Mandawa is situated in the gorgeous state of Rajasthan of north India. The beautiful town comes under the Jhunjhunu district of Shekhawati region. The distance from Mandawa to Jaipur is 180 km and around 260 km from Delhi. The town has a necklace of ancient forts and havelis. The area has gained its unique reputation as ‘Open art gallery’, because of its demonstration of ancient art and culture in the walls of the havelis.
The history of Mandawa was once resided by rich and wealthy merchant families. The city was formed during the mid 18th century. The residents used their influence and resources to build immaculate residences adorned with wall murals and paintings. As time moved along the merchants did migration to different places and the havelis were left behind. But however the gorgeous havelis are continuing to attract innumerous tourists from around the world.
Mandawa fort : The fort of Mandawa was founded in the 18th century. Thakur Nawal Singh, son of Shardul Singh, founded the fort in vikram samvat 1812 (1755 AD). The fort dominates the town with a painted arched gateway adorned with Lord Krishna and his cows. Built as per a medieval theme, the castle of Mandawa is adorned with beautiful frescoes. The rooms of this palace are decorated with Lord Krishna paintings, exquisite carvings and amazing mirror work. The Durbar Hall of the palace houses a number of antiques and paintings.
Situated in the middle of the town, the Mandawa Fort has now been converted into a heritage hotel.
Havelis : This town has been referred to as the “open art gallery” of Rajasthan because the entire Shekhawati region and not just Mandawa is dotted with fascinating mansions(havelis) that have lavishly painted walls.
Hanuman Prasad Goenka Haveli : This haveli has a painting depicting Indra Dev on an elephant and Lord Shiva on his Nandi bull.
Goenka Double Haveli : This haveli, with two gates, has monumental façade of elephants and horses. The outer walls, jutting balconies, alcoves and overhanging upper storeys of the Goenka Double Haveli are replete with patterns and paintings, ranging from traditional Rajasthani women and religious motifs to Europeans in stylish hats and Victorian finery.
Murmuria Haveli : The paintings of trains, cars, George V, and Venice were executed on the walls of this haveli during the 1930s by Balu Ram, one of the last working artists of the region. In pictures – like Lord Krishna with his cows in English courtyard and a young Nehru on a horseback, holding the national flag – this haveli uses a unique theme blending the East with the West. The haveli also features a long frieze depicting a train with a crow flying above the engine and much activity at the railway crossing.
Jhunjhunwala Haveli : The haveli is decorated with striking gold leaf painted room to the right of main courtyard.
Gulab Rai Ladia Haveli : This haveli is located in the south of town, where the decoration of the outer and inner walls is perhaps the finest in Mandawa. Blue washes here and there betray twentieth-century censorship of the erotic scenes that had been commonly acceptable one hundred years earlier.
The Binsidhar Newatia Haveli, Lakshminarayan Ladia Haveli and Chokhani Double Haveli are some other havelis in the area.
Murals in the Thakurji temple located opposite the Goenka Double Haveli and the Murmuria Haveli include soldiers being shot from the mouths of cannons, a reflection of the horrors of the Mutiny of 1857. Further west are a couple of chhatris, and a step-well, still used today and bearing paintings inside its decorative corner domes.
