The painted facade of
a Shekhavati haveli.
Click to enlarge |
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. There are a number
of small towns and villages, closely clustered together.
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)
in a fine state of preservation. It was as if we had stepped into
an open-air Art Gallery.
The magnificient
interiors of the
Goenka Haveli in Fatehpur.
Click to enlarge |
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. With their business success came a spirit
of one-upmanship, and each sought to outdo the other with the
lavishness of his haveli - 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.
|
