Mandawa -Tourism

The city of Mandawa, founded in the mid 18th century, was once a town inhabited by the rich merchant families. The wealthy and dominant merchants constructed massive havelis, adorned with beautiful wall paintings, for the purpose of their residence. However, with time, the merchants moved on and migrated to other areas, leaving the beautiful havelis in the shadows of anonymity. Still, the magnificence of these havelis did not diminish and now they have become a major tourist attraction of the city. Read on this Mandawa city guide to get further.

Information About Mandawa City: The beautiful wall paintings that decorate the havelis of Mandawa in Rajasthan, India, have seen the themes changing from time to time. In the earlier days, mythology dominated the themes of the frescoes, displaying local legends, animals, portraits, hunting and wrestling scenes, etc. 19th century saw the themes being changed to reflect the British (Raj) influence on the Indian culture. The traditional subjects were exchanged for cars, trains, balloons, telephones, gramophones, English men in hunting attires and portraits of the haveli owners immaculately dressed, etc.

Major Attractions

Havelis- There are a number of fascinating havelis in Mandawa, all of them adorned with beautiful wall paintings. Some of the main havelis are.

Hanuman Prasad Goenka Haveli- This haveli has a painting depicting Indra Dev on an elephant and Lord Shiva on his vehicle, Nandi bull.

Goenka Double Haveli- This haveli, with two gates, has its portico adorned with elephants and horses.

Murmuria Haveli- The paintings of the haveli include a train with a crowded level crossing, with crow flying above it. Another impressive picture is that of Nehru on a horseback, holding the national flag.

Jhunjhunwala Haveli- The haveli is decorated with striking gold leaf painted room.

Mohan Lal Saraf Haveli- The picture of a Maharaja stroking his moustaches beautifies this haveli.

Other havelis of Mandawa include the Binsidhar Newatia Haveli, Lakshminarayan Ladia Haveli, Gulab Rai Ladia Haveli and Chokhani Double Haveli, etc.

Nearby Excursions

Nawalgarh- Mandawa excursions include the town of Nawalgarh, 37 km from Mandawa. The city of Nawalgarh is famous for some of the most brilliant paintings of the Shekhawati region. The havelis of Nawalgarh are quite famous for their amazing frescoes and exquisite architecture. Some of the known havelis are Anandilal Poddar Haveli, Aath Haveli, Hodh Raj Patodia Haveli, etc. Other attractions of this town include two forts, a beautiful palace, etc.

Mukundgarh- Mukundgarh lies approximately 25 km to the southeast of Mandawa. A magnificent fort and a number of havelis add to the appeal of this town.

Dundlod- Excursions around Mandawa, Rajasthan also include Dundlod, lying 30 km to the southeast of Mandawa. The town houses a massive fort, a fusion of Mughal and Rajput architecture. Stained glass windows, an array of antiques, an impressive library and a number of structures within the fort add to its magnificence.

Jhunjhunu- Jhunjhunu, the largest town in Shekhawati, is also its district headquarter. The major draws of this town are the Modi Haveli, Kaniram Narsinghdas Tiberwala Haveli, Narudin Farooqi Haveli, Mohanlal Ishwardas Haveli, Bihariji Temple, Khetri Mahal, etc.

Distance from major cities

1. Jaipur 175 Kms
   
2. Delhi 266 Kms
   
3. Bikaner 187 Kms
   

How to reach there

• by Air- Jaipur is the nearest airport from Mandawa and is about 168 Km away.
  
• by Rail- Jhunjhunu is the nearest rail head from Mandawa. The station is linked to major cities like, Delhi, Bikaner and Jaipur.
  
• by Road- Mandawa is well connected by road with many cities in Rajasthan