Nizwa – An insight into the past and the present

It took us about one hour and thirty-seven minutes to reach Nizwa from Al Maabela. We had left exactly at five past ten in the morning. It was a little difficult to drive from Al Rusayl industrial area to Bid Bid as some roadworks were going on.  

It was not my first time touring Nizwa, but it was for my wife. Our exploration of Nizwa in the past hadn’t been done the way it was this time, so I thought we must reach the Nizwa market before noon and we reached at around 11.30am. Having parked the car, we walked to the market from there.

My eyes couldn’t believe the crowd that was there as there were tourists from different parts of the world, like Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Of course, many locals were there as well. Upon entering the market, we found “Souq Al Gharbia – The West Market” on the right and “Souq Al Sharqiyah – The East Market” on the left.

“I have been here at half past five since the market opened”, said Mundhir, a young Omani seller who was selling Omani Sweets (Halwa). “You can have a taste, it was made today,”  he offered us politely. There was another young Omani who was selling honey to Mundher’s left.

Omani products were present in the entire market, which attracted tourists. Omani products included Omani Khanjar, bedouin jewellery, traditional wooden walking sticks, pottery, and clothes.  In front of the Nizwa Fort, we saw some women cooking Omani food and tourists were busy eating, and their faces showed that they were enjoying it.

“Are you two?” said the young Omani lady who was selling the tickets cheerfully. “Yes, we are two”, I replied. “You need to pay OMR 4.00”, she said.
A visit to the Nizwa Fort gave us an insight not only into Oman’s history but also how our ancestors lived, manufactured things, and established rules of living. Inside the fort, there were different rooms for different purposes.

“Painting is my passion, and I am studying economics at Sultan Qaboos University, in my final year,” said Ibrahim Al Rashidi, a young Omani artist who was coaching kids and promoting his work. “When did you start painting?” I asked. “I’ve been doing it since I was a kid,”he said.

“It is not only about painting, but I get immersed in a completely different world while I am painting. I forget all my troubles and sorrows, and according to some research, painting has become a tool for treating mental health patients in hospitals,” he explained.