Exploring Shekhawati: Rajasthani art gallery with frescoed havelis in the open air

“The haveli is at least a hundred years old, as are the frescoes in your room,” the bellman tells me proudly as he opens the low-slung wooden doors that require you to bow before entering. After five hours on the road from Delhi, I want to rest before heading out to explore Churu, one of the few towns where you can experience the faded majesty of the Shekhawati. Often described as the world’s largest open-air art gallery, this area in northern Rajasthan is known for its dense concentration of 18th-20th century merchant havelis. centuries of hand-painted intricate frescoes.

What I don’t yet realize is that my exploration has already begun, right here in my room at Malji Ka Kamra, one of several havelis now restored as historic hotels. It mixes Italianate details with Rajput architecture that includes Corinthian columns, arched balconies and stained glass windows. My cave room is overwhelming to eyes untrained to such scale and maximalism. Frescoes cover every inch of wall and ceiling – some vibrant, others fading and peeling like fragile relics. They show portraits of former owners, floral motifs, scenes from everyday life, angels with wings and faraway places shaped by travel.

The Jagdish Ji Maharaj Temple at Ramgarh Shekhawati contains century-old cenotaphs Photo Credit: Satarupa Paul

Creation of Shekhawati

The story of Shekhawati begins in the 15th century, when the Rajput chief Rao Shekha established control over this semi-arid region. Due to its location along the caravan routes connecting Agra and Delhi with western India, it soon turned into a thriving trade corridor, with a constant flow of trade in cotton, silk, spices and opium. Marwari and Jain merchants prospered here, and in the 18th and 19th centuries their wealth found architectural expression in the large havelis that were commissioned in the three districts. Today, these havelis stand as permanent records of the business culture that once flourished here.

In Bollywood

Undoubtedly, Mandawa is Shekhawati’s most famous destination, memorably featured in films like Bajrangi Bhaijaan, PK, Jab We Met and more. The small town is best revealed on foot, as I discovered on my heritage walk with the young and deeply knowledgeable Mudita Saxena, Shekhawati’s first tour guide authorized by the Department of Tourism. The walk anchors around Mandawa Castle, whose medieval Rajputana architecture dominates the skyline. Surrounding Mandawa Castle, whose medieval Rajputana architecture dominates the skyline, are the finest havelis – Goenka Double Haveli, Murmuria Haveli, Chowkhani Double Haveli to name a few – each with layers of vibrant frescoes. A pause at the Murmuria Tank, an old stepwell once central to city life, offers a quiet contrast. A short drive away, the Vivaana Culture Hotel feels like a natural extension of the walk – an impressive twin 19th-century haveli where frescoes, courtyards and artisanal traditions are not kept behind glass, but lived with daily.

Shekhawati’s Folklore

Half an hour down the road, Nawalgarh feels less visited and more lived in. I spend most of my time at Hotel Vivaana Museum, housed in a 150-year-old Jaipuria haveli restored under the vision of conservationist Atul Khanna. The space is a good example of adaptive reuse where the original architectural details remain the focus. The ground floor functions as a compact museum offering glimpses into Shekhawati folklore and domestic life, while folk performances and village walks extend the experience beyond the haveli. One such walk takes me to the museum of Dr. Ramnatha Podar Haveli, which is among the oldest and largest private museums in India.

Session during 10th Annual VHAH Fest at Ramgarh Fort | Photo credit: Satarupa Paul

Ramgarh Shekhawati

About two hours away, through mustard fields and open countryside, Ramgarh Shekhawati, once a major center of Sanskrit learning and Ayurvedic medicine, was known as Doosra Kashi. Today, its havelis, stepwells, chhatris and fort still reflect this heritage.

I am coming during the 10th annual Vedaaranya Heritage and Healing Festival (VHAH Fest). Presented by Ramgarh native and heritage conservationist Shruti Nada Poddar. At Ramgarh Fort, I move from a UNESCO-led panel to a Kathak recital, from Dastaangoi to a rousing performance by the Tal Fry Percussion Ensemble. Between discussions, performances and heritage walks at the MOHAR Haveli (Heritage and Art Museum), Vedaaranya Haveli, stunning century-old cenotaphs and temples, Ramgarh feels like its old self for a while.

Richly decorated interiors of a Jain temple in Chur | Photo credit: Satarupa Paul

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Named after one of the three districts of the region, alongside Jhunjhunu and Sikar, Churu is easy to miss at first. Broken roads, a busy railway crossing and a dusty market place lead to the center of the old city, where narrow lanes reveal a compact network of havelis. Built around 1870, with 1111 windows and doors designed for ventilation, Surana Haveli is locally known as the Hawa Mahal of Chur. The Mantri Haveli, one of the oldest in the city, remains fully covered in frescoes. In the middle of these private residences stands the Jain temple of Bhagwan Shri Shantinath, its white marble exterior offering visual relief from the intricate frescoes inside.

On the outskirts of Churu lies Sethani Ka Johara, a historic stepped well built during a severe famine in 1899. Today it is one of Shekhawati’s most contemplative spaces, where one evening I find myself immersed in a powerful cello recital by maestro Saskia Rao-de Haas as part of the VHAH Fest. Framed by stone arches and chatris, the show fits my week in Shekhawati, which is shaped by art, history and culture. .

Local food

Rajasthani specialties like ker sangri, daal-baati-choorma, laal maas and junglee maas at Vivaana Culture Hotel, Mandawa

Baked Rajbhog from Babulalji Halwai, Nawalgarh

Kachori with chane ki sabzi, moth, imli chutney, dahi and lehsun chutney from Shri (Thaliya) Chaat Bhandar, Nawalgarh

Papad Mangodi ki Sabzi and Dal Pakwan at Ambri Restaurant, Nawalgarh

Chirawa pedas from Lalchand Pedawala, Jhunjhunu

Pyaaj kachoris from Shri Ganesh Mishtan Bhandar, Churu

Matar kachori and sweets from Motilal Niranjanlal Misthan Bhandar, Ramgarh

Published – May 1, 2026 3:57 PM IST