The magnificent houses built by the rich merchants of Shekhawati were called havelis after the Persian word for "enclosed space". Each house, anything from one to four storeys high, is entered from the street through huge arched porches with carved brass or wooden doors. Inside, you come into the forecourt, where visitors were received. Beyond, through the most ornate doorway of the house, is the main courtyard, where the women of the family could live in purdah, shielded from the eyes of the street. The forecourt is flanked by large pillared reception areas called baithak , each surmounted by a gallery where the women could if they wanted be privy to the business conducted below, and there is often a window by the door to the inner courtyard so that they could see whomever came in. More extravagant Marwari mansions might have up to four large courtyards, as well as grand domed facades and overhanging upper storeys supported on sturdy stone brackets. The tradition of woodcarving that produced the imposing doors and window shutters is still strong, particularly in Churu.

 

The meticulous painting of the interiors was executed by craftsmen from outside the region, using a vast array of intense hues, often highlighted with gold or silver leaf and mirrored designs. Religious themes, especially episodes from the life of Krishna, were common, and often feature along the lintels above the main doors. The outer walls were usually decorated by the masons who built the haveli , employing bolder designs and weather-hardy green, maroon and yellow ochres, with the occasional flash of blue.

However, what set the Shekhawati murals aside from virtually all others in India are the seemingly incongruous, naive depictions of machines, events and contemporary fashions they invariably include, from scenes of British redcoats marching into battle against the Moghuls, to eccentric Victorian flying devices, steam trains, motor cars and Edwardian memsahibs in big hats. When painted, these were all features of a faraway world that the women and poor townsfolk of Shekhawati had never seen with their own eyes. The wealthy men of the region wanted to share with their compatriots the extraordinary phenomena encountered on their travels trading in the great cities of the Raj, and commissioned artists to paint their houses, even though these artists had probably never seen the newfangled European novelties they were asked to depict