Attractions of Shekhawati
They are many reasons for visiting Rajasthan.
One of them is Shekhawati.
Nowhere else in the world is there such a profusion of wall paintings, so intricate and finely executed, in hundreds of haveli, cenotaphs, wells and forts , as in this region.
A wonderful fusion of Art and Life.
(Source : brochure of Rajasthan tourism)
Apani Dhani Ecolodge is located in a region called Shekhawati, in the heart of the triangle Delhi - Bikaner - Jaipur in the North-East part of the state of Rajasthan (India), and which is often compared to an "open-air art gallery."
• Geographic location: 275 km from Delhi, 145 km from Jaipur, 230 km from Bikaner. Numerous trains and buses including a Delhi-Nawalgarh direct train (and Nawalgarh-Delhi). Ideal location to start or end your trip to Rajasthan. More details on pages « Access »
• A unique architectural heritage: a profusion of buildings - mansions (havelis), temples, cenotaphs, wells, reservoirs - mostly built in XIXe century by wealthy merchants, and decorated with murals.
• Rural area and opportunities for various activities: a region still not very touristy, where traditions and customs are still alive. A large majority of the population still depends on agriculture and livestock. Ample opportunities of activities off the beaten track: discovery of the surrounding countryside, meetings with artisans, bicycle ride and cultural visits accompanied by locals, etc. See also our section "Activities".
A little history:
Shekhawati means "The gardens of Shekha" named after Rao Shekha, who founded the former Rajput kingdom in the fifteenth century. The region crossed by the caravan routes leading to the shores of Gujarat, knew an exceptional prosperity until the early nineteenth century. Then Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, becoming the most important trade centres, Marwari merchants of Shekhawati move over there where fortune smiled again on them. Yet, it is in Shekhawati, their homeland where their family often remained, that they set up between 1830 and 1930 numerous buildings, witnesses of their success.
Today:
Shekhawati covers two administrative districts: Jhunjhunu district (5926 km2 - 2,139,658 inhabitants in 2011 census) and Sikar district (7742 km2 - 2,677,737 inhabitants).
The neighbouring district of Churu (14,716 km2 - 2,041,172 inhabitants), formerly attached to the kingdom of Bikaner while Jhunjhunu and Sikar districts were attached to the kingdom of Jaipur, with the same architectural features, is sometimes included under the term "Shekhawati".
