Ramgarh, Information About Ramgarh, Ramgarh in Rajasthan

The town of Ramgarh was built by a dissatisfied group of the powerful Poddar merchant family in 1791, after they had left the village of Churu following a disagreement with the Thakur. The village was doing well until the late 19th century. It is one of the richest towns at the end of the 19th century. The Shani Temple of the Saturday God has precisely painted frescoes. Marvellous monuments of the Poddars have delicately painted ceilings. The Ganga Temple and some beautiful havelis add interest to the town.

Ramgarh is situated at 23.92°N 73.95°E.. It has an average height of 306 metres (396 feet).Ramgarh is a city and a municipality in Sikar district in the Indian state of Rajasthan.

As of 2001 India census, Ramgarh had a population of 28,431. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Ramgarh has an average literacy rate of 59%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 69%, and female literacy is 48%. In Ramgarh, 18% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Ramgarh has a unique built structure, it has three exit gates on the three different directions Churu Gate, Bissau Gate and Fatehpur Gate. All these three different gates are named as per the neighbor towns.The current Chairman of the town is Mrs. shabana bhati, who is putting lot of efforts to develop this small town to get its old reign back.

Description of Ramgarh

An English traveller of the 1830s has beautifully written that Ramgarh is singularly remarkable and seems to give reality to a vision drawn from eastern romance. The buildings are all constructed from kunkur [gravel] grey hardpan, numerous handsome houses of the seths (businessmen) some of which are on a wonderful scale, decorated and painted in various devices outwardly; the neat high wall and gateways and the cupolard chhutrees (cenotaphs) in the community in contrast with the desert around, altogether display a scene worthy to be associated with enchantment.But that was more than a century and a half back. Now the town clearly shows signs of aging. However, that doesn’t make Ramgarh less interesting; old is beautiful. and in any case, Ramgarh boasts of more paintings than any other town in Shekhawati.

As Ramgarh was the richest town of India till 19th century and has most beautiful structures like magnificent Havelies, Cenotaph(Chatri),Temples etc. which gives best example of ancient art and architect of India, but the town loses these beautiful structures as well as ancient art and architect of India due to various reasons and they requires instant attention otherwise we will lose them forever.

Population here is mix of all regions. The well-known communities in Ramgarh are Poddar's, Ruia's, Khetan's and Agrawal's. All these rich of Ramgarh are now big businessmens in Mumbai, India. They have their own set-up of various businesses. The Essar Group, Ruia Group and The Phoenix Mills are examples of them. Ramgarh is also well-known for the business of Handicrafts, there are more than 30 handicraft industries in Ramgarh.

Places of Interest in Ramgarh

1)Ramgopal Poddar Chhatri
The dome of the Poddar monument carries delicately painted scenes from the Ramayana. The ceilings of the monument are amazing for their charming paintings.

2)Poddar Havelis
The wonderful 'havelis' or mansions, founded by the founders of Ramgarh are remarkable for their architecture. Situated near Churu Gate, the havelis are worth checking out.

3)Shaniji Temple
The temple dedicated to the Saturn God has delicate and wonderful frescoes that are devotedly painted. Also worth seeing are the Ganga Temple, Tara Chand Ghanshyam Das Poddar Haveli, Bagaria Haveli and Baij Nath Ruia Haveli that add interest to the town.

4)Harsh Nath Temple
An ancient 10th century temple located on the Harsh Nath Hills.

5)Lachhmangarh
It is one of the most magnificent forts in the Shekhawati region, commanding a bird's eye view of the town modelled to resemble the city plan of Jaipur.

Temple Attractions

Ramgarh has some nice temples too. The Ganga Temple is the finest one here, built by a Poddar and in 1845, it cost as much as 32,000 rupees. But sadly, antique dealers have destroyed the place; they've harshly worn out beautiful pieces off the walls in many places. The Ganga Temple has suffered too; the adjacent dharamshala (rest house) all woodwork are torn off. There are some good murals on the outer walls of the temple. The complex is attractive, with lots of arches that you could weave your way through. The little Shani Temple, dedicated to the Saturn god, was built by a Khemka family in 1840.

How to Get There

1)By Air : Jaipur is the nearest airport.
2)By Road : The towns of Sikar and Jhunjhunu are well linked by road, which are in turn are linked to Ramgarh.There is no direct train connection from the city.
3)Local Transport : Unmetered taxis and auto rickshaws are availabe for commutation within the city.