In touristy Rajasthan, the Shekhawati region is seldom
visited, bypassed for the grand forts and palaces of the other desert cities. The
few visitors who do head to the towns of the dusty, arid Shekhawati typically
go for one reason – the havelis.
In the intense heat of the summer months, we were the only
visitors. There wasn’t another white face to be seen in the town of Nawalgarh,
and most hotels were partially or fully closed. In overcrowded India, it felt
like being in the middle of nowhere.
The havelis, extraordinarily painted homes, reaching often
grand proportions, were the attempts of 18th and 19th century Mawari merchants,
who often lived far from home for long periods of time, to show their neighbors
how successful they were. The murals
often cover the mansion-like havelis from baseboards to rafters, depicting
everything from everyday scenes to Hindu gods to family portraits.
Compared to the massive forts and temples available in other
parts of India, the havelis represent an understated grandeur. Of course, many
of the havelis are in need of some restoration and TLC. For most tourists, it
probably doesn’t seem worth the fight and jostle of almost four hours on a
local bus to see some rundown mansions. However, there is beauty in the
understated, splendor in the dilapidated.
