Mandawa, a quaint little town in the district of Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, is famous for its many havelis and the famous Mandawa Fort. The Mandawa Fort was built by Thakur Nawal Singh in 1755 AD. The fort, which has now been converted into a heritage hotel, charges visitors a fee of Rs 500 to enter. Havelis are plenty in number around Mandawa. Most prominent among these havelis are the Hanuman Prasad Goenka Haveli, the Goenka Double Haveli, the Murmuria Haveli and the Gulab Rai Ladia Haveli. All the havelis have beautifully painted frescoes on their walls and ceilings. The paintings depict an array of interesting themes ranging from Rajput rulers to traditions, mythological events and even include common daily occurrences. While quite a few havelis are occupied and not open to the public, some frescoes can be viewed from the street itself. Mandawa was once a trading outpost for the ancient caravan routes from China and the Middle East. Due to the thriving trade in this region, many merchants settled down here and built the havelis. Although several of the traders left, the havelis remained. A few of the havelis were restored and eventually converted into hotels. These havelis remain the biggest attraction for tourists visiting Mandawa.
Best Time to Visit Mandawa
Undoubtedly, the best time to visit Mandawa is during the winters, between the months of October and March. Light woollen clothing should suffice for the winters, and in case you visit the town during the hot summer season, from March to June, light cotton clothing is recommended. The monsoon, from July to September, is quite pleasant as well.
Weather Of Mandawa
Mandawa’s summers are very hot and visiting the city during this time can often get quite tiring. Temperatures range between 32 degree Celsius and 45 degree Celsius. Summers begin in March and go on until June. The monsoon season begins in July and ends in September. The weather is quite pleasant with cool breeze circulating the town. Annual rainfall in Mandawa is between 45 to 60 cm. Mandawa’s winters begin in November and end in February. These months are always cool and pleasant. Temperatures during the winter range from 5 degree Celsius to 28 degree Celsius.
How to Reach Mandawa?
By Air : Mandawa has no airport of its own. The closest airport is the Jaipur International Airport, which is 182 km away. The Jaipur International Airport is connected to major cities in India such as Bangalore, New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Kolkata, and Pune. It also has good connectivity with international destinations like Sharjah, Dubai, Singapore, Muscat and Abu Dhabi. Major airlines that operate from this airport include Air Costa, Air India, Etihad Airways, GoAir, IndiGo, Jet Airways, and SpiceJet.
By Rail : Mandawa has no railway station of its own. The closest railway station is the Jhunjhunu Railway station, which is around 27 km away. At present, there are six trains passing through the Jhunjhunu Railway Station and it is not connected to all parts of India. Some of the major cities connected to Jhunjhunu by train include Jaipur, New Delhi, Gurgaon, Rewari and Sikar.
By Road : Mandawa is connected by bus to several cities around. Private and government buses ply the road network across the regions of Shekhawati and Mandawa. Some of the cities connected by bus to Mandawa are Jodhpur, Jaipur, Surat, Ankleshwar, Baruch, Nagaur, Khimsar and Sujangarh. The Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation has several buses plying as many as 18 different routes. The Mahadev Travel Agency also has buses connecting Mandawa to other cities. Bus ticket prices vary according to distances and bus types. The different bus types include Volvo, AC Seater, AC Sleeper, non-AC seater and non-AC sleeper.