Welcome back to ILF Radio! In this episode we walk down the historical streets of Mandawa from the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan where every stone has a story, and every story is a journey through time! Mandawa reveals itself as a tapestry of history, culture, and architectural splendor. This quaint town, established in the mid-18th century, was once a bustling trading outpost renowned for its grand havelis, each adorned with intricate frescoes that narrate tales of a bygone era. We are happy to hear these stories from Mandawa narrated to us by Thakur Durga Singh, who hails from the aristocratic family of Mandawa. He has converted his family home in Mandawa into a heritage hotel called Dera Mandawa and plays a prominent role in the tourism of the region. For our non-Marwari/ Hindi listeners: Glossary: Chowk (ek, do, teen) - Open court/ courtyard (one, two, three) Karigar - Artist/ Artisan Bhootha – Haunted Lota : Round water pot, usually made from brass for ablution/ sanitary use Angrez - Britisher, Englishmen Saab & Memsaab - Sir and Ma’am Gulaal - Coloured powders used for some Hindu rituals like Holi Rishtedaar - Relatives Translation for Marwari/ Hindi dialogues: 13:56 – “He’s just an ordinary rohida flower, he’s said to have no grey matter and is just handsome.” 15:46 – You had permission to be the walking buddy of Thakur Sahab or the billionaire Seth Sahab (Sahab meaning Sir) without any hesitation. You would greet them with a namaste, exchange pleasantries, and walk along with them. Groups of women, wealthy women, Brahmins, and people of other castes went into the sunset. 16:31 – “ Setha (a wealthy merchant) who is that?” “He is my friend! (walking buddy)” 17:12 – because old havelis and forts did not have any particular space left where you could fit in a toilet. 17:27 – “So, this is the story behind the Bhailas” 17:50 – Those of us who live in the desert become so happy when it rains, we say “let’s go have a picnic!” 18:01 – They employ the service of a chef. And they refer to the confectioners as “artists”. 18:13: How much ghee (clarified butter) should be used in the preparation of Churma (a popular Rajasthani dish). 18:16 – Brother, some people want to spend, some people want to save so how to ask the Seth openly how much ghee to add? 18:45 – If you add a small amount of ghee the churma is sad (crying), if you add a generous amount, the churma is happy (laughing). Essentially to clarify how rich to make the preparation. 19:18 – Brother it will be laughing only, why cry? Make it laugh, but be judicious with the amount of ghee. “And they say why does the god have tears in his eyes, only when the ox eats hay?” So when should you add clarified butter?” – (A Marwari regional expression) 20:25 – In every Marwari family there was an unwritten rule. A rule that had been conducted for century after century after century! 20:39 – They indulge in leisure and ease after their hard work. 21:51 – (taken over by) either the family astrologer or accountant… 27:26 – Today, in this climate, how much area will I be able to cover and I will prepare only that amount of wet surface. 27:58 – It’s written below - the flying ship (Literal translation) 28:22 – Small children, even right from the age of seven or eight would start learning how to create frescoes from experts 36:06 – Nowadays nobody sings folk songs anymore. And why does nobody sing anymore? Earlier the whole village used to bustle with the sounds of folklore at a stretch of 15 days. Now they go to school and there has been a cultural erosion where girls that go to school now consider singing folk songs on Gangaur festival as backwards. 40:06 – “What kind of a bride is she? I raised you with love and care, and look at what has become of you! Yet you don't feel like crying when you leave.” 44:54 - They were relatives, they were in-laws. (The Hindi word "samdhi" refers to the relationship between the parents of a married couple) For visual references and further information on Madawa: 1. Official website of Dera Mandawa: https://www.deramandawa.com/ 2. ⁠Instagram videos of Durga Singh Ji : https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8CkXphPV7Q/?igsh=bGR6ZDZkazRzdDJz 3. ⁠Painted walls of Shekhawati by Shri Aman Nath and Francis 4. ⁠The painted towns of Shekhawati by Ilay Cooper 5. ⁠Shekhawati : Havelis of merchant princes Edited by Abha Narain lambah Follow India Lost and Found on Instagram @indialostandfound, X (formerly Twitter) @IndiaLostFound, and Facebook @IndiaLostFound for more captivating stories of heritage sites. Let's ensure that the essence of our civilizational history is preserved for generations to come. You can also visit our website at https://www.indialostandfound.com/ to explore additional content and join our mission to uncover India's lost treasures.