Shekhawati Festival

Shekhawati means "the Garden of Shekha" named after Rao Shekhaji of Amarsar (1433-88). It is not a single village or town but a large area in north-eastern Rajasthan which lies between Bikaner, Jaipur and Delhi and comprises Sikar, Jhunjhunu and Churu districts.

Shekhawati is known the world over for the exquisite frescoes that adorn the walls and the ceilings of the buildings here. It is often called an open air museum because nowhere else in the world is there such a large concentration of frescoes. These frescoes are an interesting depletion of the history of this region.

The earlier frescoes were financed by the Rajputs till 1820 and later the rich business community - the Marwaris, patronised this art. Sikar was founded in the late 17th century, and was the largest 'thikana' (feudal state) under Jaipur. The fort and temples of Gopinath, Raghunath and Madan Mohan with remarkable frescoes are worth visiting.

For a broad-based discovery of Shekhawati's culture, the festival is spread over a number of venues - Nawalgarh, Sikar, Jhunjhunu and Churu. The programmes include a one day tour of the region, camel and jeep safaris, farm visits, rural games, cultural programmes, havelis competition and fireworks.

Timing : I0th and 11th February every year.