7 Things to Do in Nawalgarh, the Rajasthan Town With 600 Painted Havelis

Nawalgarh sits in Rajasthan's Shekhawati region, founded in 1737 by Thakur Nawal Singh as a fortified market town. Its wealth came a century later, once local Marwari merchant families had built fortunes along the Thar Desert's overland trade routes and, later still, in the industrial hubs of Mumbai and Kolkata, money that flowed back to Nawalgarh in the form of elaborately frescoed havelis. More than 600 of these painted mansions still stand across the town, though only a handful have been restored, and just three, Podar Haveli, Morarka Haveli and Bansidhar Bhagat Haveli, are formally open to visitors.

1. Dr Ramnath A Podar Haveli Museum

Built in 1902 by Seth Anandilal Podar, this is Nawalgarh's best-known haveli, holding more than 750 frescoes across over 11,200 square metres of wall space, ranging from Hindu deities and Mahabharata scenes to painted steam trains and British couples in colonial dress. Converted into a museum in 1995, it also houses nineteen thematic galleries covering Rajasthani turbans, jewellery, musical instruments and bridal costumes.

2. Morarka Haveli Museum

Built in 1900 by Jairamdasji Morarka, a patron of the arts, this haveli's frescoes lean on shades of indigo blue and red with touches of green, depicting the leelas of Krishna alongside scenes from India's great epics. The haveli now runs a Heritage Conservation Institute alongside its museum, and entry costs a modest fee compared with Podar Haveli's ticket.

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3. Bala Qila and its Sheesh Mahal

Nawalgarh's own fort, locally called Bala Qila, was built by founder Thakur Nawal Singh in 1737 and still functions partly as government offices today. Inside, a small circular Sheesh Mahal, or Palace of Mirrors, roughly eight feet across, holds murals depicting the cities and armies of Jaipur and Nawalgarh as they looked in the 1850s.

4. Aath Havelis

Southwest of Bala Qila, a cluster of havelis known as the Aath Havelis, meaning 'eight havelis', was built around 1900, though only six were ultimately completed. Their painted facades trace a shift in local fresco styles across the decades, moving from mythological scenes toward steam locomotives, elephants and camels as Nawalgarh's merchants brought back new imagery from their travels.

5. Walk the old town's unrestored haveli streets

Beyond the museums and the Aath Havelis, most of Nawalgarh's 600-odd painted havelis stand unrestored and often unoccupied, their frescoes fading but still visible from the street. A slow walk through the old town's lanes, rather than a ticketed stop at any single site, is arguably the most direct way to take in the sheer density of painted architecture the town is known for.

6. Take a camel or jeep safari into the surrounding scrubland

Nawalgarh sits on the edge of the Shekhawati region's semi-desert landscape, and camel or jeep safaris out from town run through scrubland and past smaller villages, a change of pace from the dense haveli architecture of the town itself.

7. See Roopniwas Kothi's gardens

Built by Thakur Roop Singh Ji and Rawal Madan Singh Ji and now run as a heritage hotel, Roopniwas Kothi is known locally for its lush gardens and fountains, and its grounds make a quiet stop even for visitors not staying overnight.

Traveller tips

• Nawalgarh has no airport of its own; the nearest major connections are through Jaipur, roughly a three-hour drive away.
• Podar Haveli Museum and Morarka Haveli Museum both charge separate entry fees; carry small denominations of cash.
• Winter mornings and evenings can be cold; the cooler months from October to March are the most comfortable for walking the old town.
• A local guide is worth arranging for the unrestored haveli streets, since many buildings have no signage explaining their history.