The magnificent houses built by the rich merchants of Shekhawati were called havelis after the Persian word for "enclosed space". Each house would be entered from the street through huge arched porches with carved brass or wooden doors. Inside, you come into the forecourt, where visitors were received. Beyond, through the most ornate doorway of the house, is the main courtyard, where the women of the family could live in purdah, shielded from the eyes of the street. The forecourt is flanked by large pillared reception areas called baithak, each surmounted by a gallery where the women could sit if they wanted, privy to the business conducted below.

The most extravagant Marwari mansions might have four large courtyards, but three is more typical. The tradition of woodcarving that produced the imposing doors and window shutters is still strong, particularly in Churu.

The meticulous interior murals were painted by craftsmen from outside the region, using a vast array of intense hues, often highlighted with gold or silver leaf and mirrored designs. Like the early Catholic
churches in Europe, religious themes, especially episodes from the life of Krishna, were often depicted along the lintels above the main doors to cultivate faith among the uneducated masses. The outer walls were usually decorated by the masons who built the haveli, employing bolder designs and weather-hardy green, maroon and yellow ochres, with the occasional flash of blue. However, what set the Shekhawati murals aside from virtually all others in India are the seemingly incongruous, naive depictions of machines, events and contemporary fashions they invariably include, from scenes of British Redcoats marching into battle against the Moghuls to eccentric Victorian flying devices, steam trains and Edwardian memsahibs in big hats. When painted, these were all features of a faraway world that the women and poor townsfolk of Shekhawati had never seen with their own eyes. The wealthy men of the region wanted to share with their compatriots the extraordinary phenomena encountered on their travels trading in the great cities of the Rajasthan & Commissioned artists to paint these images, even though the artists had probably never seen the newfangled European novelties they were asked to depict.

Nowadays, most of the murals are faded, defaced, covered with posters or even just whitewashed over. In some ways this simply adds to their melancholy, haunting appeal, and there are so many – and the towns are so small – that you cannot fail to see a work of art virtually everywhere you look.