The short answer
Baz Bahadur's Palace and Rewa Kund: what visitors should know first
Yes, and it takes about 45 minutes. A broad flight of steps leads up from the road, but the courtyards are open and shaded in parts. Visit it together with Roopmati's Pavilion, which overlooks it from the cliff above.
History and context
The story behind Baz Bahadur's Palace and Rewa Kund
A Persian inscription at the entrance records that the palace was built by Nasir-ud-din in 1508-09. It later became associated with Baz Bahadur, who ruled Malwa from 1555 until the Mughal conquests of 1561 and 1562. The Rewa Kund, a reservoir below Roopmati's Pavilion, is credited to Baz Bahadur and fed the pavilion by aqueduct.
Baz Bahadur eventually surrendered to Akbar in 1570 and joined Mughal service.
Useful facts
Baz Bahadur's Palace and Rewa Kund facts at a glance
- Location
- Below the southern rim of Mandu, beside Rewa Kund
- Experience type
- Courtyard palace and reservoir
- Known for
- Large courts, central cistern and terraces
- Built
- 1508-09 per inscription; later linked to Baz Bahadur
- Entrance
- About forty broad steps
- Nearby
- Rewa Kund and Roopmati's Pavilion
Why it matters
Why Baz Bahadur's Palace and Rewa Kund is worth your time
The palace carries Baz Bahadur's name, but an inscription says it was built in 1508-09 by Nasir-ud-din, a Khalji sultan. Baz Bahadur ruled from 1555 and later used it, and the name stuck. That mismatch between name and builder is a fair summary of Mandu: much of what visitors are told is attached to the last romantic ruler, though the monuments are older and more varied.
The Rewa Kund tells a similar story. A reservoir with an aqueduct to the pavilion above, it shows how the plateau managed water as a whole system, tanks, channels and cisterns, rather than as separate decorations. Seeing the palace and the kund together makes the engineering behind the leisure clear.
Highlights
What not to miss
- 01
The great courtyard
A wide open court with a central cistern and octagonal pavilion.
- 02
The inscription
A Persian text over the entrance gives the 1508-09 date and builder.
- 03
Rewa Kund
The reservoir below once fed the pavilion by aqueduct.
Plan your visit
How to experience it
Walk up the broad stairway, which has about forty steps, and enter through the gateway into a large open court. At the centre is a cistern, and an octagonal pavilion stands in one corner. Along the sides run arcades and halls, some roofed and some open. Walk the courts slowly, then climb to the terraces, where you can look across to the pavilion on the cliff and down to the Rewa Kund.
The palace is a good place for an unhurried half hour. The scale is large, but the details are plain, so spend the time on proportions: the width of the courtyards, the long lines of arches, and the way the roofs frame the sky. Check the inscription over the entrance, which states that the building was constructed in 1508-09 by Nasir-ud-din, long before Baz Bahadur's time.
Walk down to the Rewa Kund afterwards. This reservoir, widened by Baz Bahadur, supplied water to the pavilion above by aqueduct, and its surrounding halls are a pleasant place to rest.
Plan with confidence
Small decisions that make the visit easier.
- Allow time for the entrance steps
- Visit in the morning
- Check the inscription over the gateway
- Walk down to Rewa Kund afterwards
Know before you go
Timing, access and comfort
- Area
- Below the southern rim, near Rewa Kund, Mandu
- Time needed
- 45 to 60 minutes
- Best time
- Morning or late afternoon
- Walking level
- Moderate
- Senior comfort
- About forty broad steps lead up to the entrance, and the courtyard surfaces are uneven. Once inside the ground is largely level and there are shaded arcades where older visitors can rest.
- Tickets and access
- ASI-protected and ticketed as part of the Rewa Kund group; fees differ for Indian and foreign visitors. Check the current price on the ASI ticketing site or at the gate. Photography of the courtyards is normally allowed.
Best for
Plan it with
Plan the practical part
Hotels near Baz Bahadur's Palace and Rewa Kund
Staying close keeps journeys short — useful for early starts and for anyone who tires quickly.
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Travelling with parents?
About forty broad steps lead up to the entrance, and the courtyard surfaces are uneven. Once inside the ground is largely level and there are shaded arcades where older visitors can rest.
Raahzo can arrange an arrival or day companion who handles tickets, queues and pacing, and keeps the family updated.
See concierge supportFAQs
Did Baz Bahadur build the palace?
An inscription says it was built in 1508-09 by Nasir-ud-din; Baz Bahadur used it later.
What is Rewa Kund?
A reservoir below the palace that supplied water to Roopmati's Pavilion by aqueduct.
How many steps are there?
About forty broad steps lead to the entrance.
Sources and further reading
Timings, fees and access rules change. Recheck with the official source before you travel.
