Havelis – TRAVELTRUNK.NET

April 1, 2022April 2, 2022

Part Two- What Not to Miss on a Weekend Vacation in Shekhawati

Chances are that when you search for places to visit in Rajasthan the 3Js will dominate the itinerary circuit. But Rajasthan’s treasure chest has more gems waiting to be discovered apart from flashy Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and maybe Udaipur. Having sampled the visual treat that Mandawa offered our appetites were totally whetted to try out whatever else the Shekhawati region had to offer. After much debate and ifs and buts we settled on Nawalgarh, Dhundlod, Mehansar and Ramgarh Shekhawati. Perfectly packed itinerary for a weekend vacation of discovering fascinating frescoes and haveli hopping!

We try to make an early start from Delhi and the highway is intermittently lined with mustard fields covered by a thinning mist as we make our way to Mandawa to pick up Om Ji, the guide from our previous trip. Through the drive to Mehansar the discussion veers to the trading practices of the merchants here. Apart from trading in opium, cotton etc, the shrewd businessman seemed to have literally extracted his pound of flesh through exploitative money lending practices from the hardy and poor farmer of this region, where the crops depended solely on the liquid benediction of the moody monsoon.

Read- Batalik – A Tribute to the Human Spirit to discover another lot of tough people living in a cold desert.

Mehansar’s Oh My Moment!

We stop outside a wayside unpretentious haveli at Mehansar. Here the room where business was conducted, in a deviation from the norm, opens into the street instead of a courtyard. An uncovered veranda lined by a drain sits between the room and the dusty street. Om Ji gets the keys from the caretaker and opens a rather small door typical to this area. As the lights are flicked on we gaze up and around in amazement. It’s a room meant to awe the visitors and marvel at the owner’s refined taste. Every inch is painted in a rich palette.

The motifs on the walls are in crimson red but its the 3 sections of the roof which are the masterpieces. In one section the Yamuna is a broad thread of dull molten gold running through the story of Krishna’s life around the roof. On the other side it’s the Ramayana with a ‘Sone ki Lanka’ in burnished gold. The 180 year old ‘sone ki dukaan’ as this room is called seems like a miniature version of the fabled kingdom. But its not just the use of pure gold in the paintings that is stunning, it’s the finesse with the which the miniature paintings have been done. The world outside looks infinitely drab after that stellar show!

I saw a show like no other at- Tarsar Marsar : A Trekker’s Take

Ramgarh Shekhawati’s Remarkable Chattris

The drive from Mehansar to Ramgarh is a short blur and we wind our way past numerous wells and chattris enclosed behind high walls to come to the Poddar chattris. Built from 1872 onwards these airy pavilions have mandirs tucked inside in the ground floor which often doubled up as serais or inns. Wide staircases lead up to domes surrounded by arched balconies in this cluster of elaborate structures. The setting sun seen through the arches shines on the domes which have frescoes where Krishna multiplies himself endlessly to dance with each gopi around the roof. A Rasamandala. One can imagine these chattris making a dramatic backdrop for a cultural extravaganza. Unfortunately right now they’ve been usurped by someone who is using one of the arched structures as a cowshed. The cow’s kismet!

History and more dwells in- 3 Churches in Mhow: Discovering Obscure History and Outstanding Carols

Traditional and Nouveau Art at Nawalgarh

As testimony to its wealthy past, havelis are scattered dime a dozen in the winding bylanes in Nawalgarh. We head for the Morarka Haveli. Outside the mansion, under an eave, a portrait of a slightly forlorn looking Jesus is pointed out to us. I suppose his expression is borne out after years of looking at the dismembering happening in the panel below! In the outer courtyard a man plays a one stringed instrument, his voice rising to a melancholic crescendo. The music reverberates in the courtyard.

The inner door has bubbles of Belgian glass lining it. Stunning wooden arches hold coloured glass panes. The light filtering though makes them glow. A portrait of a young woman with pencil thin brows and a bindi with wings peers into the distance in a scalloped arch above a carved window frame. From the first floor one glimpses the pristine white and red lined domes of chattris across the lane.

Discover winged visitors of Rajasthan in – The Bird-book of Bikaner

A lane away the Poddar haveli being run as a museum is a beautifully built, lavishly painted not to mention a very well maintained mansion. The first courtyard has more traditional elements and is covered with frescoes. The arch above the inner door is a piece of work where the owner and his business share space with various deities. A panel on a wall catches my eye where on one end a woman in a gown and parasol seems to be having a rendezvous with a young man.

On the other a rather irate looking white man in front of a steam engine is haranguing with a local holding a red flag. Their expressions and details are priceless. A parallel panel above depicts a world apart with scenes of the local revelry and the gangaur festival. The upper floor in pale lime green finish has inverted carved arches holding up slender cream pillars. The rooms inside showcase various aspects of the local culture right from styles of turbans peculiar to each community to various houses of Rajasthani miniatures.

A place like no other is- Chushul -Chumathang -Hello Indus & Iridescent Colours!

The Doors of Dhundlod

The final stop of the day is another museum depicting everyday life with life sized figurines at the Goenka haveli in Dhundlod. A wide ramp leads to the massive door of the haveli. The inner door is carved and studded with tiny pieces of ivory.

But the truly drool worthy, to have by hook or by crook are the exquisitely carved doors inside. Embellished with beaten brass each one is unique. The arches above them painted with gods and perhaps members of the household. In a room with a big swing made of wood and inlaid with glass for a tiny bal gopal lie tattered catalogues and brochures with swatches of cloth en vogue in Calcutta in early 20^th century. The inner courtyard wall has a small niche to holds a tiny throne to keep a saligram. The primal representation of god deserves one.

A place like no other is- Pangong Tso -The Gems in the Crown

Satiating all the Senses

Heading back to Churi Ajitgarh where we are putting up we stop to pick up some raj bhog rasgullas. The giant caramel coloured sweetmeats are supposed to be a specialty and to balance out the palate we add the ubiquitous mirchi pakoras and kachoris, served here with an interesting chutney of tamarind and curd. Sights done now its time to indulge in the smells and tastes of the land!

A must on a foodie’s plate is- Nasirabad’s Kachora: More than a Savoury Story

Shekhawati is a visual smorgasbord laid out for slow sampling and one needs to come back to the table again and again to appreciate its artful presentation and idiosyncratic ingredients. This vast region dotted with towns and hamlets is a bit like the rich rasgullas we had… one has to squeeze out some excess syrup to get the full flavor.

Fact File–

1.Itinerary-

Day 1- Drive from Delhi to Mandawa and visit Mehansar and Ramgarh Shekhawati.

Day 2- Visit Nawalgarh and Dhundlod.

From Jaipur one will reach Nawalgarh first. So plan accordingly.

1.Staying-

We stayed at Vivaana Culture Hotel at Churi Ajitgarh. It is about 9 kms from Mandawa. It comprises of 2 adjoining havelis.

There are a few options in Mandawa, Nawalgarh and Dhundlod.

2.Entry Fee-

All the places we visited charged anything from 50/- to a 100/- INR.

3.Getting there-

The best way is to drive from either Delhi or Jaipur.

January 28, 2022January 29, 2022

Part One – A Day Meandering in Mandawa

‘Stop, stop! Oh my God!!’We are navigating the winding lanes of Fatehgarh enroute to Mandawa and at a time when I should be looking out for the next turn on the map; I have been waylaid by the facade of a haveli. The resolutely padlocked tall door is crowned with a carved wooden frame but it’s the arch before it which looks like an art aficionado’s wet dream. The stone canopy in pastel colours with portraits in stucco lined oval frames and designs is a masterpiece in itself. On a side, the veranda’s wall has jumbo sized elephants on a march, safe behind a cast iron grill with Queen Victoria’s profile. Welcome to Shekhawati! Where the mansions lining the dusty lanes don’t hold art but are objets d’art themselves.

Time and Space Warp

The drive to Mandawa is dotted with lush golden green mustard fields. The colour of eye tonic in a desert! Driving into a charming market street tells us we have reached our destination. Our guide for the day is waiting for us outside the most prominent landmark of the town- the fort. Acquaintance made, we dive behind Mr. Om Shekhawat (Can’t get away from them in this land!) into a narrow path outside the fort wall and emerge beside a tiny well preserved haveli. The frescoes look fresh but the imagery is old and on the arch flanking Ganesha on one side the marriage scene of Shiva-Parvati plays out and on the other Rama is dealing with Shiva’s bow at Sita’s swayamvar. Nearby another haveli has been refurbished into a small hotel. Outside the fading frescoes show a man in riding boots and hat on a chair while a woman plays a gramophone on a veranda with a peacock pecking nearby. Inside I find framed prints of mythological figures with reference to a trading company in Manchester. Time takes a quantum leap in a short space. We discover through the day that time and space has a kitschy co existence on the walls here.

Time stands still at- Mystic Maheshwar : At the Center of the Universe

Timeless Template

The Chokhany double haveli turns out to be the ancestral property of a classmate and is set inside a joint compound. One is being restored. It is an introduction to the architectural template of havelis. A ramp leads up to the main gate. As one steps through and into the common area, next to the stairs leading up to one haveli there is a room with a veranda. With wide doors this room is where business was conducted and guests received. A solid iron safe sits next to a door like a doorkeeper. There are small balconies within where the women could discreetly join in and eavesdrop. The punkhawala sitting outside whose entire purpose of existence was to keep his master cool had no such insights into the dealings. Preferably he had to be deaf to do this job or at the least the ears would be plugged with cotton.

The carved door to the main haveli has torans hanging on them. Put up during a daughter’s wedding for the groom to touch before being let in, I thought they are taken down subsequently, but not here. Inside is a courtyard surrounded by bedrooms, common dining areas, kitchens and a narrow room to keep the most precious commodity here-water. The walls plastered with crushed shells are still lustrous and cool to touch. In an old system of rainwater harvesting the drains around the courtyard fill up a tank below. The servant’s quarters are on a side in the base and they open into a big courtyard for livestock at the back where the colours of the curving corbel have weathered the vagaries of nature beautifully. The twin haveli is a mirror image.

Experience living the Shekawati life at- Dera Jaipur: A Homestay for Stellar Style and Exceptional Experiences

Well Watered

Driving in this region one has often glimpsed wells marked with pillars. At a place near Jhunjhunu the pillars were shaped like slender spires of a temple. Mandawa is dotted with these tall markers. Four columns denote a public and two a private well. A rambling walk with glimpses of artists restoring a recently bought up haveli brings us to Mandawa Kothi. There is a private well opposite it. Like the houses here it has a high plinth and seems fathomless. There are small chattris on all corners and small tanks with spouts to store the water drawn up by animals. It would be an ideal place to congregate in the evening. It’s steps look invitingly perfect for a cup of coffee this winter morning too.

Discover the colours of a stepwell and others in- Harlequin Holi at Todaraisingh

Oh so Opulent

An art deco building near the Jhunjhunwala haveli looks like a movie set has been transported straight from Marine Drive. The owner of the Jhunjhunwala haveli, to show he had arrived, lavished not only riches but attention on the interiors of his ‘business room’. Every inch is painted in rich hues with ethnic motifs and designs. Family portraits vie for attention with mythological ones touched up with real gold. Account books still lie stuffed into niches.

A niche experience by itself was –Disconnecting with the World on a Mountain Isle at Shaama

Italian Hangover

Opposite the Goenka haveli with its contrived chaos full of bric-a-brac inside and interesting frescoes outside stands the Robin eggshell blue Murmuria haveli. The eaves have sceneries from much greener pastures with lakes, conifer trees and sunsets over mountains. It stands apart as a whimsical piece of art with an Italian hangover. A slightly defaced Nehru/Bose astride a horse waving the tricolor in the courtyard would beg to differ. It’s owner visited Venice once and described it to an artist who probably never stepped out of this area. In a testament to the artist’s imagination, as fertile as his paintings, he reproduced an entire brochure of Venice complete with St Mark’s Square etal above the pretty arches in carved stone of the veranda. On another wall a beautiful woman stares the world down, far from the coy and comely images here. I wonder who she was to be immortalized so….

A Bard Sings a Story in Jhansi – To immortalize another woman…

Fate Nails Some Fails Some

One of the Goenka double havelis adjoining the Murmuria haveli has recently been opened after decades. A long train with all manners of assorted passengers makes for a panel just below an overhang. In the neglected years a peepal tree has thrived in the inner courtyard where the fine woodwork and arches can barely be concealed by the blackened walls. Outside a fresco with a chillum smoking elephant ready to go on the rampage is being touched up. Today, only the bulls are loose in the lanes and the man has had to show off his matador toes occasionally to avoid being flattened like a cow pat!

In the main market we cross a cobbler with his orders in Urdu nailed to a tree and come to a haveli now housing a bank. It has a side show of the wonders of modern inventions in faraway lands enthralling the locals. I really doubt the Wright brothers flew over Mandawa! Unfortunately the wall is also defaced by modern contraptions of today.

There are havelis waiting to be explored still in the meandering wide lanes of Mandawa but even on a winter noon the sun is now beating us back into cooler confines. Another time, other places to continue our sojourns to Shekhawati….

Fact File-

1. Distances from Mandawa-

Delhi- 250 km

Jaipur- 170km

2. Places to Stay-

There are some havelis which have been converted to small hotels.

Mandawa Fort has an upscale hotel called Castle Mandawa.

3. Most havelis charge an entry fee now, varying from 50/- to 100/- per person.

4. Best time to visit- Nov to Mar. The nights will be cold and days warm.

5. Keep the walking shoes on even if you feel they will spoil your Insta pics!

January 14, 2022January 14, 2022

Sojourns to Shekhawati

What will we do with a door? The man asked for the nth time. Hang it above our bed like a canopy! I replied somewhat irately. On a flying visit to Jodhpur many moons back I had only one agenda. On the hunt I fell for these doorframes refurbished as bookracks. Stunnnning! (Someday…) This tall Gujarati door with its edges finely carved caught my eye. (Yeah, free guide to the doorways of India thrown in!). In the last warehouse, tiny doors connected these gargantuan halls, much like Aladdin’s cave interconnected in parallel portals. Stepping through to enter the last one something leaning on the wall behind stacked up furniture caught my eye. I made my way to stand in front of my door. A Shekhawati I was told. Since the territory had been the bulwark of the Rajput kingdoms to its south against marauding forces, diminutive doors made entry difficult and the metal embellishments reinforced their strength. A bit of a tall story about the small size…The tall gates of the havelis of Shekhawati, never mind the forts, would tell the small door to get back inside where it belonged and let them do the job of defending.

Year of the Backyard

Living in Shekhawati’s neighbourhood, through the Year of the Backyard as I call 2021, we had decided to stick to exploring places in our vicinity. One day sifting through some Facebook (it does have some redeeming features) pics I chanced upon stunning visuals of the havelis of Shekhawati. Wow! Art, architecture, history! Throw proximity in the pot and the recipe for an outing was complete. But let’s delve into the story of the region before we embark on a walk though the dusty hamlets and quaint towns that are a living art gallery.

Backyard also includes- Bikaner’s Merchants and Their Mansions

The Territory, Thikanedars and Traders

Shekhawati, the land of Rao Shekha and his descendants, was established as a separate principality when Rao Shekha declared independence from his Kacchawa clansmen at Amber in 1471. Over centuries it expanded to cover much of present Sikar, Jhunjhunu and Churu. His descendants and brethren constructed around 50 forts and palaces in this region and established their own fiefdoms or Thikanas like Nawalgarh, Mandawa, Dundlod. Shekhawati I am told means ‘Garden of Shekha’. I don’t buy that story. Garden is definitely not what this arid, sandy and drab territory can remotely be described as, where the only colour that blooms adorns either the attire of the people or the buildings made by them. It is also the land where the trading routes criss-crossed from Delhi and Kannauj to Sindh and Multan and towards Gujarat. The rulers depended on the merchants traversing through to pay jagat or transit dues to fill their coffers while the latter would get protection to carry on their trade safely. In time many moved and settled in these thikanas. Well known business families- Poddars, Goenkas, Birlas, Piramals to name some, trace their roots to this region.

Discover-The Gardens of Delhi – A Walk Not Only on the Green Side but Through History Itself

Being House Proud

What a fort or garh is to a king or ruler in Rajasthan, a mansion or haveli is to a merchant. In a land where iconic forts like at Jaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer draw the tourists, in Shekhawati its the havelis which hold their own. Here the merchants upstaged the rulers and their forts. In a ‘have it flaunt it’ attitude the merchants, as they prospered trading in cotton, opium, spices and silks, became patrons of art making their mansions not just more ornate but more opulent inside out. Once they were done with their own dwellings they moved on to making chattris, wells and ponds. But money is a Pied Piper. They followed it here and eventually in time trailed behind it to Calcutta and Bombay where new rulers set up bigger trading posts. Now most of the havelis lie forlornly neglected.

Camels walk- At the Darwaza of a Road Less Travelled

Artful Architecture

The havelis have a set template when it comes to architectural style with generally two courtyards and two storey’s. Massive arched doors make impressive entrances. The intricate woodwork of the doors and windows makes them a collector’s item. But it’s the frescoes adorning every inch of the building at times which are the piece de résistance. These encapsulate mythological and historical figures and tales, folk tales, flora and fauna, decorative designs, erotica and not the least the Britishers and their devices. Some depict faraway lands, few fanciful scenes, and occasionally plain hilarious ones. Gold leaf and Belgian glass is often a glittering embellishment. The richness of material and descriptive details were meant to shock and awe and they do, still!

Read about nature’s shockers in- Barot And the Serendipitous Catch in the Uhl River

Once on a visit to the National Gallery of Modern Art in Delhi we were told it is nigh possible to see everything in it in a day. Shekhawati’s treasures too are scattered over numerous little towns and hamlets all vying for unhurried and close attention from discerning travelers to truly reveal their hidden facets. So what not to miss on a visit to a region which is a living art gallery where exceptional architecture provides a canvas for many a masterpiece?

We’ll begin with Mandawa…coming up next.