Home :: Rajasthan India Travel :: Shekhavati

Shekhavati is not the name of particular city or town. In fact, it is the name of an entire region in northern Rajasthan, which was once controlled by the King Rao Shekhaji. It is a cluster of number of small towns and villages. Unlike other places in Rajasthan where the main attraction is generally forts and palaces, Shekhavati is known for its painted walls. The whole region is dotted with elaborately frescoed havelis(mansions).

These havelis were built mainly in the latter half of the 20th century by the Marwari merchants of Shekhavati, who ventured out primarily to Calcutta and Assam. The lavish Havelis are a fine example of craftsmanship - some of them are even painted in pure gold! The towns of importance are Nawalgarh, Dundlod, Mandawa, Mukundgarh, Singhana, Fatehpur, Lakshmangarh and Bissau. A few of these havelis have now been converted into heritage hotels, although most of them are looked after by old family caretakers for their busy seths who visit them once in a while. Shekhavati also has a number of small fortresses and a deer sanctuary at Tal Chhapar. The best way to visit and view this region is either on a Horse Safari or a Camel Safari.

Places To See
Sikar: Sikar is now one of the two districts of Shekhawati, the other being Jhunjhunu. Worth a visit is Sikar's large market , the clock tower and the painted Biyani havelis. Other attractions inlude Sagarmal Sodhani haveli, Madho Niwas Kothi, Jubilee Hall and Fort. The jain temple and the temples of Gopinath, Raghunath and Madan Mohan are worth visiting. Areas closeby are Jeen Mata Temple and Harsh Nath Temple.

Dundlod: Situated around 30 south-east of Mandawa, Dundlod has many havelis such as Jathia Haveli, and Tuganram Goenka Haveli. However, Dundlod is better known for its fort and palace. Another famous attraction here is the Satyanarayan Temple.

Nawalgarh: Nawalgarh is famous for its fort that was built in AD 1737 by Thakur Nawal Singh. The Bala Qila has a kiosk with beautiful ceiling paintings while the Roop Nivas Palace has now been converted into a hotel. Like Mandawa, Nawalgarh too has a number of important havelis including Anandi Lal Poddar Haveli, Aath Haveli, Hem Raj Kulwal Haveli, Bhagton Ki Haveli, and Khedwal Bhavan.

Fatehpur: Established in 1451 as the capital of the Muslim Nawabs, Fatehpur was taken over by the Rajputs of the Shekhawati region in the 18th century. The main attractions here are the Mahavir Prasad Goenka Haveli, the Gauri Shankar Haveli, the Nand Lal Devra Haveli, the Harikrishnan Das Sarogi Haveli, and a 17th-century baoli or step-well

Mandawa: Mandawa is a small town in the heart of Shekhawati region. The place is known not only for its havelis but also for its Fort Palace. The structure of the palace reminds of the cultural and social importance of this region in the past

Excursion
Mahansar: Attractions include the mid-19th century Raghunath temple, the Sona ki Dukan haveli and the Sahaj Ram Poddar Chhatri.

Chirawa: Chirawa was popular as a trading town between Churu and Loharu. It is known for its huge havelies. Worth visiting are Rai Bahadur Surya Mal Tulshan haveli, Nemani haveli, Mangalchand Dalmia haveli, Tara Chand Kesher Dev Dalmia haveli, Dulichand Kakrania haveli, ManoharLal Vaidh haveli, Bhola Ram Kakrania haveli, Kakrania well and Sekhsaria well.

Baggar: Known as the home of the Rungtas and Seth-Pirmal, Baggar was founded in the mid of 15th century by the Nagar Pathans