Shekhawati
is an interesting area of towns within the triangle of Jaipur, Delhi,
and Bikaner. These towns are famous for the beautifully designed,
carved, and painted haveli houses. Most of the havelis were built from
the 18th to the early 1900s. Around the 15th century, several important
trading posts were established in this area, and many of the merchants
became quite wealthy. In the middle of the 19th century, the merchants
took the protection of the British and the Maharajas of Jaipur and
Bikaner. Peace came to the area and the merchants felt safe to build
their havelis. Many of them spent their riches in building truly
outstanding houses. There are also interesting forts, step-wells,
cenotaphs, and mosques.
HavelisHavelis are
magnificent mansions that usually have colorful paintings on the walls
and often have intricate carvings. Many of the havelis have wooden gates
(often intricately carved) leading into a small courtyard. That
courtyard then leads into a larger courtyard. Some havelis have four
large courtyards. The main highlight of many havelis is the outstanding
murals painted on the outside and inside walls. Paintings may be
decorated with gold or silver leaf and can be decorated with small
mirror. Many of the paintings depict Krishna’s pastimes, as many
people in this area are devotees of Krishna. Most of the havelis are
privately owned and are not open to the public. The owners may not
appreciate someone rushing into their house, uninvited. When you enter
the inner courtyard, you are supposed to remove your shoes.
Major
Havelis in Shekhawati
- Goenka Haveli
One
of the most interesting havelis is the Goenka Haveli (1870), which
has excellent paintings on the walls, including several depicting
Krishna’s pastimes. The main highlight is the painted ceiling
in an upstairs room. You get to this haveli by taking the main road
north from the bus stand, and then you turn left at the main
intersection. The house to the left of the Goenka Haveli has nice
mirrorwork.
- Nand Lal Devra Haveli
Nand Lal Devra Haveli has an
interesting painted ceiling as you enter the house and nice
paintings on the courtyard walls. There is a 17th century baori
(step-well) near the bus stand. Also good are Singhania (1880) and
Saraogi havelis.
