Asia's Great Blackbuck Sanctuary - 70 Km, is situated on the fringes of Thar Desert. The word 'Tal' means plain land. Sprawling over an area of 1334 sq km, and abode to a variety of birds, the Tal Chhappar wildlife sanctuary in Rajasthan is an abode to a variety of birds widely renowned for Black Bucks.
The history of this temple dates back to 1811 in a village called Asota, where a farmer while ploughing his field, got stuck by some rock under the earth and when cleared by his wife, emerged an idol of Lord Hanuman. The Thakur of that village dreamt being asked to shift the idol of Salasar for proper religious incarnation.
True to its name, ‘Aath’ meaning eight, consists of a complex with eight havelis which lie on the west of the Bala fort. The frescoes on these havelis display the transition in the painting styles over time. The paintings depict inventions like a steam locomotive to elephants, horses and camels.
Opposite the Aath havelis is situated the Muraraka Haveli which boasts of some very fine paintings including the miniature paintings from the Krishna legends.
This haveli is now converted into a school. It was built in the 1920s and displays many fine paintings. The old building is still well maintained as its only haveli in Shekhawati region to be restored by its owner.
Khedwal Bhawan is known for its striking mirror and blue tile work at the entrance to the inner courtyard. The spectacular frescoes depict beautiful art work like the story of legendary lovers Dhola Maru on an outside wall, a locomotive engine crossing a bridge and a woman on a swing in festivities of Teej Festival.
To the north is Hem Raj Kulwal Haveli, depicting at the entrance portraits of the Kulwal family and also of Indian leaders like Gandhi and Nehru. Built in 1931, the windows of the haveli are bordered by very colorful architraves. An ornate silver gate leads to the inner courtyard, showcasing some fine paintings, mostly of religious themes.
The once beautiful but now a little disfigured fort due to lack of maintenance is one of the main buildings on this town. The Nawalgarh fort was built in 1737AD and its dome has an aerial view of Jaipur painted on it. Today it houses two banks and a few government offices.
Khatu Shyamji (Krishna Temple) - 75Km
Shakambhari Temple - 45km
Lohargal - 30 km
