Mandawa
lies in the heart of shekawati a painted arched gateway adorned with
Lord Krishna and his cows leeds to the bazzar. You can wonder
through the streets where mansions of rich merchants are adorned
with elaborate frescoes. Mandawa was built in 18th century by some
rich merchant families of this region. The numerous havelis built by
the merchants of the then time in this area have now become major
places of tourist's attraction for the tourists in Rajasthan.
The
Summer Festival takes place in the 1st & 3rd June every year is
the main festival of this area. Mandawa history throws some light on
the famous structures of this place which reminds us of the cultural
and social hotspot of the bygone era. With Mandawa tour packages you
can visit the compact and busy little market town of Mandawa which
was settled and fortified in 18th century by the dominant merchant
families of the region. The wealthy businessmen of the village
constructed many havelis and baolis (underground water storage
tanks) with colored painting adorning their walls. Later on, with
the migration of these merchant families, their old settlements
remained in total obscurity with no one to look after them. Despite
the time lapse and ignorance about these visual and architectural
extravaganzas, their attraction did not fade and today they are some
of the major attractions for the tourists visiting Rajasthan
Mandawa
provides the visitors with a sense of discovery at every turn;
battlements that offer spectacular views of the town below, a
whimsical peacock weather van, and an arched window that overlooks
the verdant garden visited by peacocks. Most importantly, the fact
that no two rooms are alike in the palace here. In the zenana or
women's quarters, one room offers antique murals, another has a
marble fountain, and the turret room boasts of walls that are seven
feet thick. Looking out from the window of the turret room, it is
easy to imagine the marauding bandits that once roamed freely here.
Little wonder then that the family crest contains the motto, 'Veer
Bhogya Vasundhara', which translates into 'the brave shall inherit
the earth' .
Castle MandwaThe castle was
built in 1755 which has two gateways. There are several rooms with
many narrow staircases, courtyards and a terrace which offers an
excellent view of the town. This castle is now converted into a
charming heritage hotel. So this is not only a place to visit but
also to stay.
HaveliesThere are several
havelies like the Chokhani, Ladia, Saraf havelis, Binsidhar Newatia
Haveli etc. which houses some beautiful ancient paintings.
How
to Reach
- Air
Jhun Jhun is the nearest charter airport and
Jaipur is the nearest airport for regular flights.
- Rail
Jhunjhunu is the nearest railway station
from where trains are avilable for Jaipur, Delhi, Sikar and
other major cities of Rajasthan.
- Road
State transport corporation runs bus
services to some of the major destinations of Rajasthan by a
motorable road network.
