Shekhawati
gets its name from the Rajput Kachhwaha chieftain Rao Shekha Ji. The
descendants of Rao Shekha Ji are called Shekhawat. The story of Shekha’s
birth is rather interesting to understand the origin of Shekhawati.
Mokal JI and his Wife were much troubled as they had no son for several
years.
They
heard about the miraculous powers of the Sheikh Burhan, a Muslim Saint.
They decided to pay the man a visit. After they received the blessings
of the Sheikh, a son was born to the couple. In honour of the mendicant,
the couple named his son Shekha.
The semidesert region of
Shekhawati is a colorful 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 the rich
artistic tradition of this region.
The heritage experience that
is distinctive to the Shekhawati region begins in Mandawa, a fine little
market town that was once the stronghold of merchants. You can catch a
glimpse of Rajasthani life in the havelis in this town. Brightly painted
and ornate, these havelis add color to the somewhat-sleepy town. The
haveli experience continues in Ramgarh, the bastion of the Poddar
merchant family. This was once one of the richest town in the region.
Some of the havelis dating back to the heydays of the Poddar clan still
exist, and are worth looking at on your India Travel.
The
natural climatic conditions in the region are very harsh and extreme.
The temperature ranges from sub-zero Celsius in winters to more than 50
°C in summers. The summers bring hot waves of air called loo.
Annual rainfall is very low, of the scale of 450 to 600 mm. The ground
water is as deep as 200 feet (60 m), and at places water is hard and
salty.
The people in the region depend on rainwater harvesting.
The July and August rainwater is stored in pucca tanks and used
throughout the year for drinking purposes.[4] Bawdis and johads are
traditionally constructed for storing water received from rainfall in
this arid region of Rajasthan. The bawdi is constructed in such a design
that it gets narrower as we go down.
The water stored in it is
very cool and used for drinking purposes. On an average the region faces
every third year as a dry year and every eighth year as a famine year.
The famine of 1899 is considered to be the most severe. During famine
years it becomes very difficult for animals to survive and the cattle
population goes down drastically.
Attractions
- Desuri (16 km)
Three Jain temples, dedicated to Lord
Shiva, Lord Hanuman and Navi Mata are among some noteworthy temples
at Desuri. An old mosque situated here is also worth a visit. A
temple dedicated to Parsuram Mahadeo, nestled in the hills, is also
close by. It is situated in the Kumbhalgarh tehsil of Rajsamand.
- Muchhal Mahaveer
This Jain temple is situated about 5
km from Ghanerao in the Kumbhalgarh Sanctuary. Its distinctive
feature is the statue of Lord Mahavira with a moustache. The tow
statues of elephants guarding the gateways are splendid examples of
architecture. In the vicinity are the Garasia tribal costumes.
- Sadri (8 km)
Famous for some beautiful temples and an
old Dargah of Khudabakh Baba. The Varahavtar Temple and the
Chintamani Parsvanath Jain Temple are the most ancient of the
temples situated here
- Kumbhalgarh Wild Life Sanctuary
The
586 sq. km. sanctuary supports a rich variety of Wildlife - panther,
sloth bear, wild boar, four horned antelope and scientifically bred
crocodiles in the lake, are the major attractions.
How to reach
- Air
Nagaur can be reached from Jaipur (293 km),
Jodhpur (135 km) and Udaipur (400 km) which are on the Indian
Airlines route that links Delhi to Mumbai.
- Rail
Most of Rajasthan is accessible by a network of
rail services. An excellent connection to Jaipur, the capital of
Rajasthan, from Delhi is the Pink City Express (5 hour run) which is
a vestibuled, chair-car rail service. Other places too are linked by
passenger and express trains. Since rail journeys are usually long
because of the distances involved, it is advisable to carry light
snacks and water bottles as most stations enroute do not serve much
by way of food. Some important train connections are : Ranakpur
Express (Bikaner - Nagaur - Ratangarh); 4893 Mail (Marwar - Nagaur -
Merta Road Jn.).
- Road
Rajasthan State Roadways coaches link most
tourist places and business centers in and around the state.
Chauffeur-driven air-conditioned cars can be hired through the State
Tourist offices and other approved operators.
