History of Palace
Architectural History of Shree Sansthan Bada Rawala, Indore
Introduction
Shree Sansthan Bada Rawala – often simply called Bada Rawala – is the oldest fort and royal residence in Indore (Madhya Pradesh, India). This fortified estate was the original seat of the Mandlois of Malwa, the Zamindar family credited with founding Indore in the early 18th century. As a historic palatial fort, Bada Rawala’s architecture embodies a confluence of styles and periods. Its design reflects Rajput and Mughal-era influences from the time of its construction, later Maratha influences, and even colonial-era touches as Indore evolved under British indirect rule.
Founding and Historical Background of Bada Rawala
Indore’s genesis is closely tied to Rao Nandlal Chaudhary (later Rao Nandlal Mandloi), the ruler of the region in the early 1700s. Amid the waning of Mughal power and incursions by Maratha forces, Rao Nandlal sought a safer stronghold for his people. In 1715, he shifted his headquarters from Kampel to a more secure location in the village of Indrapur (present-day Indore). Finding a site protected naturally by rivers and small hills, he constructed the fort known as Shree Sansthan Bada Rawala. Contemporary accounts describe the location as strategically chosen – “surrounded by rivers on all sides” – and even note that the hill on which the fort stands is shaped like a tortoise’s back, an auspicious topography in local belief. By building this fortified settlement, Rao Nandlal effectively founded the modern city of Indore, using Bada Rawala as both a defensive citadel and his residence to safeguard inhabitants from the warring Marathas and Mughals of the era.
This establishment of Indore under the Mandloi family is well attested by historical sources. British administrator-historian Sir John Malcolm, in A Memoir of Central India (1823), noted that Indore was of “modern” origin – not an ancient city, but a new town that rose under local chiefs in the 18th century. Malcolm recorded oral histories from the descendants of Nandlal Mandloi, revealing how local Rajput nobility in Malwa, tired of Mughal misrule, secretly cooperated with Peshwa Baji Rao’s Marathas. Notably, Rao Nandlal played a key role by inviting the Maratha commander Malhar Rao Holkar across the Narmada River, facilitating the Maratha entry into Malwa around 1728. In recognition of their cooperation, the Holkar regime (which took charge of Indore by 1733) confirmed the Mandlois’ status: the family retained the title Rao Raja, certain privileges of royalty, and the honour of performing the first worship at Dussehra before the Holkar ruler. Thus, from the outset, Bada Rawala stood not only as a fortification but as a symbol of the Mandlois’ authority, bridging the late Mughal style of governance with the incoming Maratha administration.
Architectural Design and Stylistic Influences
Bada Rawala’s main gate illuminated at night. The fort’s architecture blends multiple styles – note the arched gateway flanked by bastion-like towers and the domed chhatri pavilion above, reminiscent of Rajput-Mughal design (Indore, Madhya Pradesh).
As the first major fort of Indore, Bada Rawala’s architecture was shaped by the aesthetic milieu of late 17th and early 18th century Malwa. The fort was conceived in a Rajput-Mughal style typical of the era’s regional nobility. Its high stone walls (described as “stone-clad palace walls” by modern visitors) are punctuated with bastioned gatehouses and pointed arches, reflecting a Mughal influence in the arched entrances and decorative merlons along the ramparts. Above the main gate, one can see chhatris or domed pavilions, a signature element of Rajput architecture, used here both for embellishment and as guard lookouts (as visible in the image). The overall plan of the Rawala follows the pattern of a Rajput fortress-palace, organised around numerous interlinked courtyards. The fortress is divided into thirteen chowks (courtyard quadrangles), which historically accommodated everything from residential wings to stables for royal horses and elephants. This multi-courtyard layout is characteristic of large palatial mansions (or wadas) of the period, designed to segregate public, private, and service areas within a walled compound. An inner section likely served as the zenana (women’s quarters), indicating influence of Rajasthani Rajput layouts, while outer courts facilitated durbar gatherings and administrative functions in a manner akin to Mughal diwan-i-aam (public audience halls).
Notably, religious architecture was integrated into the design – a small temple is situated within the Rawala’s premises. The temple’s presence reflects a common Rajput palace tradition of including a family shrine inside the fort. The interiors of Bada Rawala also showcase fine arts patronage: many rooms contain miniature paintings, poetic manuscripts and archives preserved by the Mandloi family. Such artistic flourishes inside the fortified exterior indicate a confluence of martial and aesthetic sensibilities – the exterior was built for defense and grandeur, while the interior was embellished to befit a royal residence. In essence, Bada Rawala’s original architectural character arose from Rajput and Mughal influences blending on Malwa soil: Rajput-style pavilions, balconies (jharokhas), and paintings, combined with Mughal-style arches, courtyards, and garden layouts.
By the 19th century, during the British colonial period, new architectural influences seeped in. Indore, as a princely state capital, was exposed to European architectural ideas. The city saw Indo-European hybrid styles – for instance, the Holkars built structures in an Indo-Saracenic model (blending Indian and European Gothic features) by the late 19th–early 20th century. While Bada Rawala was not rebuilt in that style, it likely acquired modest colonial-era refinements. Local heritage experts often describe the Rawala’s present form as a fusion of Maratha, Mughal, and even French (European) elements, owing to renovations and furnishings from the 19th century. For example, European influence can be inferred from any high-ceilinged halls with imported chandeliers, French windows or shuttered verandahs that might have been introduced for comfort when British dignitaries visited. Indeed, Indore’s architectural palette broadened under the British – Indo-Gothic public buildings like the Gandhi Hall were erected – and Bada Rawala too would have been subtly updated with new materials (like cast iron railings or colored glass) and stylistic flourishes influenced by colonial tastes. Thus, by the late 1800s the Rawala stood as an architectural palimpsest – its core design still Rajput-Mughal from Nandlal’s time, overlaid with Maratha-era additions and a patina of colonial-era alterations, all while retaining its role as a family seat.
British Era Accounts and Later Transformations
During the British Raj (19th to mid-20th century), Indore was part of the Central India Agency, and the Holkar dynasty ruled as a princely state under British suzerainty. Throughout this period, Bada Rawala remained in the possession of the Mandloi (Zamindar) family, who continued to be respected local nobility. The British administrative records (such as the Indore State Gazetteer, 1931) acknowledged Bada Rawala as an important historic site – “the first known fort of Indore, an important relic of history”, in the words of one survey. However, rather than serving any military function by this time, the Rawala had transitioned into a chiefly residential and ceremonial role.
European travellers and officials in the 19th century took note of Indore’s dual heritage: the new Holkar palaces and the older Mandloi fort. While detailed architectural descriptions by British writers of Bada Rawala are scarce (they often focused more on the grand Holkar Rajwada), the fort is occasionally mentioned in context. For instance, Victorian-era gazetteers and reports refer to “Old Indore” (Juni Indore) as the area around the Rawala, highlighting that the city’s origins lay in that fort built by the Mandloi family. This aligns with Sir John Malcolm’s observation that Ahalya Bai Holkar (the famous Holkar queen) herself recognised the site’s importance; after the death of Malhar Rao Holkar (1766), she encamped at Indore’s old village (around Bada Rawala) before ultimately moving the capital to Maheshwar in 1767. Such accounts by British-era writers portray Bada Rawala as a nucleus of Indore’s early urban layout – essentially the foundation stone of the city around which later developments unfolded.
In terms of physical transformations under British influence, Bada Rawala did not undergo dramatic reconstruction, but it likely saw conservation and minor modifications. The Mandloi family maintained the estate through the 1800s, renovating it as needed. British influence might be seen in any 19th-century additions: archival sources suggest that by the late 1800s the Rawala housed correspondence and artefacts from various eras. The family preserved letters and documents in the fort, indicating some rooms were repurposed as libraries or archives. The presence of these “letters exchanged by forgotten rulers” stored in the Rawala, as one account notes, hints that the estate became as much a heritage repository as a home.
Importantly, Bada Rawala continued to host notable guests and events during the British period, showing its sustained prestige. One remarkable instance was the visit of Swami Vivekananda in 1892. As reported by the Times of India, Vivekananda came to Indore and was invited by Rao Raja Chhatrakaran Mandloi (then head of the family) to stay at Bada Rawala. The swami spent two weeks living in the Rawala, delivering lectures and discourses from there. This anecdote illustrates that even in the late 19th century – when the Holkar Maharajas held political power – the Mandlois’ Rawala remained a significant social and cultural venue. Other eminent figures of the Indian independence era also visited. For example, it is recorded that Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya (educationist and founder of BHU) and local intellectuals were received at Bada Rawala in the early 20th century. The fort thus became a gathering place for leaders and reformers, aligning the Mandloi family with the nationalist and intellectual currents of the time. Far from being a stagnant relic, the Rawala was a lively seat of heritage and dialogue during British rule.
Legacy and Present Status
Today, Shree Sansthan Bada Rawala stands as a tangible link to Indore’s pre-Holkar past – a status recognised by historians and heritage organisations. The fort, dating back to the late 1600s, is Indore’s oldest royal palace and extant structure, predating the commonly known tourist attraction, the Rajwada palace. It has been acknowledged by the Madhya Pradesh government and scholars (e.g. Sahapedia and Indore Gazetteer) as a protected historic site. Architecturally, the Rawala is valued for encapsulating the layers of Indore’s history: the original Rajput-Mughal style fortifications and courtyards are largely intact, while evidence of later periods (such as colonial-era refurbishments and art collections) are also present within. The fort thus offers insight into the syncretic architectural evolution of Indore – from an early-18th-century Malwa stronghold to a 19th-century aristocratic mansion with Indo-European nuances.