Mandela, Rajasthan
Mandela was established in 1751 by Raj-Shri Thakur Sahab Doulat Singh Ji, third son of Maharao Zorawar Singh ji of Jhunjhunu, and grandson of Maharao Shardul singh ji Jhunjhunu. Mandela is a town in the Shekhawati Region Jhunjhunu district of the state Rajasthan in India. The population size is about 30,000.
Location
It is on the Jhunjhunu-Rajgarh road, 25 km (16 mi) from Jhunjhunu and 95 km (59 mi) from Sikar. Its Coordinates are 27°56'42"N 74°55'31"E . The village lies about 25 km (16 mi) north of Jhunjhunu and is also in close proximity with the town of Pilani.
Demographics
Population of the village is around 30,000, mostly comprising two religions, Hindus and Muslims. There is a remarkable level of religious harmony between the two religious groups and it is quite common that these two groups celebrate festivals with each other. The village boasts several temples and mosques.
Occupation
Villagers are mostly farmers but lately they are shifting to service and trade related occupations. A large segment of workers remit funds from Arab countries. The decreasing reliance on agriculture and inflow of remittances has helped the village prosper.
Education
The village has two Government primary schools, a private upper primary school, and a government senior secondary school. The village also has a CBSE-affiliated private school KBM. The literacy rate is about 70% and is increasing rapidly due to rising awareness about education and its importance.
Transport
The village is reachable by bus from nearby towns like Jhunjhunu, Pilani, Chirawa, etc. and is well connected to nearby places by privately-owned buses.
Climate
Here summers are hot and arid with temperatures reaching as high as 50° C. Sand storms and hot dry winds, called loo, are common phenomena. In May and June, loo becomes unbearable and may cause heatstroke. The place receives rainfall mostly in July, August, and September. Winters are severe and chilly with minimum temperature falling to 0° C in January.
Geography
As the place is located in the semi-desert region of the Thar, the landscape consists of sand dunes with scanty bushes. The main trees are Khejri, Neem, Peepal and Rohida.
Agriculture
Being in the semi-desert part of Rajasthan, the farming land can grow crops which need less water. The crops grown are mainly pearl millet (Bajra), moong, moth, til and gawar. Famines occur frequently. The rabi crop is almost non-existent and irrigation is rarely used.
Places of Worship
There are many temples like, Shakambhari mata Temple, Hanuman Temple, Rani Sati dadi Temple, Gillo Sati Temple, Shree Shyam Mandir, Bankia Balaji, Baba Baldevdas Bagichi etc. Jama Masjid and many mosques, which makes Mandela a religious place where both Hindus and Muslims live together in peace.
Administration
- Current Sarpanch - Rajkumar Singhal
- MP Mr Narendra Kumar