The grandeur of Nawalgarh and its Havelis

Nawalgarh is one of small villages located in the heart of Shekhawati, off the beaten path for most travelers to Rajasthan. Visiting Nawalgarh gave us the chance to share some of the narrow lanes of the village with the rest of its inhabitants, aka, cows, sheep, motorcycles, tuk-tuks, and people, and feel the real, vibrant life of a village, right before tourism will change it forever.

However, the bigger attraction of visiting this village, is the amazingly colorful old mansions, Havelis, usually built between 18th and 20th centuries, decorated with wondergul intricate, detailed frescos. The more decorated, colorful the Haveli was, the more wealthy, and important the landlord was. The murals depict anything from the Hindu mythical stories, to animals, scenes from the British colonization, to the (then) new inventions, like cars or trains. Most of the Havelis are empty nowadays or are maintained by a watchman (typically an old man), while some turned into museums. Some, sadly, are slowly deteriorating.

I want a window like that

Even the ceiling is beautifully decorated

Lior: Nawalgarh was my first glimpse of the India my parents had told me about, from twenty years ago. Everywhere we went, eyes followed; occasionally, a whistle followed too. I learned the most about Indian history and culture here, thanks to Krishna, our guide for the day. We learned how merchants used to live, and how to identify a water well from afar. Usually learning about those kinds of things can be a little boring (mainly for kids), but I really enjoyed this because it was a ‘real life’ setting, as oppose to behind a piece of glass in a museum. 

Gate keeper to one of the Havelis in Nawalgarh

Hello there!

one of the old, unmaintained Havelis, still holds its beauty

Back to street life:

Personal tailor, at your service

Tuk-tuks add colors of their own to the bustling collage

Best samosa we had, was in this tiny corner of Nawalgarh bazaar, Hot, spicy, and fresh

I would just like to point out that those samosas were hands down the best meal I had in India; they didn’t cater to our ‘American taste’, and gave it to us just like they would eat it. 

one is constantly surrounded by endless hues and colors

Our guesthouse in Nawalgarh was a little oasis after a long drive from Delhi. It also reminded us of our beloved Sinai.
Apani Dahni provided a comfortable, homey sensation of relaxation. Our youngest immediately found a friend in this family farm, and they spent time flying kites, the all time popular activity in India. We also learned how to tie-dye scarves in a traditional way, as well as try and cook a traditional Rajasthani dinner, which we later shared with this nice french couple that blog. We want to go back there. We will. Oh, and thank you Krishna, for your superb explanations and answers to our endless questions.

Charming little wall at Apani Dhani

Tie-dye scarves. First one has to tie everything. click photo for more

The painting part of the scarf. Click photo for more

And here are the final scarves. Aren’t they pretty?

After years of doing tie-dye experiments both at home and at camp over the summer, I finally learned the secret. The traditional Indian tie-and-dye method works so so well, and our scarves look like they were made by a professional! I also joined the cooking class, and the food was delicious! Our main course was Masala stuffed Aubergine Eggplants, and we also received a cookbook to take home. Apani Dhani is like a small slice of heaven, I would strongly recommend it to anyone. 

Meanwhile.. the boys are preparing dinner by first gathering the fresh ingredients from the organic garden

Bye Bye Apani Dhani, we already miss you