Lachhmangarh Trip in Rajasthan

Distance : 28km from Sikar, 20km south of Fatehpur

¤ Flourished As A Trade Town

Lachhmangarh was born and brought up solely as a trade town, thanks to the flourishing caravan trade in the Shekhawati region at that time. It was founded in 1806 by Lakshman Singh, the then Raja of Sikar. But it was probably an unplanned venture, for there were many unseen hurdles. One, there wasn't enough security, and soon after its foundation Lachhmangarh was attacked. So the raja had to build walls around the town, which had to be passed by nine gates. But sadly, nothing of the structure has survived.

The economy of the town, too, was haywire. It is all very nicely described in one Col. Lockett's words: "I walked through the Town of Luchmun Garh (Lachhmangarh) in the evening, and found it like most of the other towns in Shekhawutee (Shekhawati), built in the Jyepoor (Jaipur) style, with long wide streets intersecting each other at right angles and numerous shops (I was told 800) but all shut up and deserted. It was built…for a mart, but the merchants and bankers who settled in it, on the recommendation of the Seekur (Sikar) Chief, had soon occasion to repent it. His exactions were constant and heavy, and on one occasion he had the whole Sahookars (merchants) mulcted to an enormous amount, on plea of state necessity … the Sahookars fled…"


¤ Establishment of Banias and Marwari Community

Things got better for Lachhmangarh gradually, especially when the banias and marwaris (all businessmen, but with the latter traditionally belonging to the Marwar region, that is, the deserts of Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Bikaner) excelled in their money matters in Calcutta in the 19th century. Some of them established themselves in Hyderabad, in Andhra Pradesh, too. (see Shekhawati for more). This was when those grand havelis (mansions) so typical of Shekhawati came up. The mid-19th century scene was dominated by the Poddar family of merchants. They were also called Ganeriwalas, as they belonged to the village of Ganeri. But most of the structures in Lachhmangarh were constructed of brick which soon had to acknowledge the power of salts rising with the damp.


¤ Shopping Hub

You could do a bit of shopping while you're in Lachhmangarh. The colourful bandhni (tie and dye) fabrics make up for the slight deficiency of brightness of the painted walls of Lachhmangarh. The industry is one of the most successful in Rajasthan – the women skillfully tie the knots on the cloth while the portfolio of dyeing rests with the men. The rainbow-tinged turbans of the Rajputs and the odhnis (long scarves) of their women were shaded by this very method of resist dyeing. and the best part about tie and dye is that it is never too expensive.


¤ Places of Interest

The centre of Lachhmangarh is the chowk area, dominated by the red clock tower. But the monument which dominates the whole town is the fort, which sits like a solid block on a rocky hill in the west of the town. It was built by Lakshman Singh soon after he founded the town. Rocks were blasted off to make place for the edifice and were used up to make its walls. and they were very cleverly designed – in a rounded fashion so that they would be more resistant to a cannonade. However, the marks of Jaipur's attack in 1825 can still be seen on the northeastern side. There are some frescoes on the inner walls, depicting Rajputs on horses. The buildings inside are not so impressive, especially if you've already seen the Amber Fort Palace, the Jaisalmer Fort and the like. But it is freshly painted and well maintained by the merchant family who owns it. The little temple here enshrines a brightly painted image of Hanuman, the monkey-god. Take a look at the baoli (step well) too, located on the highway. But it is shallow and simple as compared to some of the others in Rajasthan.


¤ The Magnificent Havelis

Char Chowk Haveli
But you'll be more than satisfied with the many havelis (mansions) of Lachhmangarh. The Char Chowk Haveli (the Haveli of Four Courtyards) is a magnificent one built by Muralidhar Ganeriwala in the 1840s. It doesn’t look very interesting from the outside, but the insides speak volumes of the past way of life. The jali (lattice) screens look lovely, along with the imposing carved doors fitted with metal studs. Paintings adorn the walls in some places though they are somewhat faded. There's a small room with erotic paintings in the northern section, but it is generally kept locked. The Char Chowk Haveli is one of the oldest in Lachhmangarh.

Sanwatram Chokhani Haveli
Sanwatram Chokhani Haveli is a pretty recent one, having being built in the early 1900s. It is lavishly painted with blue and maroon being the dominating colours. Subjects include both the religious and the secular, but the murals of Radha and Krishna are really beautiful. On the façade are incarnations of Vishnu (the Creator of the Hindu trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer), and also of Ardhanarishwar, a half-male, half-female figure which combines Shiva with his consort, Parvati. The interiors have fine woodwork too, but the rooms are generally kept locked.

Shyonarayan Kyal Haveli
The Shyonarayan Kyal Haveli (circa 1900) is another heavily painted house. But the plaster has come off in many places, giving the rooms a rather run-down look. This one has rather interesting murals. Under one of the arches is a mural showing a woman removing a thorn from her foot, quite a common one with Indian artists. In another place, under the eaves on the east wall, a man and a woman are engaged in an cozy encounter while a maidservant stands by with a glass of wine. This haveli too has imposing doors and windows. Among the others is the Gurmukh Rai Gajanand Katela's Haveli. This one has some interesting paintings of rulers, both Rajput and British.

¤ Temple Attraction

The Temple of Radha Murlimanohar was constructed around 1845 by the Ganeriwalas and retains a few paintings beneath its eaves. But this temple is noted for its architect rather than its murals. There are some nice figures of deities sculpted on its outer walls like that of the red painted Hanuman (the monkey god). The Sarv Siddhi Vinayak Mandir might look like an elaborately painted haveli, if not for the white shikhar (spire) on one side of its roof. The temple has ornate doors and windows.


¤ Sikar- Definitely A Tourist Hub

Lachhmangarh is very well laid, almost like Jaipur. So you won't have to worry about having any difficulty in finding your way around. The people, unused to tourist hordes, might seem a bit curious and the children a trifle meddlesome, but that's hardly a care when you are getting to see so many beautiful things!