, it bears as much resemblance to a water craft as a rhinoceros did to the mythical unicorn; through the legendary one-horned horse was inspired by traveler’s tales of the Indian Rhino. But then the Afghans were never known for their sea-faring skills. They probably gave their pleasure palace its fanciful name because ships conjure up images of uninhibited fun away from the prying eyes of the mainlanders, the fact that the Jahaz Mahal had two large lakes on either side of it, added to the Afghan’s illusion that it resembled a ship. It is clear that this palace, in spite of its size, was never meant to be lived in. Its ground floor has three ground floors with corridors in between, and narrow rooms at the far end, from the halls pavilions project over the Munj tank. These halls were lounges and the pavilions were places for people to enjoy the cool breeze that blew of the lake. The narrow rooms at the far end were changing rooms from those who wanted to swim in the pillared pool at the northern end. The terrace above was for the festive parties, with superb view of the lake in front. It, too, had a smaller swimming pool at one end and pavilions for more intimate conversations. In fact, year later, the Mughal Emperor Jehangir describes just such a party hosted by his beautiful wife Noor Jehan at which a great entertainment took place and the drunkards indulged themselves to excess such mass revels were necessary. Ghiyathud-din, the creator of the Jahaz Mahal, had to find ways to keep his dependants occupied. It is said that he had at one time 15,000 women of various classes in his seraglio. Five hundred beautiful and young Turkish females in men’s clothes and an equal number of Abyssinian females, all in uniform and armed, used to stand as guards to his right and left sides respectively.