A guide to Nawalgarh Rajasthan | Nawalgarh havelis & places to see, stays & tips

While one of the Nawalgarh havelis sported a steam train
The other one included the divine form of Christ.
The Nawalgarh fort reflected the town's royal reign
While the temples spread the vibes of a divine paradise.

Discover the best places to see in Nawalgarh Rajasthan & tips on planning a visit in this complete guide to this Shekhawati town. 

Located 140 km from Jaipur, is a painted town that has earned the title of being the “golden city of Shekhawati”. The lavish frescoed havelis along with the illustrious history of Nawalgarh in Rajasthan are testaments enough to why this town has been given this title. A little underrated in the present day, you will find many travelers skipping Nawalgarh for its more popular neighbor – Mandawa. To be honest, I too, landed in this town after I had seen the other Shekhawati locations. However, after a tour of Nawalgarh, Rajasthan, I would recommend it as the gateway to your journey through the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan.

What follows in this blog post is a support to my recommendation and also, a virtual tour as well as a guide to Nawalgarh Rajasthan. You will not only read about the history of this town but will learn of the various places to see in Nawalgarh – including the most significant Nawalgarh havelis that you must visit. This Nawalgarh guide will also help you with tips like the best way to get here, suggestions on where to stay in Nawalgarh, the best time to visit etc. In short, I have you covered for an amazing trip to this Golden city of Shekhawati.

Where is Nawalgarh?

Nawalgarh is located at a distance of 140 km from Jaipur in Rajasthan. Part of the Jhunjunu district, Nawalgarh belongs to the Shekhawati region – the one that is famous today for its ornate frescoed havelis (mansions).

History of Nawalgarh Rajasthan

Before the 1700s, Nawalgarh used to be a small village by the name of Rohili. This village along with a few other neighboring towns was given to Thakur Nawal Singh Ji as a land grant or jagir. In 1737 CE that the Thakur build a walled settlement with four major gates or pols. These were named Bawadi, Mandi, Agoona and Nansa. It was this gated enclosure that was developed as a trading town on the famed Silk route that passed through Shekhawati. Eventually, the new town was renamed after its founder as Nawalgarh.

The town attracted several known business families to settle in. Even today, you will find the heritage havelis of known families like the Podar family, Goenkas and Mansingkas. Nawalgarh continued to be ruled and managed by the descendants of Thakur Nawal Singh Ji until 1958. This is when the Jagirs were dissolved and the town came to be a part of the state of Rajasthan.

Best places to see in Nawalgarh

Though a small town, there are quite a few attractions to add to your Nawalgarh sightseeing list. In fact, it is enough to merit one full day in this town. In addition, you can do a few day trips to the other Shekhawati towns like Ramgarh, Dundlod and Fatehpur. Thus, you can consider it your hub for exploring the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan. I have covered the key places to visit in Nawalgarh in this section. Check it out.

Nawalgarh havelis

Many of you might be aware that the Shekhawati region is known as an open-air art gallery. This is owing to the majestic painted havelis (mansions) of the Rajasthani merchants. The sheer stories captured in the frescoes that cover these haveli walls are what draw visitors to the towns of Shekhawati.

Nawalgarh too, has its share of these frescoed treasures. In fact, I found the Nawalgarh havelis far better preserved than the ones that I saw in the other Shekhawati towns like Mandawa. A few of these havelis in Nawalgarh Rajasthan have been converted into museums that allow you to better appreciate the vibrant culture of Rajasthan.

You are bound to spot these magnificent mansions almost anywhere in this small town. However, there are a few that you must not miss when embarking on a Nawalgarh haveli tour. Take a look.

Ramnath Podar haveli museum – a top Nawalgarh sightseeing attraction

750 frescoes adorn the walls of this heritage haveli of the illustrious business family of Podars. The paintings range from elaborate scenes of Krishna Leela and Rajasthani festivals like Teej to a long steam engine representing the first train of India. The havelis have stunning doors -especially the one that separates the inner family courtyard from the common area.

Ramnath Podar haveli is a perfect start to your Nawalgarh sightseeing tour. The frescoes and the haveli have been restored and converted into a museum with around 10 galleries. Visiting this Nawalgarh haveli is an orientation to all the other havelis of Shekhawati. You can discern the typical layout of these abandoned mansions and their purpose.

When you take a tour of the Ramnath Podar museum, you will learn about the different types of frescoes that you can spot on the havelis. You can read about it here.

Morarka haveli

Just a few steps away from the elegant Podar haveli museum is the 2^nd most visited Nawalgarh haveli. Built by Jairam Dasji Morarka, this one still has its original charm. It will feel a little rustic – especially if you visit this after the Poddar haveli. However, there lies its charm.

The frescoes of Morarka haveli seem to represent the Rajasthani royalty. In addition to that you will find paintings of Indian Gods like Lord Krishna, and Lord Ganesha. The one fresco that you must try to spot is that of Lord Jesus. You will find it in two places – one inside the haveli and one on the outer walls of the haveli.

The Morarka haveli has been converted into a mini museum. The rooms here have some of the traditional furniture and arrangement. You will find a baithak (office cum reception room), the kitchen and store room, family bedrooms that are usually on the higher level and an open terrace. You can hire a guide at the ticketing desk who will best explain the place to you. He will also, help you spot the treasures in the myriad frescoes that you see on Morarka Haveli.

Bhagton ki choti haveli (Bansilal Bhagat ki haveli)

Built by the Bhagat family, this 19th-century Nawalgarh haveli is quite memorable owing to its distinct shades of golden yellow, blue and green. This one too has an abandoned air like the Morarka Haveli and is much smaller than it. However, I found Bhagton ki choti haveli much more charming.

The frescoes in Bhagton ki choti haveli have a British touch. You will find cute cherubs alongside the Indian nymphs. The entrance arch as well as a few other frescoes include portraits of Queen Victoria and King George. Paintings of popular Rajasthani folklores like Dhola Maru are other unique themes that you will find here.

The other thing that I liked about this haveli in Nawalgarh was the carved doors and windows – many of which were framed by pretty damsels. Around them are paintings of European ladies in various poses. I could not help comparing them to the similar themes of the apsaras carved on popular monuments like the Rani ki Vav in Patan or even the various palaces of Rajasthan.

The haveli is located a few meters from Morarka Haveli. It is still a private residence but if the caretaker is there, he will let you in for a small fee. It is possible that even your Nawalgarh hotel or homestay will know the caretaker. They will be able to arrange for a tour of this haveli.

Aath haveli

Aath means eight. As the name suggests, this is a complex consisting of eight different havelis occupied by extended family members of a single clan. The havelis are still occupied and hence, you can only see them from the outside.

The frescoes are quite faded but you can still see some interesting scenes from the life of Krishna, the romantic story of Dhola Maru and some Mughal rulers. Another set of frescoes follows the theme of transport. You will see horse carriages, elephant riders, motor cars and even a steam engine.

Other havelis of Nawalgarh

It is best to do a Nawalgarh fresco painting tour on foot. For one, most of the havelis (except the Aath haveli) are next to each other. The other reason I recommend a walking tour is the lanes are quite narrow for cars to keep moving around.

Besides the above havelis of Nawalgarh, you can keep a watch out for Surajmal Chhauchharia Haveli, Mansingka Haveli, Khokhani haveli, Sajan Goenka haveli and the Roop Niwas Palace (now a heritage hotel).

Nawalgarh fort (Bala Kila)

Let’s move away from the havelis to the other places to see in Nawalgarh, Rajasthan. The Bala Kila fort was possibly the first building that Thakur Nawal Singh established in his Jagir. Most of it is in ruins now and the few left house banks and government offices. You can pop by and see it along with Podar haveli.

Nawalgarh temples

You are bound to spot a few gorgeous temples when you are out on your Nawalgarh havelis tour. In fact, when you visit Moraka haveli and Bhagton ki Haveli, you will definitely spot the artistic domes of Gher ka mandir. Sadly, the temple was closed for lunch and I could not explore it. I understand that there are numerous shrines inside this temple that have the same Shekhawati frescoes on them.

Another popular temple is Gopinath Ji Temple. This one was built by Thakur Nawal Singh ji and has an elaborate frescoed ceiling on the theme of Ramayana. It is located in the main market.

Day trips from Nawalgarh

After one complete day of Nawalgarh sightseeing, you can opt for a day trip to the neighboring Shekhawati towns. Here are four of them that you should definitely consider –

• Dundlod – This is just 12 km from Nawalgarh. You can visit the Dundlod fort, Goenka haveli and the Goenka cenotaph in this town.
• Ramgarh – 50 km from Nawalgarh, this Shekhawati town is full of frescoed cenotaphs.
• Fatehpur – Mohan Saraf haveli and Le Nadine haveli are the two most popular attractions of Fatehpur. It is located at 54 km from Nawalgarh Rajasthan. You can combine a visit to this town with Ramgarh
• Mandawa – the biggest hub of Shekhawati havelis is just 30 km from Nawalgarh. You can do this town as a day trip from Nawalgarh. However, note that you will need at least one full day for it. The town has a fort along with Goenka double haveli, Murmuria haveli and the Golden room of Jhunjhunwala haveli.

With that, I conclude this section on the best places to visit in Nawalgarh. I am sure that I have well-justified my recommendation of beginning your Shekhawati tour from Nawalgarh. The rest of this post is about practical tips for planning your visit here.

Common FAQs about Nawalgarh Rajasthan

Travel and Photography Tips

• Most of the Nawalgarh havelis are next to each other. You can cover them as a walking tour. Make sure you have comfortable shoes to help you with the same.
• The lanes in Nawalgarh are quite narrow. It is best to hire a local auto rickshaw to explore the city.
• For photography, carry a wide-angle lens along with your regular kit lenses.

Before you go, pin this

Booking Resources

• MakeMyTrip is one of the best sites for domestic flight booking. Consider using this link to get to the site and book your trip to Jaipur.
• Booking.com has a listing for Nawalgarh hotels listed on their site. You could use this link to browse and book the same. You can opt for the popular Roop Niwas Kothi or try a homestay like Tourist Pension (which is where I stayed)
• GetYourGuide is a good place to rent a car and or book transfers from Jaipur.
• Viator.com has various local tours and car bookings available that you can use to book your trip to Nawalgarh.
• For any of your travel needs or general shopping, consider using Amazon through this link.

Disclaimer: This article includes affiliate links. This means that at no cost to you, I will receive a small commission if you purchase through my link. Thank you for supporting me with this.