Munj Talao Lake, Mandu

On the fort-crowned plateau of Mandu (Mandav), in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district, Munj Talao is one of the great artificial tanks that once kept a hilltop city alive.

• It sits within the Royal Enclave, and its significance is easy to grasp the moment you see it: the celebrated Jahaz Mahal, the "ship palace," was built on the slim tongue of land dividing Munj Talao from its neighbouring tank, Kapur Talao.
• From the right angle, with water on both flanks, the long low palace really does appear to float — and Munj Talao supplies the mirror on the western side.
• By tradition the tank is named for Munja, a raja of the Paramara dynasty that ruled Malwa from Dhar around the tenth century, a lineage remembered for its patronage of learning and poetry.
• As with much of Mandu, the layers are tangled: the reservoir is popularly tied to Paramara-era waterworks, while the palaces beside it belong to the later Sultanate period, so it is best read as part of a centuries-long story of rulers who prized this cool, defensible plateau.
• Historians still debate the precise dating, so the Munja association is offered here as local tradition rather than settled fact.
• For the visitor, Munj Talao is a quiet counterpoint to Mandu's monument crowds.
• Come early or in the golden hour, when the water stills and the palace, pavilions and open sky double themselves on the surface — a favourite of photographers.
• The tanks are at their fullest and greenest through the monsoon and the months just after, when Mandu's whole plateau turns lush.
• A slow stroll around the enclave, pausing at the water's edge, needs only half an hour but rewards patience with some of the fort city's most serene views.
• For food, keep it simple and pure-vegetarian, as most of Mandu does.
• Small pure-veg thali and snack places cluster near the Royal Enclave gate and the main bazaar, serving Malwa-style dal, seasonal sabzi, bafla-baati with churma, poha-jalebi and hot chai.
• Do try Mandu's famous jamun and tangy imli in season from roadside vendors, and carry water, as sit-down options thin out once you are deep inside the enclave.