Shekhawati, The Open Air Art Gallery

Jhunjhunu

Rajasthan

India

Rajasthani, Hindi English.

November To March

+91-1594

Famous for beautiful fresco paintings

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In the north of Jaipur, area starting from Sikar is known as Shekhawati. This is the place where Marwari businessmen built their country houses during the 18th and the 19th centuries. The Marwari or the merchant community prospered on the trade routes between Delhi and coast and between Central Asia and China. The roads of Shekhawati were once Caravan routes, where the produces of India and China were exchanged with that of Europe, Africa, Persia and Arabia. Though the trade rivalry with the British had pushed the Marwaris to the coasts, Shekhwati still remained their land.

The semi desert region of Shekhawati is a colourful fantasy having a fascination uniquely of its own. The open air art gallery as it is popularly called is famous for its plethora of painted havelis, all commendable pieces of rich artistic tradition of this region. `Shekhawati', means the land of Shekhas clan. Derives its name from Rao Shekha (1433 A.D - 1488A.D.) a scion of the Kacchhawaha family of Jaipur. Earlier a part of the Jaipur state, it now comprises of the districts of Jhunjhunu and Sikar districts.
Shekhawati's magnificent havelis or mansions display a unique architectural style that evolved around the courtyards to ensure safety and privacy of the women folk and protection from the heat of the harsh and long summers. The haveli have beautiful paintings adorning their walls and are painted in Blue, maroon, Green .Yellow and Indigo colours.
The earlier wall paintings (1830 -1900 A.D.) were largely based on the mythological themes depicting local legends, animals, portraits, hunting and wrestling scenes and glimpses of every day life. The turn of the 19th century saw the appearance of new motifs, an outcome of the Raj influence on Indian culture. Cars replace elephants and traditional Indian miniatures mingled with the west to produce interesting hybrid results. The mythological themes were substituted by European Oleographs, Lithographs and Photographs.