Water treated royally in Mandu's Jahaz Mahal (Ship Palace)

It was not enough for the Mughals to just harvest rainwater but the structure needed to form a lilting backdrop to life in their palaces as exemplified by the Jahaz Mahal. What can we learn from it?

An intricate set of curlicues set in the floor leads rainwater from the roofs to a tank in Jahaz Mahal, Mandu

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12 Aug 2015, 2:26 pm

3 min read

Ghiyas-ud-din-khilji is a man about whom history is confused. Contemporary records speak of 'a lover of peace, particular in his daily prayers'. Modern references invariably mention his (unsubstantiated) harem of 15,000 women. There is only one thing we can all agree on: Ghiyas-ud-din-khilji and his anonymous but talented architect built a marvellous structure somewhere around AD 1469-1501 -- the splendid Jahaz Mahal (Ship-Palace) in Mandu, Madhya Pradesh.

A view of the Jahaz Mahal (Photo: Varun Shiv Kapur via Flickr)

It is a long and narrow building oriented North-South to make the most of the breeze. The length of this palace is 120 metres. It is a marvellous piece of Afghan engineering work with many incredible water structures within its premises. (Source: Varun Shiv Kapur via Flickr)

On either side of the structure are two huge tanks -- the Kapur talab and the Munj Talab. When filled, evaporation from these tanks combined with the bridge cools down the building. This is a blessing in summer when temperatures can go as high as 45 degrees centigrade.

A stone-lined canal connects Kapur and Munj lakes

"The Kapur lake and the Munj lake irrigate almost 50 bigha land (8.02 hectares)", says the award-winning government guide Vishvanath Tiwari.

But this is not all.

Light and darkness

In addition to these huge tanks, Jahaz Mahal boasts of several wells within the structure. The Andheri Baori (dark well), which is inside the palace, was used to cool it down. Today, 1500 people of Mandu use water from this baori.

The Ujala Baori (lit well) is open to air and was probably used to get drinking water. Today, it is used to irrigate the gardens around Jahaz Mahal, Hindola Mahal and Shahi Mahal.

A view of the interior of Gola Baori, a step well within Jahaz Mahal

The water from the Gola Baori is still used by the people for drinking. Around 7000 people of Mandu are dependent on Jahaz Mahal's water for drinking and other domestic uses.

Swimming under the stars

In addition to these functional aspects, there were some areas of the palace that were exclusively meant for fun and frolic. There are two beautiful pools on the roof and the ground floor of the palace with plenty of seating – a perfect place to relax from the hot sun. Incredibly, both the pools are filled with rainwater.

A tortoise-shaped water tank on the ground floor of Jahaj Mahal

The total storage capacity of this water tank is 30,000 litres.

Kamal (or Lotus) pond showing its sinuous feeder channel

The sinuous channel that carries water from the roof to Kamal Kund is remarkable for its beauty with a purpose. In addition to looking beautiful, the curlicues also slow down the water allowing for some suspended solids to settle. Water can also be diverted to underground cisterns once the tank is full.

Suraj Talab in Jahaj Mahal is a long rectangular tank lined with stone

Water from Suraj Talab was drawn up to Jahaj Mahal, presumably to replenish Champa Baori in the summer months

A plastered channel carries water along the roof of Jahaj Mahal

This channel carried water to Kamal Kund

Designing with nature

There are several stories about other marvels within Jahaz Mahal such a mentions of steam baths and hot water pools, and of slides that led down to Kapur Talab from the roof of Jahaz Mahal. Little of these remain.

More tragic than the loss of a heated swimming pool is the decline of our architectural aesthetics and knowledge, at least when it comes to what is today termed as passive solar architecture or designing a building in conjunction with the earth processes around it so that heating and cooling occur naturally. Jahaz Mahal has incorporated several of these principles such as site placement, use of rainwater, design of opening, and it has also done so with a mix of playfulness and elegance. Instead of being an 'add-on', wind and water are woven through the fabric of Jahaz Mahal. Whether interested in architecture or not, this place is a must-visit.