It could only happen in Rajasthan. The Havelis (opulent houses) of Shekhawati are awe inspiring, and forgotten at the same time! If you have been to the Shekhawati region, the lavishly painted Havelis couldn’t have skipped your attention. Spread across the villages and towns of Shekhawati region, these iconic Havelis are an enigma of sorts.
Havelis of Shekhawati, in their own rights, are no less in aesthetics than the grand forts and palaces of Rajasthan. However, for an average tourist, one has so many of these forts and palaces to explore in the vicinity that one tends to skip these Havelis.
{If you are looking for more Rajasthan destinations, have a look: Udaipur ||| Jaisalmer}
Away from the hustle and bustle of the more popular tourist destinations of Rajasthan, Shekhawati is quite a respite. From enchanting semi-arid landscape, to a laid back lifestyle of the locals to ornate Havelis in slumber, the region is a great place to explore offbeat destinations.
{If you are interested in exploring the region well, including the Havelis, here’s our blog: Shekhawati in Rajasthan}
History of Havelis of Shekhawati
Owing to its strategic location just on the outskirts of the Thar desert, the Shekhawati region in Rajasthan used to be a trading hotspot in the ancient Silk Route. During eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, much of the trade between Arab, India and China happened through this region. Local trading communities, especially the Marwaris and Banias used to rule the roost. Having high business acumen, they controlled all the trade, and became very wealthy. And their richness reflected in the opulent houses (Havelis) they made for themselves.
However, with the British East India Company focusing on trade through sea routes in the nineteenth century, these merchants migrated to port cities like Kolkata (click to read) and Mumbai. But their penchant for building beautiful Havelis back home continued through the century and more. For most part, there was a kind of competition among the merchants to build the best one in the area!
Losing the sheen, and revival of interest in recent times:
These merchants used to visit Shekhawati only for festivals or social occasions like weddings, etc, and live in their mansions during those days. But these Havelis were symbol of their social status. In course of time, their children felt less and less emotional about their homeland. So, their visits became scarce by the time. Thus, quite obviously, they had not many reasons to keep the Havelis in good shape.
In the passage of time, most of these Havelis were forgotten. Today, there are about 2000 such Havelis in different stages of neglect. While some of them have a solo caretaker, in many cases, one caretaker looks after a few Havelis. Nonetheless, the caretaking is minimal. Moreover, majority of them have no caretaker; they are just languishing in oblivion!
{If you love exploring old monuments, here are a few more: Gagron Fort ||| Stepwells of India ||| Ayutthaya}
It was only post 1980s, it attracted the attention of travellers, authors and art enthusiasts. With scores of entrepreneurs converting them into heritage hotels, the Havelis of Shekhawati are again creating a flutter.
Structure of the Havelis
Since these Havelis were essentially statements of the status and wealth of their owners, the architects would barely leave any stone unturned in making them lavish affairs. Some of the rich traders of the region were actually as rich as the small kings of the region. But they dared ever building any palaces comparable to the kings without having the wrath of the kings.
Our guide in Nawalgarh told us that even the owners of the havelis often had to take permission from the king before installing anything grand. Thus, these Havelis were lavish, but less in grandeur than the palaces. The architecture of the havelis followed the most influential powers of the time- the Rajputs, the Mughals and the British.
Apparently, these Havelis were meant for the extended families, often all the brothers living together. The main attractions of the iconic Havelis of Shekhawati are their rich frescos, impressive front gateways and the grand courtyards.
Gateways:
As one enters the Havelis through the grand doors/ gateways, it’s impossible for one to miss the ornate designs and carvings of the gateways. The front doors were often made of durable teak wood brought from as far as Burma. Most of the gateways were a set of two; a big imposing door, and a smaller door carved within the big one. The smaller door was generally kept open and used for day-to-day commuting. On the other hand, the larger one was used only when required.
Courtyards:
Typically, there would be two courtyards in the Havelis. As soon as one enters the Haveli, there would be this courtyard called Mardana, mostly used for official purposes. The other courtyard was more private, mainly for the women of the household. All the rooms faced towards the courtyard. So, it served as the center of all activities in the haveli.
The beautifully carved doors of the rooms and the rich fresco paintings all around made it a vibrant looking place. I can’t imagine in their heydays, how stunning they would be looking!
Frescoes:
Havelis of Shekhawati are especially known for their rich frescoes, a form of durable wall painting on wet plaster. If you love wall paintings, this is the place to go. In fact, the beautiful paintings are virtually everywhere! Inside the Havelis, on the outer walls/ boundaries, in the streets, wherever the eye goes! No wonder people call it an open air art gallery.
In the beginning (when the first Havelis came up) in late 18th century, the paintings depicted the local ethos- Gods & Goddesses, elephants, camels, portraits of royalties, etc. But by the turn of the 19th century, the paintings had a lot of foreign influence. Cars and airplanes, British portraits and European elements were added to the array of portrayals.
The most prominent Havelis of Shekhawati
If you love these Havelis, you have a large number of them to explore across the villages and towns spread all over Shekhawati region in Rajasthan. The major towns in Shekhawati to explore Havelis are: Mandawa, Nawalgarh, Fatehpur, Ramgarh and Churu. However, there are a few other towns/ villages worth visiting as well, for example: Mukundgarh, Laxmangarh, Dundlod, Ramgarh, Mahansar, Jhunjhunu and Alsisar.
Unfortunately, most of these Havelis are derelict and abandoned. My heart sinks to see them in such dilapidated condition. I feel like they are still waiting for their erstwhile owners to come back and love them again.
Fortunately though, in recent times, some of them have actually got their owners come back and renovate them, either for hospitality business or for tourism. For one’s convenience, here’s a list of the most important Havelis to visit. While the first section covers the Havelis that are well preserved, the second section covers the ones neglected.
I. Well-preserved/ Renovated Havelis of Shekhawati
1. (Ramnath) Anandilal Podar Haveli and museum | Nawalgarh:
Seth Anandilal Podar built this opulent Haveli in 1902 for his family. But later, his son (Ramnath) with his family, moved to Bombay in 1955. Much later in 1995, his great grand son Kantilal Podar converted this Haveli into a museum in 1995. I was particularly impressed by its history being part of India’s freedom movement. At one point of time, Mahatma Gandhi was part of the founding trustee of Tilak Swaraj Fund donated by Anandilal Podar!
Arguably, this is the most important among all Shekhawati Havelis, both for its history and architecture. Its Toran Darwaja, rich frescos, wide facade, great interiors are perhaps unmatched in the whole of Shekhawati. In fact, its front gate and inside-doors are among the most beautiful ones one will find anywhere in India. Today, the museum houses historic artefacts like costumes, jewelry, handicrafts, stone/ marble art, paintings, etc.
2. Chokhani Double Haveli | Mandawa:
This is perhaps the largest, and among the best maintained Havelis in Mandawa. Two Chokhani brothers had built this in the 20th century, adjacent to each other for their respective families. Though their owners have now settled in Kolkata (then Calcutta), they have renovated it a few years ago. In the whole of Mandawa, it was the only Haveli where we saw a proper ticket counter to enter.
The huge fresco paintings of peacocks and British soldiers on its facade are remarkable. Past the main entrance, one comes across two huge Havelis side by side, both on raised platforms. Unlike other Havelis of Shekhawati, the inner courtyards here had a bit of greenery. The fresco paintings inside are comparable to any of the Havelis of Shekhawati.
3. Arjundas Goenka Haveli and museum, Dundlod | Jhunjhunu:
In the last decade of 19th century, Seth Arjundas Goenka built this magnificent Haveli for his extended family. Their family had a successful textile business in Calcutta. But like the trend those days, they decided to build this Haveli for social status and posterity. It was only recently in 1996, two of his great grandsons renovated the house and converted it into a museum.
The Haveli is a two-storied building with two courtyards. When one enters the large gateway to the Haveli, a Baithak (office) is on the left-hand side. On the right, there’s a bullock cart from that era. The Haveli houses a large number of artefacts from that time, like the old newspapers, musical instruments, terracotta pots, brass pots, gramophone, etc. Dundlod fort is also nearby; so, do make it a point to visit. If you are interested in knowing more, here’s the link to their website: SAGHH Museum.
4. Piramal Haveli, Bagar | Jhunjhunu:
This Haveli was built in 1928 by Seth Piramal Chaturbhuj Makhania, who had a flourishing business in Bombay (now Mumbai). Unlike other Havelis of Shekhawati, this has a lovely garden in front of it. Again unlike other Havelis, it has a ‘L’ shape with two verandahs.
On one of our visits to Shekhawati, we stayed at this Haveli, renovated and converted into a hotel by the Neemrana group. It was quite a royal feeling to sleep in those spacious heritage rooms.
5. Le Nadine Prince Haveli, Fatehpur:
One of the finest Havelis of Shekhawati is in Fatehpur, a village having quite a number of magnificent Havelis. Seth Nandlal Devra built it in 1802, but his ancestors abandoned it in the 1950’s. It’s so beautiful that when French painter Nadine Le Prince visited it in 1998, she fell in love. Being sad to see it in complete neglect, she decided to revive its grandeur. After buying it from the Devras, she carefully renovated its art and architecture to reach its former glory.
The fusion of Rajput and Mughal architecture styles are nowhere more evident than in this Haveli. While all its arches are built in Mughal style, the doors and windows followed Rajput style. The frescoes, of course, followed the motifs of the day- stories from Hindu scriptures, royal portraits, dancers, elephants, horses, peacocks, etc. Apart from the art and craft, one can have a sneak peek into history through the artefacts like kitchenware, wooden furniture, lanterns, huge boxes, etc.
Unfortunately, the Haveli has now been closed to the public due to some legal issues.
Note: I’m not including Castle Mandawa (Mandawa) and Alsisar Mahal (Alsisar) in this list because they were basically forts/ palaces, and not typical Havelis. But they are definitely must-visits. Similarly, Malji Ka Kamra in Churu, another well-preserved property wasn’t actually a Haveli, but built as a guest house by a merchant.
II. Beautiful yet neglected Havelis of Shekhawati
Except for the Havelis mentioned above, hardly anyone takes care of thousands of Havelis across Shekhawati. These beautiful heritage Havelis are left to the mercy of their lone caretakers or guards appointed by their owners. So much so that majority of the Havelis even don’t have a caretaker! So, they are closed to the public now. I have chosen only a few prominent ones that I loved, but was sad to see them in pathetic condition.
1. Jhunjhunwala- golden painting Haveli | Mandawa: As the name suggests, this Haveli has a golden painting room. Though they have significantly faded, the vibrancy of gold is still alive! However, apart from the golden room, other parts of the Haveli aren’t in good shape.
2. Goenka Double Haveli | Mandawa: Built in the 18th century, it’s called ‘double’ Haveli because it’s a set of two Havelis. Lying opposite to each other this double Haveli belongs to two brothers: Vishwanath Goenka and Tarkeshwar Goenka. The most noticeable things about the Haveli are the large size elephant and horse frescoes on the facade. One finds elements of both Rajasthani and European motifs on its walls.
3. Murmuria Haveli | Mandawa: Just beside the Goenka Double Haveli, this is among the most prominent Havelis of Shekhawati. Built in 1930’s, this Haveli again showcases rich fresco paintings in a fusion style of Rajasthani and European elements, especially from Italy. From Radha-Krishna to George-V to Jawaharlal Nehru, its frescoes have paintings spanning long time in history. From trains to gondolas of Venice, the array of paintings is extraordinary.
Other Notable Havelis of Shekhawati:
- Sone Chandi ki Dukan Haveli, Mahansar | built in 1846, famous for golden paintings; but it used to be a show-room rather than a typical Haveli
- Mandawa Haveli, Mandawa: Built in 1890, this one is now a hotel. Please don’t confuse this with the other Mandawa Haveli in Jaipur, which is also a heritage hotel
- Gulab Rai Ladia Haveli, Mandawa | 1830-70
- Mohanlal Saraf Haveli, Mandawa | 19th century
- Bhagat (Banshidhar) Haveli, Nawalgarh | 1920; houses a bank now
- Morarka Haveli and museum, Nawalgarh | Jairam Das Morarka in the 18th century
- Ram Gopal Podar ki Haveli, Ramgarh
- Sawalka Haveli, Ramgarh
- Tolaram Maskaraji Haveli, Mahansar | With four courtyards and a grand ballroom
- Char-chowk Haveli, Laxmangarh | Muralidhar Ganeriwal; 1840 | One of the largest Havelis of Shekhawati with four courtyards! closed for public now
- Surana Haveli, Churu | Surana family in 1870 | An imposing 6-storied building; called the Hawa Mahal of Shekhawati
- Saraf Haveli, Mukundgarh | closed for public viewing now; but there’s a caretaker.
Need for preservation
I often wondered where the antique shop owners in Hauz Khas Village in Delhi (click) got their antique pieces! It was only after visiting Shekhawati, I got my answer. These derelict Havelis do possess scores of antiques that has a good market in cities. So, antique dealers based out of the small towns of Shekhawati have a good business of enticing the owners to get rid of those ‘unnecessary’ possessions. This flourishing antique business is slowly but steadily eating away the great Havelis.
Besides, quite a few of these Havelis have made way for shops and market complexes. A number of them have just converted into plain houses without the fresco paintings! Without proper preservation, a large number of these dilapidated Havelis are just crumbling away.
Some authors have captured this sad state of affairs well. In case you are interested in reading more on the subject, here are a few suggestions.
Books on Havelis of Shekhawati:
Shekhawati’s heritage Havelis have always attracted architecture and art lovers from near and far. Bewildered by the irony of magnificence in neglect, some authors have penned down a few good books. The prominent ones are:
- The Painted Walls of Shekhawati (1982): Aman Nath
- The Painted Towns of Shekhawati (2009): Ilay Cooper
- Shekhawati: The Havelis of the Merchant Princes (2013): Ilay Cooper
- Abandoned India, The Mansions of Shekhawati (2016): Kip Scott.
Why nobody takes care of these Havelis?
As mentioned above, the owners of these Havelis have moved from Shekhawati to larger cities long back. Since they are doing great business in various fields, and keeping too busy, they have hardly any time to think of renovation or restoration of their decaying Havelis. Nor do they have much commercial motivation to do so. Though there’s increasing tourist interest in the region in recent times, it’s not good enough, yet.
Further, since these are private properties, government cannot undertake conservation measures. Or maybe they cane, if they wish so!
Some efforts in this direction:
The first efforts for conservation of these Havelis perhaps started with the emergence of heritage hotels like Castle Mandawa in 1980. This created tourist interest, and also an awareness among its affluent owners residing in other bigger cities. Some examples are Podar Haveli of Nawalgarh, Goenka Haveli of Dundlod and Chokhani Double Haveli of Mandawa.
One notable restorative work happened through Le Nadine Prince, the French artist in Fatehpur. Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has been doing some significant work in creating awareness. But not many such examples exist today.
Role of various stakeholders:
One non-profit company, or one enthusiastic artist cannot undertake the scale of restoration required. The Government must find a way of intervening. Havelis of Shekhawati have great potential for tourism and livelihood creation. So much so that the government can apply for a UNESCO World Heritage tag for these gems. Even though these are private properties, the government can have a public-private partnership model.
Once the Havelis come alive and regain their old glory, tourism will follow definitely. And this can be win-win for all- the government, the Haveli owners, locals, tourists and the public at large. Overall, it will mean that our rich architectural, artistic and cultural heritage live forever.
Quality of art restoration:
More than the act of ‘restoration’ itself, it’s the quality that matters. Because in pursuit of some business catering to tourists, a number of Havelis of Shekhawati are going through cheap, unmindful restoration work. The wrongly restored Havelis look newly painted, and lose their heritage charm.
Afterall, the heritage value is in their ‘oldness’, and not the ‘newness’. Art restoration is a delicate subject. One has to restore without undermining their originality. This is all the reason why we need expert art restorers rather than profit oriented entrepreneurs.
Concluding thoughts
Among the Havelis of Shekhawati, only the ones in major towns like Mandawa and Nawalgarh have got some real tourist flow. Thus, owners of Havelis here are a bit active in restoration work. But even there, only a handful of them are in good shape. Of the 2000 Havelis in Shekhawati region, hardly 10 are in great shape; that’s not even 1%! Such a pity! If this was Europe, it would have been one of the most important tourist places.
If one moves around the Shekhawati towns of Ramgarh, Laxmangarh, Fatehpur and Mahansar, the Havelis look like ghost-dwellings! Plasters peeling off, walls crumbling, covered in commercial posters, and blackening over time. Such a painful sight, if you are an art lover!
It’s high time, the government takes note of this, and saves this rich heritage of ours.
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