Frescoed havelis and fortune telling

Trip Start Dec 05, 2004

Trip End Jan 17, 2005

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Flag of India Mandawa, India
Wednesday, December 8, 2004

The train arrived at Nawrgarh, a tiny town in the Shekhawati region, only an hour late and 5 weary travellers tumbled out after a sleepless night (nothing new for me!). We were shown round this tourist free town (more of a village really), which was home to the most beautiful but ramshackle buildings, called havelis. Havelis are hugs mansions built by merchants between 300 and 100 years ago, who wanted to show off their wealth and house their women, as they traded on the silk routes between Persia and India and China. They all have big courtyards and trellised womens' sections, with porticoed rooms on 2 or 3 levels. They are awash with colourful detailed frescoes depicting gods, warriors, Englishmen, women etc. Sadly as the merchants moved more twards Kolkotta to trade, the houses fell into disrepair and now just have a caretaker to look after them.

A walk in the market afterwards provided yet more encounters with cows, muck, chilli stalls, fabulously attired women and beetlenut spitting men

Haveli detail

! I learnt during this tour by our local guide that Indian cooking only became spicy in the last 300 years after the British arrived via the East India Trading Company and built the railways. On the way back to the jeep, we came across the town astrologer. A one-eyed old man, he read all the "ladies" palms. You'll be happy to know that I have lots of financial wealth coming my way (more than previously), and there is a man I've known since I was young who will soon become my husband and I will have 5 children!!!!!!!! I am also hot-tempered he told me (surely not true?! ;-))

One hour later in the truck, we arrived at our Haveli hotel in a small town called Mandawa. Again, very few tourists, so lots of stares, especially at me in my Salwar Kameez and a few women taking my arm and saying something (hopefully approval). The Haveli is lovely although very cold and dusty. I spend the afternoon visiting shops and drinking chai - most of the shopkeepers just want to chat with quite good English and are more than happy to talk about their life in Rajasthan, their religion, their families etc. One guy in a textile shop, a 23 year old muslim, told me all about the Hindu girl he had briefly met when she gave him some water one day and another time had slipped him her phone number. They had even taken the same bus one day but one of his aunties had realised that something was going on even though the man and woman were sitting in different rows

Me at haveli

! Nothing is secret in Mandawa it seems. Although he also told me he has succesfully secreted 2 bottles of gin in his room and watches "western' TV there!!!! Oooh er!

The next day was much of the same, listening to prayers at 5am in the morning from Hindu temple interspersed with half-hourly Allah Akbar (?) calls from the Mosque! I visited the Hindu temple and Dale gave me a long explanation of all the different gods and their stories and different names, children, mode of transport, and reincarnations. I ventured out alone to buy some matching sparkly bangles for my outfit, sitting barefoot on the floor of a little room surrounded by thousands of bracelets. This time I had to start dodging camels as well in the street as boys drove them along with their laden carts, as buses beeping loudly hurtled past and motorbikes squeezed alongside!

I'm going to stop now - it's now a week since I left the UK and lots more to write but the internet connection is so slow that I'm dropping off in front of the screen. Having started today in the desert in the freezing cold, I need to get back Michelle who is poorly as we have a 5am start tomorrow on a 7 hour bus journey to Jaislamer.