Painted Representations: A Full Day Tour of the Towns Around Shekhawati

Owing to a plethora of painted Havelis, the Hindi term for a mansion, the semi-arid desert city of Shekhawati is often called an open-air museum. While the earliest frescos here can be dated back to the 18th century, a majority of the paintings were created between the years of 1750 and 1930. These paintings are not limited to the walls of Havelis and in fact, can be found on the walls of forts, temples and cenotaphs as well. It is believed that Shekhawati was one of the trade routes used by merchant caravans trading goods as far as Europe, Africa, the Middle-East and China. It is suggested that these paintings were commissioned by merchants in an attempt to display their wealth and power.

The mansions in this city display a unique architectural style which involved the construction of buildings around a courtyard in an attempt to ensure the safety and privacy of the women in households. They are decorated with murals which depict subjects of traditional mythology, local legend, folklore, personalities from Indian epics and even modern symbols such as trains and European visitors in the royal courts.

The major towns of interest in this region include Fatehpur, Mandawa, Dundlod, Churu, Ramgarh, Mukundgarh and Nawalgarh, all known for their exquisitely painted havelis. This tour will take you to 3 such towns.