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If the desert blooms in myriad colours it is in the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan, where every home is adorned with gaily painted murals that illuminate the arid landscape.
Traditionally, this was the stronghold of Rao Shekhaji, who founded a dynasty here and gave it his name.
Mandawa, a remote feudal principality in the centre of the Shekhawati region, was a trading outpost for the ancient caravan routes that stopped here from China and the Middle East. The Rajput ruler of Mandawa, Thakur Nawal Singh, built a fort in 1755 to protect this outpost. The township that grew around the fort soon attracted a large community of traders, who settled here. When the caravan traffic ceased in the late 18th century, the traders created business empires in other parts of the country, but returned to Mandawa to build palatial mansions in their hometown.
Getting There
By Road: Jaipur-Mandawa 168 km
Delhi-Mandawa 240 km
Bikaner-Mandawa 190 km
Nearest Airport: Jaipur 168 km
Delhi 240 km
Railhead: Mukundgarh 14 km
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