Krishna Shekhawat (from Shekhawati writing this assignment on the heritage of Shekhawati)

Dr. Shobhita Punja

2 April 2018
Making Shekhawati Our Heritage

!
I. Why the heritage is significant: historical, social, economic and cultural
significance, and background of heritage
II. Threats to heritage
III. How the heritage can be preserved again

I.

Rajasthan as a unified state is only an infant conception of the area, conceived by the

British and taken forward by the sovereign Government of India in the last six decades.

1Known for lending the most colourful life any area can to its people, Rajasthan is in fact

geographically, politically and culturally a very diverse region. Beset within this diversity is

Bikaner constituting the core of Thar desert, Marwar at the centre, Mewar touching the

present day borders of Gujarat and Shekhawati, flanked by the kingdom of Jaipur and Delhi,

the empire’s seat.

As one inevitably paints this picture in mind, one is automatically wondering how

societies spread wings in each of these kingdoms. In the 15th century, Shekhawati as we know

of it today found grace and got it’s name ‘Shekhawati’ or the garden of Shekha.2 The region,

a conglomeration of feudal kingdoms and merchant towns is the apple of the eye for any art

1For the trends in this debate see Deryck O. Lodrick in The Idea of Rajasthan: Explorations in Regional
Identity
2 Hooja, Rima. History of Rajasthan

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historian worth his/her name. It stands tall over a syncretic architectural blending of Islamic-

styled wells, merchant havelis, Rajput forts and the characteristic Shekhawati wall paintings.3

Frescoes from Rajput Palatial Residence, Chirana, Shekhawati

‘…in the same desert is a wonderful city where all the fortunes (fortunes so vast that

the owners cannot trust even the strong hand of the government to protect them, but take

refuge in the waterless sands) and drive sumptuous C-Spring barouches and buy beautiful

girls and decorate their palaces with gold and ivory and Minton tiles and mother-of-pearl.

- Rudyard Kipling4

3 From fieldwork
4 Kipling, Rudyard in one of the short stories from The Strange Ride of Morrowbie Junkies. 1899

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 Kipling’s description of Shekhawati paints a picture of excessive indulgence and

opulence; for art and architecture, back in those days, was a means to display wealth and

cement social status.

Sandwiched between Jaipur, the state capital of Rajasthan and the national capital of

India, today Shekhawati stands as a most untouched resource for the country in terms of

tourism, art historical research, watershed management and wildlife exploration.

While most of the ongoing research and development initiatives are in awe of

Shekhawati frescoes, there is more to Shekhawati which makes it a melting pot for different

kinds of heritage:

ARAVALI RANGES AND WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES

Lying in the lap of Aravalis, many regions enjoy the picturesque beauty of the long-

standing mountains. Aravalis, ageing almost thrice as old as Himalayas, provides a stable

topography create a thriving trekking culture. Here lies the possibility to channelize the entire

trekkers’ traffic of Himachal Pradesh to Rajasthan by providing safer trekking experience.

Added to the natural landscape is the presence of Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Keoladeo

Ghana National, Sariska National Park, Ranthambore National Park flanking the borders of

Shekhawati. Natural heritage can hugely benefit from increased but regulated and safe

tourism in Shekhawati.

RICH HISTORIES OF RAJPUTS, MERCHANTS, MUSIC AND CULTURE

The making of Shekhawati as a conglomeration of painted towns has very special

politico-cultural and economic reasons. Shekhawati broke conventions of the medieval world

of feudalism in introducing community leadership. This unique political structure was based

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on shared rulership, found nowhere in Rajputana and also gets reflected in the influence these

chiefdoms had in comparison with chiefdoms say from Marwar or Mewar.

It is this polity which allowed for a greater symbiotic relationship to develop between

Rajputs and merchants, allowing the latter sufficient social mobility and status in the power

structures of the region. These very relations created an atmosphere for the flowering of

fresco culture at such a large scale, a phenonmenon which failed to achieve such heights in

Bikaner or Marwar despite the presence of Marwari merchants.

Lokgeet, an authoritative text on folk songs of Rajasthan draws majority of its

fieldwork from Shekhawati.5 This speaks volumes about the rich oral and musical traditions

of Shekhawati. Chang, a musical instrument, is famously accredited to Chirana, a village of

Shekhawati.6

II.

Putting this haven of frescoes in the modern day context, one is taken aback by the stealthy

decay of a world class example of art and architecture.

1. Lack of government initiative to pump funds

2. Loss of aesthetic sense

3. Increasing surge towards reckless modernization

4. Lack of awareness and funds to preserve heritage structures

5 Tanwar, R S, Lokgeet (publication details not available)

6 Tripti Pandey. Where Silence Sings: Sounds and Rhythms of Rajasthan. Delhi: Harper Collins. 1999

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 5. Meal piecing heritage properties causing random alterations not fitting the building’s

aesthetics

6. Loss of sense of belonging resulting from migration; dead civil society

7. Overall decline in the economic status of the region and

8. Most importantly, lack of responsible leadership and suitable educational

qualifications to drive development

are some of the issues Shekhawati is seriously grieved by.

It is such grave concerns about the preservation and appreciation of Shekhawati’s

richness which must driven an endeavour towards tapping community resource to empower

people through a watershed management plan, make the region self-sufficient and a healthy

earning economy.

————————————————————————————————————-

GOVERNMENT PROGRESS(?)

2013

UNESCO Meeting: A Progress Stuck Up

In 2013, UNESCO declared 6 Rajasthan forts as World Heritage sites at the World Heritage

Committee held at Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The then Art and Culture Minister, Bina Kak,

announced in the media that the application for Shekhawati is being preparedo for way – “In

fact ,the work relating to stepwells of Abhaneri, Bandikui, Bundi as well as the fresco

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paintings of Shekhawati region for being submitted for consideration to the UNESCO list has

already started” 7

Ar. Urvashi Srivastava submitted concept paper ‘On Merchant Trails in Shekhawati’ for

Government of Rajasthan in collaboration with UNESCO initiative. 8However, further

progress on this government initiative seems haulted ever since.

A civil society initiative in news from 20139

2016

7Singh, Mahim Pratap. “Unesco declares 6 Rajasthan forts World Heritage Sites”. The Hindu. June 22, 2013
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/unesco-declares-6-rajasthan-forts-world-heritage-sites/
article4838107.ece

8Srivastava, Urvashi. “Indian Heritage Passport Programme: On The Merchants’ Trail in Shekhawati,
Rajasthan. A concept paper”. UNESCO. 2009

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001812/181292e.pdf

9 “शेखावाटी अंचल का हेिरटेज काफी समृद्ध : धनखड़”. Dainik Bhaskar. September 11,2013

https://www.bhaskar.com/rajasthan/jhunjhunu/news/MAT-RAJ-JHUN-c-212-102179-NOR.html

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Heritage Council for Restoring Shekhawati Havelis soon (Realty, Economic Times, May

24, 2016)

Highlights:

The Local Self Government (LSG) department will soon constitute a Heritage Development

Council to preserve and restore ancient havelis in the Shekhawati region…A draft of rules

has been prepared and forwarded to Urban Development and Housing (UDH) minister Rajpal

Singh for final approval

However, there has been no efforts at implementation.

—————————————————————————————————————

III.

As one looks into the history of Shekhawati, it is not surprising to note that the region

finds no answer in the restoration of a few forts and havelis in isolation, the title of ‘open-air

art gallery’ can only be justified by pumping in economic viability to sustain the region as a

whole and not one or two buildings in isolation.

Working in this direction will therefore involve maximum level of community

participation based on a watershed management model mapping the local capabilities of

people and natural resources. Additionally, documentation of heritage structures of historical

importance, identifying and studying them in detail will constitute primary research before

taking off the project. Once a model is ready, community, at all levels, must be invited to

pitch in their traditional skills.

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 The community as a whole will be seen as accountable stakeholding constituents in this

initiative. Therefore, grassroots consultation will be essential to every minute decision

relating to the area. The eventual objective can only be achieved by bringing the community

in a unified surge towards development through empowerment.

THE RURAL LANDSCAPE: SOLVING LIVELIHOOD ISSUES

Overcrowding, housing problems and unemployment are corollary to the push

migration factors bringing rural population to cities. Shekhawati, with its rich culture of

traditions and frescoes, can become a major economic center, bringing the natives back to

seek better opportunities than those available in cities (generally demanding technical skills

rural people lack, in turn leading to taking up of low paid, exploitative jobs). Bringing

Shekhawati on the world map will increase self-esteem of natives and generate appreciation

for local culture. This project takes the path of making the global market into a patron of local

resources, in turn pumping population and economic self-sufficiency back into the rural

areas.

Introduce plan of action at policy level makes an entrypoint into area development

through policy making at government level.

By far, despite immense contribution by conservationists and activists, all effort to

uplift Shekhawati has failed. It needs to be understood that successful individual effort were

possible because of isolated and personal interest in family property and not community

development.

The massive coverage of the project area and all round development and economic self-

sufficiency necessitate institutional support and government intervention.

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 Leveraging upon underdevelopment as opportunity is essential. The

underdevelopment of the area gives scope to implement a controlled growth plan for the area

and regulate the development at policy level.

Social entrepreneurship and sustainable business must constitute a crucial aspect of

this project is to tackle overcrowding and employment issues occurring in metro cities due to

migration from rural areas. Poor people are being forced to take up low paid jobs and

exploited in urban areas.

Such a visionary plan must aim at self-sufficiency on economic and cultural level:

At cultural level, the effort is to develop appreciation of traditional skills and

crafts. Promoting craft and souvenir shops, tying up with music and literature

festivals will be ways to achieve this goal

At economic level, heritage properties need to be converted into vibrant, living

buildings as hotels, wellness centres, research centres and sites for heritage walks.

Alternate businesses can be developed through watershed model, trekking and

nature walks in the Aravali Ranges. Popular pilgrimage sites may push different

kinds of demands and therefore businesses. Pickle business and orchard farming

have been successful experiments with great potential to expand in the market of

organic farming and organic products.

Pumping in corporate social responsibility from enterprises owned by merchants who

hail from this region- who own more than 50% of India’s industrial capital- can potentially

sponsor major portions of conservation projects in Shekhawati.

The Aravali Ranges is an enterprising environmental hub of flora and fauna. Safe

hiking and camping is possible in these mountains and can be employed to capitalize on the

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tourism industry of the national capital of India. Tourism of landslide prone lower Himalayan

ranges can be diverted to the stable ranges of Aravalis and build the economic capabilities of

this region. Additionally, the watershed model will achieve water security for this region by

capturing rainwater in the deep valleys of the ranges.

Valley, Aravali Ranges, Shekhawati

INDIVIDUAL IMPLICATION AND MOTIVATIONS FOR THIS APPROACH

This approach for Shekhawati arose out of my grave concern about contemporary

trends surging towards homogenization that fail to identify humans as social beings moving

into increasingly complex social spaces. It probed me to employ my understanding of history

as a source of studying India’s diverse socio-economic fabric- the cultural representation of a

people in their own lives and how they project it. My research proposes to act as a potential

gateway to situate Shekhawati in the larger understanding of spaces for museum experience,

it’s status of world’s ‘open art gallery’ presenting unique possibilities- in visitor experience

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as well as in the challenge of its realization. This model successfully puts my education to

use- convert the capitalist market into a patron of local resources. Applying my education in

History, leadership and policy-making will empower me to create a museum region based on

watershed model employing historical traditions and skills as a creative factor and builder of

resilient livelihoods.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bayly, C A. Rulers, Townsmen and Bazaars: North Indian Society in the Age of British
Expansion, 1770–1870. New Delhi: Cambridge University Press, 1983

Cooper, Ilay. Rajasthan: Exploring Painted Shekhawati. New Delhi: Niyogi Books, 2014

———“ Shekhawatis architecture and the building boom” in Shekhawati: Havelis of

Merchant Princes edited by Abha Narain Lambah. New Delhi: Marg Publications, 2013

———“ Painting the towns: Shekhawati's murals” in Shekhawati: Havelis of Merchant

Princes edited by Abha Narain Lambah. New Delhi: Marg Publications, 2013

Das Gupta, Ashin. “Ashin Das Gupta: Indian merchants and the decline of Surat c. 1700–
1750” in The Mughal State 1526-1750 edited by Alam and Subramanyam. Oxford University
Press, 2000

Hooja, Rima. History of Rajasthan. Rupa, 2006

———“A multiplicity of rulers: the political history of Shekhawati” in Shekhawati:

Havelis of Merchant Princes edited by Abha Narain Lambah. New Delhi: Marg Publications,
2013

Lodrick, Deryck “Rajasthan as a Region” in The Idea of Rajasthan: Explorations in Regional

Identity. New Delhi: Manohar Publications, 1993

Mehta, Kaiwan. “Picture urbanity: towns in Shekhawati and empire cities” in Shekhawati:
Havelis of Merchant Princes edited by Abha Narain Lambah. New Delhi: Marg Publications,
2013

Nath Aman, Wacziarg. Rajasthan: The Painted Walls of Shekhavati. Croom Helm Limited,
1982

Seth, Mira. Wall Paintings of Rajasthan. New delhi: National Museum, 2016

Sinh, Raghubir. History of Shekhawati

Taknet, D K. The Marwari Heritage. D.K. Print World Limited, 2015

Tanwar, Ram Singh. Lokgeet accessed from Mehrangarh Museum Trust, Jodhpur

Timberg, Thomas. The Marwaris: From Jagat Seth to the Birlas, Penguin, 2015

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