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Shekhawati - An Open Art Gallery
Paintings are a common expression in
Rajasthan, and everything from village huts, simply decorated with a plaster of
cow dung paste and lime, to the wall paintings found in palaces echo this.
However, if there is one region that stands our for its consummate artistry, it
is the Shekhawati region where the streets are lined with havelis painted in
the nature of a vast open air art gallery.
The subjects of the Shekhawati
frescos ranged across a variety of themes, and changed over time, from the late
18th century when it began, to the early 20th century by when it had almost
totally degenerated.
Floral - The early
work tended to be simple, using fewer colours, and consisted of floral
interpretations of motifs. Later, floral work was mostly reserved for the more
awkward elements of architecture, such as pillars and arches. In the few Muslim
havelis, only floral representations of foliage are to be found.
Religious - A great body of the
vast amount of work, particularly in interior spaces and around the main
entrances, tended to be a mythical and religious record of the
people.
Historic - Tales of valour are
omnipresent, and consist of a historical cast as well as scenes of great
battles, and portraits of well known rulers. Mostly, these were painted in the
chhatris of the wells, or in the castles of the Rajput feudal
chiefs.
Secular - Most of the external
walls represent aspects of life that were clearly aspirational, or a commentary
on their lifestyles. These consisted of scenes of procession, of caparisoned
elephants, of celebrated lovers such as Dhola and Maru, even trompe l'oeil
paintings that created a suspension of belief in disbelief.
Influence of the Raj - Contact with the English sahib
whom the painters had never seen, but about whom they had heard from their
patrons, resulted in the last body of amusing work. The havelis now bore
witness to the passage of trains, to their gods journeying in motor cars, and
to such inventions as the telephone and the aeroplane.
The Shekhawati fresco
had ceased to be by the 1930s, after having resorted to absurd gimmickry, the
end more the result of the migration of the Marwari families. In the last
decade, a growing awareness of the heritage has been able to stem this rot to a
great extent, though the lack of maintenance is taking its toll on the art of
the region.
Visitors to the Shekhawati region can stay in any of several
heritage hotels that were once feudal castles. Interestingly, many of these
historic hotels too are beautiful examples of the painted walls of the region.
Simply driving through these small towns, or walking down narrow lanes, can
throw up brilliant works of art. These are the true treasures of Rajasthan's
open air art gallery.
However, the following list of towns will indicate
where most of the better known havelis and frescos are to be found:
Alsisar-Malsisar - Adjacent towns, distinguished by
the blue and red colour of their frescos.
Bagar - Only a few painted havelis, and that too in
the later style showing the degeneration of the art.
Churi Ajitgarh - Painted havelis
include one known particularly for its erotic art.
Churu - Though strictly not a part of the Shekhawati
region, it has havelis that are characterized as much by their brilliant
paintings as their flamboyant architecture.
Dundlod - Also a heritage hotel, it has some nice
haveli and chhatri frescos.
Fatehpur -
One of the richest sources for observing some of the finest art in the
region.
Jhunjhunu - Better known for its
Sati temple, and for the large size of its havelis, it too has examples of
frescos.
Lakshmangarh - Planned on the
formal city layout of Jaipur, it has a lot of whimsical subjects painted on its
impressive havelis.
Mahansar - The finest
interiors painted in the region can be found here in a former jeweller's
showroom, and are rich in their use of colours and gilding.
Mandawa - The heart of the region for many, with a
castle that is a premier heritage hotel. Well known for its
frescos.
Mukundgarh - Also the site for a
heritage hotel, a small settlement which is easy to walk around when viewing
fresco art.
Nawalgarh - A very large
number of havelis and a profusion of fresco art; also a heritage
hotel.
Parasrampura - Historical and
religious frescos abound.
Ramgarh - The
most profusely painted of the Shekhawati towns.
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