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 Shekhawati
is a semi-desert region in north Rajasthan and it is situated in
the triangle between Delhi- Bikaner - Jaipur . It
covers a distance of 300 sq. kms and is situated in the Aravalli
mountain range. It is named after its ruler Rao Shekha.
Shekhawati means "The garden of Shekha". The landscape of
Shekhawati is dotted with painted havelis in artistic tradition,
which is simply fascinating. Most of the buildings in Shekhawati
dates back from early 18th century to late 20th century.
Shekhawati sees far less visitors than the other better-known
destinations of Rajasthan. It covers the administrative districts of
Jhunjhunu and Sikar. From the administrative and geographical point
of view Shekhawati is limited to Jhunjhunu and Sikar
districts only. Shekhavati vacation tour is the best idea to
experience the charm of 18th centuries’ art and beauty. All the
havelis and beautiful destinations make your Shekhawati vacation
meaningful and very enjoyable here.
Climate
Summers: Max: 42.2 degrees C; Min: 28.7 degrees C
Winters: Max: 30 degrees C; Min: 10 degrees C
Fair & Festivals:
Shekhawati Festival (annually, for two days on 10th and 11th
February): This festival is celebrated every year in October or
November at Mandawa.
How to reach
Air: The nearest airport is Sanganert airport at Jaipur
, connected daily to all the metros.
Train: The Shekhawati region is connected to several
stations. Jhunjhunu, Dundlod-Mukundgarh and Nawalgarh are the best
railheads for Mandawa and its nearby areas. The Shekhawati
Express runs daily between Delhi and Jaipur stopping at
Jhunjhunu, Mukundgarh and Sikar.
Road : Regular bus services link most of the towns with Sikar
and Jaipur . Good roads connect Shekhawati to almost
all the major towns of Rajasthan.
PLACES TO SEE
Nawalgarh
Founded in 18th century by Nawal Singh, it contains some of the
finest frescos in the whole of Shekhawati region. It is an
interesting destination for a 1 day/ 1 night stay, especially
because of the colourful bazaar and numerous havelis that has some
of the elaborate architecture. Few prominent havelis are Anandilal
Poddar Haveli, Aath Haveli, Hodh Raj Patodia Haveli, etc. The Palace
also has an art gallery; in which registered paintings are
displayed.
HOTELS
Hotel Roop Niwas
Nawalgarh–Havelis
On the west of the Nahalgarh fort, are a set of eight havelis,
known collectively as “aath havelis”, aath- meaning eight. One
important thing to note is the paintings in these havelis depict the
painting style through the period. For example while one painting
shows mammoth images of elephants, horses, etc other shows images of
locomotives. The Muraraka Haveli is situated opposite these havelis,
which shows off some very beautiful paintings including the
miniature paintings from the Krishna legends. The haveli has no
occupants and the courtyard is locked unless there is some function
taking place. To the north side is the Hem Raj Kulwal Haveli, which
was built in 1931 and it depicts at the entrance, portraits of the
Kulwal family and also Indian leaders - Gandhi and Nehru. The
windows of the haveli are beautifully bordered by colourful
architectures.
Close to the Hem Raj Kulwal Haveli is the Khedwal Bhawan, which
features some striking mirror and blue tile work at the entrance.
Also, visible on the outside wall is the story of the legendary
lovers Dhola Maru.
Mukundgarh
A few kms. from Navalgarh, and built around a temple square,
Mukundgarh has a magnificient fort which is now converted into a
resort hotel with all the modern facilities. There are a few
prominent properties here in the form of havelis of Kanoria and
Ganriwal, which carried some prominent example of fresco paintings.
It is located in the Mukundgarh village, and was constructed during
the early 18th century by a local Rajput ruler, Raja Mukund Singh.
The entire fort is spread over a land of 2 acres and is a massive
fortress that reflects the ancient charm and glory beautifully.
HOTELS
Hotel Mukundgarh Fort
Mandawa
About 22 kms east of Shekhawati is situated the small and rather
dirty town of Mandawa. It was founded in the 18th century, which is
now converted into a heritage hotel with all the latest luxuries and
amenities. The Goenka Havelis – Ladhuram Tarkesver (1878), and
Dedraj Tumal (1898); the Ladia Havelis – Gulab Rai(1870) and Sneh
Ram(1906), Nandlal Murmuria (1935), Bansidhar Newatia(1910) and the
Mohanlal Saraf(1870) havelis are very interesting. A night stay here
is an experience in itself with beautiful evenings and some
wonderful medieval cuisine.
HOTELS
Castle Mandawa, Mandawa Heritage
Fatehpur
Founded in the mid 15th century by a Kayamkhani Nawab, it has
attractive havelis along the Churu-Sikar road. In particular, don’t
forget to visit the following – Devra(1885), Singhania(1880),
Goenka(1880) and Saraogi. The area at the north of the town is also
very interesting for its architecture. Fatehpur is famous for good
tie-and-dye fabrics. From Fatehpur, one can visit the nearby towns
of Lakshmangarh and Mandawa as well.
Jhunjhunu
Located 180 kms from Jaipur , it is the biggest town of
Shekhawati and the administrative head-quarters for the region as
well. Jhunjhunu was founded by the Khemkhani Nawabs in 15th century.
The town can be reached by road and train from Jaipur and Delhi,
easily.
The town provides decent accommodation and can be a good base for
exploring the whole of Shekhawati . Some of the prominent places of
interest in Jhunjhunu are Badalgarh, Khetri Mahal, Behari temple
(old paintings), Qamruddin Shah Ki Darghah, Mertani Baori, Laxminath
temple, Khetan haveli, Ishwardas Mohandas haveli, Narsinghdas
Tibrewal haveli, Birdhi Chand well and Ajeet Sagar. It is also
famous for colourful wall paintings.
Mahansar
Mahansar is a town located in the Shekhawati region of
Rajasthan. The Thakurs of one of the branch of Shekhawats
established Mahansar in 1768. It is around 40 km away from Jhunjhunu.
The Sone Chand ki Dukan that dates backs to 1846 is one of
Mahansar's major attractions. Mahansar is the place where one can
find gold leaves intricately woven into the paintings that adorn the
walls. Three vaulted ceilings adorn the haveli thus giving it a very
beautiful and unique look.
HOTELS
Fort Mahansar
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