Meandering through the winding Shekhawati streets lined with numerous painted havelis is a delightful experience. The umpteen havelis that dot the Shekhawati, the triangular mass of land between Jaipur, Bikaner and Delhi give one a fair idea about the fabulous wealth the local merchants had and the matchless art practised by artists of the region.

The inhabitants are proud of the fact that Shekhawati boasts the largest collection of murals in the world. Although the region has begun to get its quota of domestic and foreign tourists, it has successfully managed to retain its originality.

Local people still look at foreigners curiously and children rush to shake hands with them! The Shekhawati region owes its name to a 15th century Kachhwah Rajput chieftain called Shekha ji. There is an interesting story how Shekhaji got his name. His father Mokal did not have a son for several years after marriage.

He approached a Muslim Sufi of the Chishti order, Sheikh Burhan and requested him to pray. A son was subsequently born to Mokal and his youngest wife, Nirban.

The birth of that much-awaited son was attributed to the blessings of the holy Sheikh, and the overjoyed couple named their child Shekha to honour the Sufi.

Shekha ji came to the throne at the age of 12 in 1445 and went on to rule for 43 years. Prior to the coronation of Shekha ji, his predecessors used to pay tribute to Amber but things changed after his crowning.

A power to reckon with, the redoubtable Shekha ji soon made his territory independent of its parent state, Amber. The descendants of Shekha ji began to be referred to as Shekhawats and the region they ruled over came to be known as Shekhawati.

It was the largest district of erstwhile Jaipur state with an estimated area of 4,200 square miles. Shekhawati is the land of business-savvy merchants who were also connoisseurs of art and loved to live in large houses. Thanks to patronising merchants and illustrators, Shekhawati has become a land of havelis and touted as an "open air art gallery". The havelis of the region were mostly built in the 18th and 20th centuries.

Their walls bear testimony to the wealthy and culturally-rich lifestyle of the local people. The influence of various famous schools of paintings such as Iranian, Mughal and Jaipur is clearly visible on the Shekhawati murals. Mythological and secular themes like hunting scenes, portraits, and scenes from daily life dominate the walls.

With the advent of the British Raj, motor cars, aeroplanes, ships, telephones, gramophones, trains, balloons and bicycles began to make their way on to the Shekhawati walls. Jhunjhunu, the headquarters of the district of the same name, has several edifices of interest for visitors.

The 18th century Khetri Mahal in the Nehru Bazaar area offers a magnificent view of the town. It is interesting to note the local people call it the Palace of Winds of Jhunjhunu as it has no doors or windows! There are several havelis in the vicinity. The Modi haveli offers some enchanting murals.

Mandawa, which is 26 km southwest of Jhunjhunu, is a colourful place. The fort that was built in 1756 has now been converted into a hotel called Castle Mandawa. Mandawa came to life when the descendants of its founder made it their home. Merchants were encouraged to make it their business headquarters.

The murals at the Gulab Rai Ladia haveli are a feast for the eyes. And group portrait of rulers of various princely states are depicted in the sitting room of the Sneh Ram Ladia haveli.

The Mandawa artists tried their hand at painting European artworks, as is seen at Murmuria haveli. The murals at Gopinath and Venugopal temples and havelis at Mukundgarh, 14 km southeast of Mandawa, are also very impressive. Nawalgarh founded by Thakur Nawal Singh in 1737, boasts of some of the finest frescoes in the Shekhawati region. The Nawalgarh murals are different from murals of other Shekhawati towns.

The lovely Poddar haveli, built in the 1920s, has now been turned into a museum. The celebration of traditional Rajasthani festivals like Teej and Gangaur come to life at the Morarka haveli. The reproduction of works of the celebrated artist Raja Ravi Verma can be seen at the Saraogi haveli.

Dundlod, seven km from Nawalgarh, is known as the heart of Shekhawati. Its mid-18th century fortturned-hotel, offers a cross-fertilisation between the Mughal and Rajput styles of art and architecture. It is a favourite place for horse enthusiasts. The havelis belonging to Goenka businessmen are also interesting to visit. Fatehpur takes its name from its founder Fateh Khan, a Muslim nawab, belonging to the Kayamkhani clan.

The well-known Marwari business families such as the Singhanias, Poddars, Devras, Saraogis and Choudharys hail from this lovely town. The painted havelis still stand here, proclaiming the grandeur of their builders. Fatehpur faced the invasion of an Irish adventurer, George Thomas, who was in the Maratha army. A celebrated trading centre of a bygone era, Sikar has numerous painted havelis to visit.

It was the wealthiest thikana (barony) in the erstwhile Jaipur state and that is, therefore, reflected in its edifices. The clock tower, painted havelis, Jubilee Hall and temples, notably Raghunath and Madan Mohan temples, are suggested sites to visit. The pilgrimage centres such as Jeen Mata Harsh Nath temples are in the vicinity of Sikar.

Named after Raja Lachhman Singh in the early 19th century, Lachhmangarh in Sikar district is modelled on the lines of Jaipur. The stately fort, Char Chowk haveli, Sawant Ram Chokhani haveli, Mirjamal Kyala haveli, Bansidhar Rathi havelis and Kedia haveli are worth visiting.

The havelis in the Shekhawati towns are like an enchanting mosaic. Those murals can bring in droves of tourists like the stately mansions in the French countryside.