Due to its beautiful frescoes and havelis, Mandawa is called the “Open Art Gallery” or “The Painted City of Shekhawati”. To see these, it is best to go on a walking tour as most of these havelis are located in small lanes.
The city of Mandawa is overall known as the “Open Art Gallery”. During the 18th century, Mandawa was a major stop for wealthy merchants traveling the Silk Road. Most of them chose to build their homes in this city, resulting in a number of well-crafted large havelis that are popular tourist attractions in Mandawa. One of them is the Mandawa Kothi which has preserved heritage and authenticity over many years.
A small town that does not appear on most tourist maps, Mandawa is located in Shekhawati, a region spread over 100 km in northeastern Rajasthan. The city was founded in the mid-18th century and was once a city inhabited by rich merchant families – the Marwaris. The wealthy and influential merchants built huge havelis for their residence purpose, which had beautiful wall paintings on them. However, with time, the merchants left this place and moved to other areas, leaving the beautiful havelis in oblivion.
The grandeur of these havelis, the colors of bygone times, the untold stories and the rustic smell of the beautiful land of Rajasthan are still so fresh that its warmth can only be felt, not described.
