A grand old heritage town----musings from Mandawa

We drive through forests of Prosopis, Acacias and other desert flora to reach and experience a bright dawn in the Indian desert. Amidst golden sands now blooming with wild yellow sunflowers after a good rain spell, the quaint town of Mandawa beckons us to explore its hidden treasures. What makes the town so special and a must visit in a vagabonds itinerary? Is it the painted walls and the havelis with bright frescos in every nook and cranny? Or does one like to know about the wells built on high platforms and why it is such an important architectural landmark in these areas? Walking on the bylanes of Mandawa one wonders why the fort built by its rulers had such a strong edifice? Were the treasures so enormous that they required such fortification? Where has all the treasure vanished? Historically speaking, Mandawa town was a part of the silk route and traders passed these shores with their merchandise. The town today is filled with empty homes of people who have left for bigger cities to make fortunes and change their small towner labels, perhaps to establish another Mandawa someplace else. Why such an architecturally rich city is unable to hold back its citizens, why such a cultural heritage is no longer a reason for young Indians to be proud of ? Dont the roots beckon people to return to live again amidst such splendour and grandeur which their forefathers experienced? Or is man a born vagabond ,once he leaves home it is forever as he carries his home wherever he goes. Returning would mean being frozen in time. Maybe. It is commendable to see some young Mandawa residents restoring the havelis and converting them into heritage hotels where travellers from all over the world marvel at the rich paintings and the frescos they see in every wall. They gaze at these poetry in stone , beautifully crafted rooms within rooms, inner courtyards filled with activities and daily chores and are transported back in time when life was lived at a slower pace filled without modern gadgetry of our times. People were societal beings and took upon themselves to build wells and restrooms for travellers and merchants. These old wells still stand tall and are dotted all over the town. Mandawa represents a rich tradition of the past , sometimes we may feel the burden is too big to carry yet to live and make the old Mandawa a livable vibrant city is a challenge of our times........