Rajasthan
EASTERN
R AJASTHAN
Rajasthan
Si GHTS
Rajasthan
SHEKHAWAT
i
concrete and the hustle and bustle that
befits the district’s headquarters. It does,
though, have some appealing havelis and a
colourful bazaar.1 ̈Sights
Rani ̈Sati ̈Temple ̈ HiNDU TEMPlE
(admission free; h4am-10pm) The enormous,
multistorey Rani Sati Temple is notorious
for commemorating an act of sati (self-
immolation) by a merchant’s wife (after
whom the temple is named) in 1595. It’s
fronted by two courtyards, around which
300 rooms offer shelter to pilgrims. The
main hall, in the far courtyard, is made of
marble with elaborate silver repoussé work
before the inner sanctum. There’s a tile-and-
mirror mosaic on the ceiling and a relief
frieze on one wall depicts the story of Rani
Sati. It’s a pleasant 10-minute walk north of
the private bus stand. Turn left out of the
bus stand, take the first left then keep asking
for Rani Sati Mandir.Modi ̈Haveli ̈ HiSTORiC BU il DiNG
(Nehru Bazaar) On the north side of Nehru
Bazaar is Mohanlal Ishwardas Modi Haveli,
known simply as Modi Haveli, which dates
from 1896 and which contains some de-
lightful frescoes. A train runs merrily across
the front façade. Above the entrance to the
outer courtyard are scenes from the life of
Krishna. On a smaller, adjacent arch are
British imperial figures, including mon-
archs and robed judges. Facing them are
Indian rulers, including maharajas and
nawabs. Around the archway, between the
inner and outer courtyards, there are some
glass-covered portrait miniatures, along
with some fine mirror-and-glass tilework.
The Modi family, which own a number of
haveli in Jhunjhunu, now lives in Mum-
bai (Bombay) and Kolkata (Calcutta), so
the building is looked after by caretakers,
who will expect a small tip for showing you
round. To get here, turn right out of the pri-
vate bus stand and keep walking until you
reach a small floodlit roundabout (this is
Gandhi Chowk). Continue straight into bus-
tling Nehru Bazaar, then take the first right.4 ̈Sleeping ̈& ̈Eating
If you get stuck, there’s a bunch of cheap ho-
tels near the main bus stand.Hotel ̈Jamuna ̈Resort ̈ HOTEl $$
(%512696; http://www.hoteljamunaresort.com; r from
₹1200; aiWs) A popular place for thoseon guided tours of the region (there’s plenty
of parking here), Hotel Jamuna Resort has
all that you need. Rooms in the older wing
are either vibrantly painted with murals
or decorated with traditional mirrorwork,
while the rooms in the new wing are mod-
ern and airy. Some rooms face onto a small
garden, which has restaurant seating and is
a pleasant spot for a beer (there’s a separate
bar too). There’s also an inviting pool (non-
guests ₹50) and the food from the restau-
rant (mains ₹95-150; h7am-10pm) is excellent,
although the set breakfasts are stingy. Note,
the free wi-fi doesn’t always work. It’s a
20-minute walk from the private bus stand.
Turn left out of the bus stand, left at the end
of the road and it’s on your right.Hotel ̈Shiv ̈Shekhawati ̈ HOTEl $$
(%232651; http://www.shivshekhawati.com; Khemi Shakti
Rd; s/d from ₹800/1000; ai) With the same
owners as Jamuna Resort, this is a more
basic option (although not much cheaper).
Rooms are large and spartan, and there’s a
boarding-school feel to the empty corridors,
but the manager is friendly and gives out
free maps of the town to guests. No internet
or food, but you’re not far from the restau-
rant or bar at Jamuna Resort or the sweet
and snack stalls in Nehru Bazaar. To get
here, turn left out of the private bus stand
and it’s on your left after 400m.8 Getting ̈There ̈& ̈Away
There are two bus stands: the main bus stand
and the private bus stand. Both have similar
services and prices, but the government-run
buses from the main bus stand run much more
frequently. A shared autorickshaw between the
two bus stands costs ₹7 per person. A private
autorickshaw is ₹50.
Services from the main bus stand:
Bikaner (₹164, five to six hours, hourly)
Delhi (₹140, five to six hours, hourly)
Fatehpur (₹34, one hour, half-hourly)
Jaipur (₹130, four hours, half-hourly)
Mandawa (₹17, one hour, half-hourly)
Nawalgarh (₹31, one hour, half-hourly)Mandawa
% 01592 / POP 20,700
Of all the towns in the Shekhawati re-
gion, Mandawa is the one best set up for
tourists, with plenty of places to stay and
some decent restaurants. It’s a little too
touristy for some (the attention you get
from young would-be guides can become