Mandawa Haveli

Mandawa is at the heart of Shekhawati region known as an Open Art Gallery for its beautiful frescoes. Mandawa is a fort town though the fort is now a heritage hotel.

Mandawa has been an important stronghold of the Shekhawats since the 18th century. It has been known by several names over the years, viz. ‘Mandu ki dhani’, ‘Mandu ka bas’ or ‘Manduwas’, ‘Manduwa’, ‘Mandwa’ and finally ‘Mandawa’. Mandawa was a trading outpost on the ancient caravan routes for China and the Middle East. The fort was built in 1755 by Thakur Nawal Singh, the Rajput ruler of Mandawa, to provide protection to this outpost.

The fort has a painted archway with scenes from the life of Lord Krishna. The rooms are also decorated with similar paintings, apart from beautiful carvings and stunning mirror work. Its Durbar Hall has several priceless antiques and paintings. The fort has battlements overlooking the town, its lush gardens are home to many peacocks and there are curiosities like marble fountains and turrets. No two rooms in the fort are alike.

Mandawa is also known for its painted havelis, like the rest of Shekhawati region. The rich merchants of this trading outpost spent their wealth in making vast mansions and decorating them with paintings. The unique aspect is that the paintings were made on walls, ceilings, gateways and similar permanent structures, instead of on paper or cloth. Most of these havelis are in excellent condition and are a part of Rajasthan’s heritage. The important havelis to be visited in Mandawa are the Chokhani haveli, Ladia haveli, the Binsidhar Newatia haveli that has some curious paintings on its outer eastern wall and the Gulab Rai Ladia haveli that has some defaced erotic images.

The nearest charter airport is Jhunjhunu, and Jaipur is the nearest commercial airport. Jhunjhunu is the nearest railhead with trains for Sikar, Jaipur and Delhi. At 190 km from Jaipur, it is also easily accessible through a four hour journey through a good road network.

Like the rest of this region, Mandawa also faces acutely hot summers. Therefore the best to visit is from September to March when the weather is pleasant.

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