Shekhawati: Travel back in time

[{"selector":"#anim-de0d7f46-e7fd-4cc5-a83b-ed80e0b968b8","keyframes":[{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":0},{"transform":"scale(1.15)","offset":0.33},{"transform":"scale(0.985)","offset":0.66},{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":1}],"delay":480,"duration":1400,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-21c2596f-4cfb-48e6-b745-4a90d310a9cd","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8ce3622f-f758-4a6d-8fa6-dd66fb0bd62c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -109.66065%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Shekhawati: Travel back in time By Divyakshi Gupta

[{"selector":"#anim-5880de9d-261e-41ac-94e6-cb2c7ad7b058","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c758da27-80b3-4594-8f30-5476a37b7f59","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Shekhawati is a region in Rajasthan, 3 hours from Jaipur, known for its ornate Havelis

[{"selector":"#anim-4d65d2e4-9dad-44fd-89d4-6a875c8afee7","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-77278829-ff7c-459a-b9cd-d95f181f46a3","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Shekhawati was on the Silk route and merchants from this region traded in cotton, silk, tobacco and opium and amassed wealth to build these Havelis

[{"selector":"#anim-a8e051d6-da7e-46f8-a3ca-6921815d62cf","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-38b02202-a6d4-47e4-b20f-d3504789619d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] There are several villages scattered across Shekhawati. Noteworthy amongst them are Churu, Ramgarh, Mandawa, Fatehpur.

[{"selector":"#anim-093e2637-1b1c-4f97-80b1-6ddeb9420a33","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d57c2571-db16-4054-8ee3-b4594a705fa3 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, -5.895691038956023%, 0) translate(0.3739632720657522%, 2.947845804988658%) scale(0.9410430839002268)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] These Havelis are an architectural delight: From gigantic wooden doorways, to intricately painted frescoes.

[{"selector":"#anim-8e173e16-c45b-4522-918b-50c6cf5b9639","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c62e18db-c015-464e-8adf-240bb7886ccf","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Frescoes of Shekhawati deserve a special mention because such frescoes cannot be found anywhere in India

[{"selector":"#anim-fe72beb9-e49f-4928-b7fe-c6f6d36fd3ce","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fd0ce81d-b17d-477d-b484-4688e8eb39da","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-98.56802%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Some of these Havelis have been converted into heritage homestays and hotels like this one in Churu: Maalji Ka Kamra

[{"selector":"#anim-d8eaa290-52f8-4787-a136-0e177d48643c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-262829a8-86be-4c31-9fd1-af5dce07740b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] And like Ramgarh Fresco in Ramgarh which is a beautiful restored boutique homestay with gorgeous frescoes.

[{"selector":"#anim-2afc407b-c53a-486a-8208-8518073afcbb","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-807923b9-b81a-444e-9d81-bfec3a3202bc","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Visit Sone Chandi Ki Haveli, in Mahansar, for spellbinding frescoes and paintings with pure gold work.

[{"selector":"#anim-4b71421f-30ba-4b70-aced-1966b526c2b4","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-859c6e7c-5ff7-4c1d-b3da-9a1e708c84b6","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Follow my stories for more such offbeat journeys in India.