Land of Havelies
Churu, the desert city, is a place of historic importance. The town is said to have been found by a Jat named Chuhru in C1620 AD. Churu, like an oasis, situated in the middle of the shifting golden sand dunes, opens the gate to the great desert of Thar. Geographically, it lies in 28º 18' N latitude and 74º 58' E longitude. Administratively, it is the headquarter of the district.
The city has a magnificent fort which is believed to have been built by Thakur Khushal Singh in the year 1739 AD. The proud fort stands in the middle of the town where it is said that the brave Thakur Sheoji Singh tried to defend its honour by firing silver canon balls at the attacking army of the Raja of Bikaner.
The famous wealthy merchants of the town, having business connections all over India, added to its splendour by building beautiful majestic havelis, made of lime and brick and decorated them by the best of the frescoes on the facade as well as inside of the rooms. The best of the masons and 'Chitera' or painters were employed to decorate these buildings. Initially, the Chiteras practised dry and wet methods using mineral and vegetable colours. Later on, around in 1860's they made brighter and colorful paintings with the help of chemical colours. Some merchants, the Mantries, Suranas & Kotharis got few rooms painted in gold with extensive mirror work. The prosperity of Churu reached its zenith in 18th century when the atmosphere of peace and security prevailed and the caravans passed through. Consequently, the business of wool, silk, opium and spices flourished. The merchants moved away to the British India and onwards to Calcutta and other business centers in central India. They made a lot of money using their unique business acumen and decided to raise the palatial houses for their families in Churu.
Churu gives the enchantment of its past glory and treasure to the visitors while one walks through the meandering streets, lined either sides by the largest havelis in the area. There are beautiful temples, chhatries(cenotaphs), the fort, the Johra (water tank) and wells which are all decorated with bright multicoloured wall paintings in various subjects. The city also has a museum named 'Nagarshree'.
The magnificent Havelis, duly decorated by picturesque wall paintings not only add to the beauty of the town but also tell the tales of the famous merchants.
