Shekhawati

Shekhawati (Hindi: शेखावाटी, IAST: Śekhāwāṭī) is a semi-arid historical region located in the northeast part of Rajasthan, India.

Shekhawati is located in North Rajasthan comprising districts like Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Churu and Nagaur. History has it that in the 18th and 19th centuries, Marwari merchants constructed these grand havelis in the Shekhawati region. Steeped in wealth and affluence, these merchants got busy outdoing others in building more grand edifices - homes, temples, step wells which were richly decorated both inside and outside with painted murals. It is bounded on the northwest by the Jangladesh region, on the northeast by Haryana, on the east by Mewat, on the southeast by Dhundhar, on the south by Ajmer, and on the southwest by the Marwar region.

Its area is 13784 square kilometers. The inhabitants of Shekhawati are considered brave, sacrificing and hard working people. The region provides the highest number of people to the Indian Army.

Etymology of Shekhawati

Shekhawati was first mentioned in the book Bankidas ki Khyat. Contemporary of Bankidas was Colonel W.S.Gardener, who used the word Shekhawati in the year 1803. Later Colonel James Tod wrote the first history of Shekhawati. The term Shekhawati was used frequently in Vamsh Bhaskar. This suggests that the term Shekhawati came in use about two and half centuries ago. Shekhawati is named after Rao Shekha.