//
A south ward walk along the main road of Mandu leads to Sagar Talao on the left. Just after reaching the lake a dirt road on the left (there is a signage) leads to the Sagar Talao group. The dirt road leads to the Malik Mughith's Mosque and Carava Sarai. The two structure face each other with Malik Mughith's Mosque on the east.The entrance of the mosque is through the center of the eastern side. On the either side of the entrance and along the plinth are 12 arches, six on each side. these lead to rooms. The rooms probably served as quarters for the mosque staff. A long flight of stairs leads to a domed entrance. Sadly the dome has long collapsed and have most of the pillars, which once held the dome. A Persian inscription at the mosque entrance mention that the mosque was constructed in 1432. The entrance leads to an open courtyard, with pillared passageways on all four sides. The centre of the western side is crowned with a dome. There are also domes on the south – western and north – western corners. The western end contains, three passage ways separated by beautifully decorated columns. Just south of the mosque is a ruined structure which probably served as the Imam's house.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Sari, literally meaning inn, is a guest house. As a citadel Mandu flourished as a flourishing trading centre attracting traders and travellers from far and wide. No wonder these men needed place to stay and eat, the saris or inns provided accommodations to the travellers visiting Mandu. Today the ruined citadel of Mandu contains several ruined sarais and the Carava Sarai of Sagar Talao is the largest of them. The entrance of the Caravan Sarai is through a massive arched gateway on the western side. The gate is high enough to allow camels and elephants to enter the inn. Built in 1437 it consists of a simple architecture with a large open courtyard along with rooms on all four sides.
On the south west corner of the Caravan Sarai is a domed structure known as the Dai ki Chhoti Behen ka Mahal. The structure consists of a domed mausoleum along with a mosque. Dai literally means mid - wife or nurse and choti bahin means younger sister hence the tomb belonged to a younger sister of a nurse. No wonder the nurse definitely had a high status, but sadly nothing is known about her. Just south of the Dai ki Chhoti Bahin ka Mahal is a remains of a Mughal styled char bagh garden known as Lal Bagh.
Adhar Dome
On the western side of the Dai ka Mahal lies a massive domed structure, which the Archaeological survey of India (ASI) describes as the Unknown Tomb. While some historians mention it as the Adhar Dome. Here also nothing is known about the occupant of the massive tomb. It is a two storied structure with a flight of stairs on the south side. The remaining three sides have seven arched entrance each. The stairs lead to the top of the first level which acts as a platform of the tomb, which is on the second level. The square tomb has arched entrance on all four sides and is topped with a massive tomb. This is the largest and the most prominent structure of the Sagar Talao group.
Literally meaning the house of the mid wife or nurse this too like the Dai ki Chhoti Bahin ka Mahal is a grave combined with a mosque. Again nothing is known about the nurse and story of her magnificent mausoleum. The octagonal structure stands on a high plinth and is topped with a huge dome. The dome rests on an octagonal drum, with small cupolas at each corners. Strangely there are no graves inside. The mosque is on the western side and large portions of it has long collapsed and only traces of its walls on the northern and southern side remains along with two domes.
This is located on the opposite side of the Dary Khan’s Tomb Complex and is approached by a dirt road. Roja or Khadija Bibi, was a women Sufi saint, probably the one of its kind in the whole of Mandu. She was cremated inside the tomb. The black stoned built domed structure has an arched entrance on the western side and there are several other graves inside the tomb.
Elephant Foot Palace
Hathi Paga Mahal, literally meaning Elephant Leg Palace, (also referred as Hati Mahal). is a domed structure located on the south - eastern side of the Darya Khan Tomb Complex. The four massive pillars supporting the structure represents the elephant's leg and hence the name. It is crowned with a massive dome. It was probably built as a pleasure resort but later converted into a tomb. It contains the mortal remains of an unknown person and he is buried below the tomb. A flight of stairs leads to the underground crypt, but sadly the passageway have been blocked off. On the western side of the tomb is a small mosque crowned with three domes. A stairways leads to the mosque terrace offering great views of the surrounding, including the Darya Khan Tomb Complex.