Shekhawati
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
Shekhawati is a semi-desert region located in the northeast part of Rajasthan, India. It encompasses the administrative districts of Churu, Jhunjhunu and Sikar. Shekhawati gets its name from the great Rajput Kachhwaha chieftain Rao Shekha Ji. The descendants of Rao Shekha Ji are called Shekhawat. The chieftains of the region retained a nominal loyalty to the Rajput state of Jaipur, who in turn honoured them with hereditary title known as tazimi sardar. Covering an area of some 30,000 sq km, this region has been recognised as “open art gallery of Rajasthan.” Inhabitants of Shekhawati are brave, sacrificing and hard working people. The region provides highest number of persons to the Indian Army. The Shekhawati region has produced large number of Marwaris who are controlling the economy of India. The region is popularly known as Scotland of India. Col. J.C. Brooke in his book “Political History of India” has praised that for the recruitment of Horse-army there is no region in India at par with Shekhawati.
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Harsh climatic conditions
The natural climatic conditions in the region are very harsh and extreme. The temperature ranges from sub-zero in winters to more than 50° C in summers. The summers bring hot waves of air called “loo”. Annual rainfall is very low of the scale of 45-60 cm. The ground water is as deep as 200 feet and at places water is hard and salty. The people in the region depend on rainwater harvesting. The rainwater is stored in pucca tanks and used through out the year for drinking purposes. On an average the region faces every third year as a dry year and every eighth year as a famine year. During famine years it becomes very difficult for animals to survive and the cattle population goes down drastically.
Towns and cities of Shekhawati
The major towns and cities of the Shekhawati region are as under:
- Nawalgarh
- Dundlod
- Mukungarh
- Jhunjhunu
- Chirawa
- Khetri
- Pilani
- Bissau
- Parasrampuria
- Baggar
- Mandawa
- Mahansar
- Sikar
- Khatusyam
- Fatehpur
- Ramgarh
- Laxmangarh
- Salasar Balaji
- Ratangarh
Grand Havelis and Frescos
The towns of Shekhawati region are known for their amazing painted havelis. This region has been recognised as “open art gallery of Rajasthan” having the largest concentration of frescos in the world. Most of the buildings of the Shekhawati region were constructed during 18th century to early 20th century. The Havelis are noted for their frescos depicting mythological themes. The frescos include Images of Gods, Goddesses, animals, life history of Lord Rama and Krishna, profusely painted on the Havelis in this region.
Role of Marwaris
The development of the frescos in Shekhawati region is linked with the history of the Marwaris. The influential business community people from Shekawati region are known as Marwaris. The Marwaris prospered till the beginning of the 19th century because of the caravan routes that crossed the area to reach the ports of Gujarat. But from 1820 onwards, many left their families behind and migrated to Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, which were gaining importance as main trade centers. There they had great financial success. The descendants of these rich merchants have permanently settled down in the towns where their ancestors immigrated.
Between 1830 and 1930, they erected buildings in their homeland, Shekhawati, as evidence of their success. As the ultimate symbol of their opulence, the Marwaris commissioned artists to paint those buildings.
The Shekhawati region has produced large number of Marwaris who are controlling the economy of India. About 80 % of big Industrial houses are managed by Marwaris. India's richest industrialists of the century, such as the Birlas, were Marwaris. Today, the main trading and industrial houses of India have their roots in Shekhawati.
Marwaris have played an important role in the development of Shekhawati region. Their major contribution to the Shekhawati region is in the field of education. It is because of Marwaris that most of schools and colleges in this region are run by them. Marwaris have also played a leading role in Indian Independence Movement. They provided financial help in running the freedom movement.
The famous Marwari Industrial Houses
Some of the famous Marwaris industrial houses are as under: Aggarwal, Bagari, Bajaj, Banthia, Bharatia, Bhuwalka, Birla, Chamaria, Daga, Dalamia, Dudavewala, Ganeriwal, Garodia, Goyanaka, Jaipuria, Jaju, Jalan, Jhanwar, Jhujhunuwala, Kankaria, Kanodia, Kejariwal, Khetan, Kothari, Lohia, Malpani, Modi, Mohata, Muraraka, Nevatia, Parasrampuria, Patodia, Poddar, Ruia, Rungata, Sabu, Saravagi, Seksaria, Singhania, Singhi, Somani, Surana, Taparia,
Farmers of Shekhawati
The Marwaris dominated the cities and towns of Shekhawati region. The rural areas of the Shekhawati region are dominated by farming communities. The farmers of the Sekhawati region are considered to be the most advanced in the state of Rajasthan. The Shekhawati region has the highest literacy in the state. The most dominating farmer community in the rural areas of Shekhawati is Jat. The jats are politically and economically very sound. The major land holdings in the present times are with Jats. Then comes the Rajput community who were the ruling people before independence. The Brahmans and Harijans also play important role in the area. The farmers of the region have done great struggle to come to the present status.
Before independence the conditions of the farmers were worst. The farmers of the Shekhawati region were exploited and oppressed by the Jagirdars during British Raj. They were deprived of fundamental rights. They were given inhuman treatment when the Jagirdars did not get cesses known as “lag” or “begar” in time, they were given hard punishments and their crop used to be destroyed. A newly married bride was forced to go first to Jagirdar.
Every thing that the Kisan had, never treated as his own. In Jagir areas all cultivators were really landless. There was no tenancy Law and one could be thrown away from the land one cultivated at the pleasure of Jagirdar, his "malik". In most of the Jagirs a Jagirdar would in the first instance be taking fifty percent of the produce. This would be taken by actual division of the produce on the thrashing floor or by appraisal of the standing crop (kunta). Then over and above the share of the produce the Kisan had to pay numerous "lags" or cesses. There were 37 kinds of ‘lags” prevalent in the Shekhawati area. Together with the share of the produce known as "Hasil" these cesses meant that the Kisans had to part with more than eighty percent of their produce. The findings of the Sukhdeonarain Committee in the years 1940-42 bear this out. If a Kisan had to marry his daughter he had to pay "Chavri Lag" if he held a dinner then a "Kansa Lag"; if members of the family separated then "Dhunwa Lag" and so on. If the Jagirdar had a guest then fodder for his mount had to be supplied. Then there was "begar" that is forced labour, for tilling the personal lands of the Jagirdar. The homestead in which the Kisan lived in the Abadi had to be vacated in case he ceased cultivating the land. He could not alienate the plot to anyone.
Farmers of the Shekhawati, mainly the Jats, united againt oppression of Jagirdars by forming ‘Sikar Jat-Kisan-Panchayat’ and stopped giving "lags" or cesses to the Jagirdards. The ‘Jaipur Praja-Mandal’ also supported the Shekhawati farmers’ movement against abolition of Jagirdari system. The leaders of ‘Bijoria-Kisan-Movement’ of 1922, 1931, and 1932 supported the movement of Shekhawati farmers. The Jagirdars tried to suppress the movement in many ways. Many farmers were killed and a large number were sent to jail. A Jat farmer was beaten to death in the market of Sikar town; his dead body was thrown and insulted. This movement got support from famous Kisan leaders like, Baldev Ram Mirdha, Nathuram Mirdha and Chaudhari Kumbharam Arya. After a long struggle the farmers got rid of oppression and got the ownership rights over the land they were cultivating.
The leading Jat farmers of Shekhawati region, who played important role in the movement for abolition of the Jagirdari system, were:
- Iswar Singh Bhairupura,
- Haru Singh and Hardeva Palwana,
- Prithvi Singh Gothra,
- Ganeshram Kudan,
- Panne Singh Bataranau,
- Goru Singh Katalathal,
- Deva Singh Bochalya,
- Chandrabhan Singh,
- Hardev Singh Harsawa.
References
- Ghansyamdas Birla: Bikhare Vicharon ki Bharonti, New Delhi, 1978
- Col. J.C. Brooke: Political History of India
- Taknet, D.K.: Marwari Samaj Aur Brijmohan Birla, Indian Institute of Marwari Entrepreneurship, Jaipur, 1993 ISBN 81-85878-00-5
- Dr. Natthan Singh: Jat-Itihas, Jat-Samaj Kalyan-Parishad, Gwalior, 2004
