HOTEL INDRA VILAS

About Hotel

In the arid Northern Rajasthan, the Shekhawati region produced the founder's of some of India's finest business houses way back in the 17th and 18th centuries. As trade centre moved, the families moved on. The mansions they left behind gained attention only in the last two decades when intrepid visitors started stumbling upon a virtual open air art gallery of dimensions unparalleled anywhere. The mansions, the memorials, the temples, the wells, the ponds are all painted with murals and motifs of all kinds in rich colors Indra Vilas is the largest Haveli in Alsisar, Shekhawati. It has been refurnished to give the experience of the bygone era to the present day connoisseurs to come and savor the life of color and joy in the desert streets of this village.

  History

The arid sand of Rajasthan's Thar desert had to be traversed by numerous caravans plying their trade between Punjab and the ports of Gujarat as also between Central Asia and the rest of India. The routes passed through Bikaner and Jaipur. In the 18th century the Mughal Empire declined. The area of Shekhawati was taken over by Sardul Singh and Shiv Singh, the descendants of the 15th century warrior Rao Shekhaji. They ousted the Mughal nawabs of Fatehpur and Jhunjhunu. At this time the Rajput kingdoms of Bikaner and Jaipur increased their tax on transit trade. The wedge of Shekhawati thus became more lucrative for the caravans, particularly because the rulers brought banditry too under control while taxation was lower.

As the trade shifted the economy advanced and Marwari’s-one of the finest business communities arrived and made Shekhawati their home. The initial paintings were only on doorways and arches. These were commissioned by the ruling elite and show the influence of the court of Jaipur. Later the Marwari’s commissioned artists for decorating their houses. The painting activity continued even as the empire changed hands from the Mughal to the British. They established ports at Bombay and Calcutta. This eclipsed the traditional Gujarat ports. The taxation too became uniform and the trade started passing through Bikaner and Jaipur. With the coming up of international borders to the Northwest, the trade routes through the desert were practically deserted. However the more stable central governance provided the Marwaris to establish their businesses even more firmly in the new ports. They continued pumping funds into their hometowns, building temples, wells, schools and magnificent havelis (mansions) for the folks who stayed home. The art flourished However, with passing generations there was no one left to look after the colorful treasures. Fresh activity ceased. The paintings and the walls they adorn would survive as long as the Marwaris maintain their patronage of their ancestral villages.

The twin villages of Alsisar and Malsisar are named after two sisters, Alsi and Malsi, daughters of a farmer who first settled here. Samrath Singh, the second of the five sons of Sardul Singh settled at Alsisar in 1783. The fort he established stands derelict on a promontory. The village street is an unending row of deserted mansions richly decorated with paintings which are well preserved. The Haveli of Indrachand Kejriwal is the largest of all. Three large ornate wells for drawing water stand on three sides just across the mansions boundary. Three hundred meters from the Haveli, stand two of the finest temples of the region, themselves covered with exquisite art, well preserved.

  Activities

Alsisar in Shekhawati is a convenient halt on way to Bikaner, Kheechan and Jaisalmer. The painted mansions of this village are representative of one of the finest open-air art galleries in the world. Here the art lives in the streets and walls of real dwellings of real people. Instead of formal, spotless enclosed halls with spotlights, the display in Alsisar is part of every day life. Walk around the village at your leisure, chat with wizened old men, colorfully attired ladies, kids playing in the street or traders running their small corner businesses. While they make you feel at home, discover for yourselves the exquisite murals that adorn every wall. Be ushered into private quarters to marvel at depictions of Hindu mythology, western royalty and muslim floral designs. Let it be your own expedition of discovery or be steered on a guided walk. Either way the experience will make you long for more!

 Alsisar is strategically located for day visits to Jhunjhunu, Malsisar, Bissau, Mandawa, Bagar, Chirawa. Each of these small towns are richly embellished with more art-just in case the craving for more makes the heart skip many beats!

Ask for a camel ride to the nearby dunes to a performance of desert dances to lilting tunes. Be mesmerized by the hues of the setting sun, diffused to a fiery glow by the sand blown up by cattle on their homeward run

For those interested in a wild experience, the Tal Chapper wildlife sanctuary is a mere two and a half hour drive from Alsisar. It may be covered as a days sojourn or as a stop over enroute to Bikaner. This is the best place to see and photograph the elegant and stately black bucks. More than 2000 of them roam the scrub land making it the largest concentration of this magnificent species in the subcontinent. During the winter months from November to March Demoisselle cranes from Siberia land here in large numbers. Monitor lizards, raptors and Egyptian vultures too are witnessed in fair numbers. Anthropologists may be more interested in the Kaalbelia or Joginath community of snake charmers and nomadic tribes inhabiting the neighboring villages.

Accommodation

The Indravilas is an authentic heritage mansion, restored to provide a comfortable oasis in your voyage through the desert. The spacious rooms have been furnished with a blend of period furniture and modern plumbing and electric fixtures. The objective has been to continue the experience of the past with the comforts of the present.

Relax your body and soul as you ensconce yourself in your bed, catch up with writing your memoirs or just be with yourselves or your family.

Catch a drink and spend hours at the swimming pool
Ten acre garden
Indoor Games
Gymnasium
Lounge and Bookshelf
Travel desk
Doctor on call

The accommodation consists of twenty-nine suites and deluxe rooms in two connected blocks.

The upper block served as the family's private quarters. The rooms are located around a covered walkway surrounding a central rectangular courtyard. The entrance is across a heavy wooden door with decorative brass plates. The door leads to the inner courtyard through a labyrinth where helpers and workers spent lazy afternoons waiting for the master's command.

The lower  and larger block surrounds the pool and opens to the garden. This is where business visitors and guests were entertained.