While the world and his nephew nieces are going crazy over Jaipur Literature Festival. We suggest you take a quick getaway from the literature already pouring out of your ears.
The perfect place to recover from Jaipur Literature Festival: Shekhawati- The garden of the Shekhas.Less than 200 kilometers from Jaipur lay the region of Rajasthan, popularly referred as “the open air-art-gallery,” the semi-desert region of Shekhawati is famous for its 18th and 19th century painted havelis (mansions) and houses, magnificent forts, and beautifully painted temples, wells and cenotaphs. In fact, nowhere else in the world is such a profusion of wall paintings; so intricate and finely executed, in hundreds of havelis, forts, temples, and cenotaphs, as in the Shekhawati. There are many beautiful towns in the Shekhawati region, known for their enchanting painted havelis and they are the major tourist attractions in the area. All the major towns of Shekhawati lie within 15 or 20 kilometers of each other, making it easier for visitors to explore all of them.
The havelis of Shekhawati are famous for their fresco paintings and exquisitely latticed and intricately carved windows. Most of the havelis feature mirror work and paintings decorated with gold or silver leaf. In fact, intricate wooden carvings, gold and silver paintings were regarded as the symbol of the owner’s status and wealth.
Most of the frescoes have survived for over a century. Some of the real gold and silver paintings are peeled off by the repair and time.
Go now while the art is still alive and the painted walls are still waging their colorful battles with time.
