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Historic:
Historical
tales of rulers and scenes of great battles, and photographs of
well-known rulers were painted in the chhatris of the wells or in the
castles of the Rajput feudal chiefs who look after small feudatory
states in this area.
Religious:
The main entrance and interior spaces of the haveli consists of
religious and fabulous images.
Indian religious myths and tales were the main subject of these
havelis so that whole canvases could be covered with the marriage
parades of gods.
In the circular ceilings below grounds the myths
of Krishna and Ras Leelas can be seen.
Secular:
External walls of Shekhawati are painted with the aspects of daily
life and were clearly inspirational and depicts their lifestyle
clearly. These include scenes of processions of caparisoned
elephants of celebrated lovers such as Maru and Dhola and trompe
I’oeil paintings which creates suspension of belief in disbelief.
Among the paintings wonderful representations are a camel straddling a
small window, the women peeping out of windows and a staircase turning
into an elephant with the balustrade in its trunk.
The
turn of the 19th century saw the appearance of new designs due to the
British Raj’s influence upon the Indian culture. Wall paintings of
Shekhawati were collapsed by 1930 which resulted in the migration of
the Marwari families.
Floral:
The work
was very simple earlier, very few colours were used which consists of
floral motifs. Then, floral work was generally reserved for arches and
pillars. The floral designs were used to create frames and unite a
complete section, within which There are canvases of paintings. Only
floral representations of foliage can be found in the few Muslim
havelis.
Prominent
Places in Shekhawati
Important
tourist places in Shekhawati are Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Fatehpur, Dundlod,
Lachhmangarh, Khatu Shyamji, Chirawa, Mukundgarh, Mandawa, Nawalgarh,
Pilani and Shakambari.
There
are various heritage hotels in Shekhawati. Some of these historic
hotels are perfect illustrations of the fortifications of the area.
These are the true fortunes of Rajasthan’s open air art galley.
Jhunjhunu:
Jhunjhunu is the capital of Shekhawati, it is one of the biggest town
of the district. It was built in the mid 15th century AD by the
Kayamkhani Nawabs and remain under their control. In 1730 AD it was
taken over by the Rajput ruler Sardul Singh. Jhunjhunu has some
magnificently painted havelis. Ishwar Das-Mohan Das Modi, Khaitans and
Nar Singh Das Tibriwal are easily reachable from Jhunjhunu. Most
well-known temple of Jhunjhunu is Rani Sati temple. The most
attractive monument of Jhunjhunu is the Khatri Mahal (the Wind Palace)
which dates back to around 1760 A.D. Sri Bihariji Temple is famous for
its lovely murals.
Sikar:
The
largest "thikana" (Feudal state) under Jaipur is Sikar, which was
founded in the late 17th century. Important places to visit in Sikar
are the fort and temples of Raghunath, Gopinath and Madan Mohan, Madho
Niwas Kothi, Biwani Haveli, Jain temple, Jubilee Hall, Sodhani Haveli.
Sikar also has a large market which is worth to visit.
Fatehpur:
Fatehpur was built by Fateh Khan, a Kayamkhani Nawab in the mid 15th
century. Fatehpur is well-known for beautiful havelis and supreme
wall-paintings. Havelis of Fatehpur offers a blend of the Indian and
the western styles of architecture. Some of the prominent havelis are Singhania and
Chamariya havelis.
Many
wealthy merchants are attracted towards Fatehpur due to its central
location. It is one of the finest sources for observing some of the
supreme art in the region.
Lachhmangarh:
The
foundation of Lachhmangarh was laid by Raja Lachhman Singh of Sikar in
the early 19th century. modeled to resemble the city plan of Jaipur,
Lachhmangarh offers a bird’s eye view of the town. Lachhmangarh is one
of the most magnificent forts in the Shekhawati region. The town of
Lachhmangarh has a lot of unusual subjects which are painted on its
remarkable havelis.
Khatu
Shyamji: Khatu
Shyamji is well-known for the Shri Shyamji Temple which was
constructed in white marble.
Shakambari:
Shakambari is enclosed by hills on three sides. It is a perfect place
for picnic. It is well-known for its 7th century temple which was devoted to Shakambhari Mata.
Nawalgarh:
The
foundation of Nawalgarh was laid in the 18th century. Nawalgarh has
the finest of Shekhawati’s paintings. Two
palace and
forts hotel of
Nawalgarh with fountains and garden along with a host of temples are
well-known for their architecture and wall paintings.
Famous havelis are Bhagats, Dangaichs and Poddars.
Mandawa:
The
foundation of Mandawa was laid in the 18th century, it is the heart of
the region of Shekhawati. Some of the wonderful havelis in Mandawa are
Ladia havelis, Saraf havelis and Chokhani.
A
medieval fort dominates the town of Mandawa which is now changed into
a heritage hotel. This fort has a painted arched gateway which is
decorated with Lord Krishna and his cows. A Shiva temple with a rock crystal lingam is also
a prominent place to visit.
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