A Colorful Oasis! Fresco Painted Havalis And A Desert Safari @ Alsisar Village, Shekhawati, Rajasthan

Alsisar Village, in Jhunjhunu district, is one of the main districts in Shekhawati, Rajasthan. Alsisar is located in the north-western part of the district. The village is surrounded by a semi arid desert. Established in 1440 AD, by a woman named Alsi.

The entire town is painted with legendary stories. One of the legend has it that Alsisar and Malsisar get their names from two sisters Alsi and Malsi. They used to walk miles to draw water from a nearby village. Their brother, Nawal Singh had a well dug out. this Sar (water source) is where Alsi settled down and is now called Alsisar. And Malsi in a nearby place called Malsisar.

In 1978, Samrath Singh, second out of the five sons settled in Alsisar. He built a fort around it, which still stands today. The entire village street has deserted havelis or mansions, temples with beautiful Frescoed paintings.

Shekhawati was part of the Matsya Kingdom, according to ‘Mahabharata’. Legend has it that the Hindu ‘Vedas’ were written in here. Shekhawati Frescoes have its influence from Persia, Jaipur and Mughals. These paintings are all over the walls of Alsisar. Frescoes are  mythological illustrations and depictions of either Gods, portraits of everyday life or hunting scenes.

As I had book two nights, I paced out my sight seeing of the village with enough time to laze in the palace. I had a trusted guide and we went out in full regal style via my own Jeep tour. Alsisar Mahal has a couple of these unique WWII Jeeps that have been revived and now used as tourist vehicles especially for their customized sunrise and sunset desert safaris. Which is just half kilometer from the palace where get to to sight a good speicies of wildlife around the desert.

– Getting There –

Plane – You could either fly into Jaipur or Delhi airport.
Drive – The distance from Jaipur to Alsisar Mahal, is about 200 kms, which is roughly 3 hour drive. From Delhi its is about 254 Kms which is about 4 hours drive. Before hitting the Alsisar Village, you arrive at Jhunjhunu one of the main districts in Shekhawati. From here its about 23 kms. There are private taxis or buses that ply by daily.
Train – Nearest Railway Stations – Churu(73 kms), Kuchaman(175 kms) or Pataudi(190 kms)

– Jiwan Ram Marodia ka Talab (Water Tank)-

This is one of the main water tanks in the village. The structure is a rectangular shape. It is a water tank or a large sized poo, that once was used by the kings and his family to bathe. These water tanks later were used by the local population during a droughts. These days its just holds stagnant water.

– Cenotaph of Thakur Chhotu Singh –

The Cenotaphs were built by the royal families back in the era to honor their ancestors, and is basically an empty tomb or monument. This one belongs to Thakur Chhotu Singh from the Alsisar dynasty. These are beautiful open-air structures supported by pillars and have massive domes or . Some of the pillars have beautiful carvings

– Jhunjhunwala Haveli –

The Jhunjhunwala Haveli was one of which I had visited. This exemplifies a traditional and typical example of the Rajasthani architecture. The main features are the tall ceilings and courtyards inside. The walls and pillars have beautiful depictions. The entire architecture of the haveli has a story to tell, via the beautiful fresco paintings.

– Laxmi Narayan Temple –

This is one of the largest temples in the village and is a historical site. You can spot this temple from across the village. I ended up on the roof top of the shop opposite to get a good angle shot.

– Desert Safari –

Last but not the least is the customized desert safari which is organized by Alsisar Mahal, apart from the heritage walks. I got to ride in one of the WWII restored jeeps, I had to take a picture to show off in. The safari takes you through the village and into an arid desert. You can spot various species of birds and most noticeable are the deer. You get to enjoy the sunset and refreshments are served based on preference.

– My Final Thoughts –

Alsisar Village is a quaint village, and the best part for me was the drive through the rugged desert. The evening you find all the farmers returning back with their cattle. The sunset safari has to be the highlight of my trip. I ended up doing a bit of shopping and got two pairs of juttis (leather ballets). I also ended up stitching a salwar whilst on my tour.

I hope to be back someday again, to savor in this colorful state which is full of life. A lovely place, ideal for solo travelers and families alike. For anyone who wants to unwind and just shut yourself from the daily routine back home.

Alsisar Mahal is home to the Magnetic Fields Music Festival that takes places annually around 2nd week of December. This year its from 9 – 11 December 2016, to know more and how you could reserve your spot – “CLICK HERE”

Click link to know more about  Alsisar Hotels

To know more about the experiences and stay at Alsisar Mahal in Shekhawati – , “CLICK HERE” 

I had a lot of fun, and by the time I left the entire staff gave me a fitting farewell. It was touching. Hope you liked my review, if you have stayed here feel free to leave your comments below. Would love to get your feedback.

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xoxo
Deena Pinto
(SkinnyGirlDiariez)
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**Disclaimer: Even thou the invite was complimentary, all views expressed are my own.