Anoushka Srivastava
Anoushka Srivastava is in her penultimate year of Textile designing at National Institute of Fashion Technology. She takes deep interest in the arts, aesthetics and culture of India, and the active agents in her otherwise lazy life are her mother and older sister.
An Listicles by Anoushka Srivastava
Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh
No sooner that we mention the name of ‘Chanderi’ and images of glossy, vibrant beautiful fabric comes vividly in front of our eyes. This popular choice of fabric that is thinner than air owes its namesake to a little hamlet in Madhya Pradesh and a rich chronicle of history and kingship that makes this sleepy town time capsule of memory. If you ever visit this place, you can make an amazing itinerary to visit some truly remarkable heritage monuments besides raiding factories and shops to buy large looms of this gorgeous fabric!.
Koshak Mahal
Koshak mahal was built in 1445AD as a victory monument. Chronicler Mohammed Kasim ‘Farishta’ mentions in his book ‘Taruikh-e- Farishta’ that the palace was built by the then Sultan of Malwa. The original name ‘Kushk-e-Haft Manzil’ or ‘The edifice with seven storeys’ defines that the palace was mapped for seven storeyed though currently only three floors can be spotted. There is no claim that whether the intended seven storeys was ever completed.
Shehzadi Ka Rauza
A 15th century tomb structure was built by then governor of Chanderi in the memory of his daughter Mehrunissa. It was built over 12ft high platform, near Parmeshwar pond. Originally the whole structure was roofed by a central dome which was rounded on all four corners by small minaret structures. But the entire dome and two of the minarets have now mostly have collapsed.
Kati Ghati Getaway
This structure is cut out entirely of a single row, is situated on the southern edge of Chanderi, forming a link between Malwa on south and Bundelkhand on the north. It is 230ft above the ground level the gate itself is 80ft high and 39ft wide. An inscription both in Devnagri and Nask scripts, in languages Sanskrit and Arabic and Persian, on the eastern wall of the gate states that its construction was completed on 12th march, 1495 AD by Jiman Khan, the son of then governor of Chanderi, Sher Khan, who had the fort under control.
BADAL MAHAL
With a height of 50ft it is one of the most eminent among all monuments in Chanderi. It was built in 15th century within the reign of Sultan Mahmood Shah Khilji 1. It is said that gateway stood at the entrance of a palace no longer survives. The gate itself consists of an arched entrance on either side of which are tall fluted minarets. The door arch is fringed with decorative scallops. Above the door is a gap and right on top is another arch inserted with jallis of four separate patterns. The ornaments are miniature arched facades and other geometric motifs.
BATTISI BAODI
The stepwell, located to the north-west of the city, is the largest of all stepwells in Chanderi. It is square in shape, each side being 60ft in length and 4 storeys deep. Steps descend from one storey down to the next and at each storey there are eight ghats. The number of ghats total to 32 which has given this Baodi its name. The main stairs are on the southern-end which proceed through two door-ways. Flanking the stairs are two inscriptions in Arabic and Persian, written in Nask script.
RAJAA RANI MAHAL
It is composed of two different palaces. The imposing seven storied structure which has now been attached to the smaller Rani Mahal. The two palaces are built completely in different styles. Thus, they clearly do not belong to the same time period. The 2 inscriptions found in a Baodi within the complex are illegible but the style of calligraphy points to Khilji period. This implies that the Raja Mahal must have been originally built by the Khilji rulers in the 15th century. However, the Rani Mahal appears to be an earlier construction.Hope these sun kissed bricks charm you with their old stories and magnificent architecture against the setting sun, as you rush for the night market in the sleepy town of Chanderi
Hope these sun kissed bricks charm you with their old stories and magnificent architecture against the setting sun, as you rush for the night market in the sleepy town of Chanderi.
