From Nawalgarh

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Apani Dhani, Nawalghar 7/10/2008

We decided to treat ourselves to a taxi ride to Nawalgarh from Jaipur. (These backpacks do seem a lot heavier than when we came and I have only bought a pair of sunglasses so far!). The journey was really pleasant once we had cleared Jaipur and a major crossroads town called Chomu. It was really nice to see the countryside and people working in the fields etc. It became more and more desertified the closer we got to Nawalgarh but still being farmed quite often with modern tractors and machinery.
Apani Dhani where we stayed is an eco-lodge run by a local family with a delightful manager called Krishan. It has solar power, organic veg food, recycle as much as possible and eco friendly buildings. Our room was a mud hut but with all mod cons. This was a delightful place to stay and rest. We also met some really nice people especially Sabina (Italian/French, retired professor of Spanish Literature from Corsica) who took us under her wing and showed us around. She also came with us on a jeep trip to Dundlod, Mandawa and Fatepur to see the best of the havelis in the region, though actually there are loads to see in the village here.

This Shekawati region of Rajasthan is famous for it's painted Havelis (Merchants' Houses). Most have very sadly fallen into disrepair but some have been restored and turned into museums. It must have been a wonderful sight to see these 'open-air art galleries' when they were newly built and being used as trading posts in the 18th century, with merchants coming from Arabia by camel train, buying and selling their wares.

It appears that there have been some tv programmes in France on the Havelis and horses of the Shekawati so there are quite a lot of French tourists here....... I am sure some of them are quite nice really!!!

Taking a taxi again for the next part of the journey to Bikaner tomorrow.

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Photos

Apani Dhani
Our mud hut in Nawalgar

Painted Haveli
Merchants house at Dundlod

A Saddu
A holy man in Nawalgarh happy to have his photo taken for 20Rupees

Haveli doors
Main entrance to a haveli in Dundlod

Dundlod Wells
The merchants built ornate wells as meeting places for the village

Ann was there
Ann on first floor balcony of a haveli in Nawalghar

Comments

[sandeeep pareek]

naturally beautiful
specially in shekhawati haveli all over the world famous because haveli art and picture propegenda of people. and access to essence in picture purpose.