The
history of Shekhawati can be traced back to the 14th
Century, a number of Muslims clans moved into the area
and the towns which developed became important trading
posts on the caravan routes emanating from the ports
of Gujrat.
Rao
Shekha was born on September 24, 1433 at the obscure
hamlet of 'Amra Dhabai ki Dhani' to Mokal Kachawaha
and his wife Nirwan. Mokal was a chieftain who held
the estate of Nan in fief from the ruler of Amber
(Jaipur). The story of Shekha’s birth is rather interesting.
Mokal and Nirwan were much troubled as they had no
son for several years. They heard about the miraculous
powers of the Sheikh Burhan, a Muslim mendicant. They
decided to pay the man a visit. After they received
the blessings of the Sheikh, a son was born to the
couple. In honour of the mendicant, the couple named
his son Shekha.
In
1459, Mokal died and was succeeded in his estates
by Shekha. He was a tazimi sardar of the Maharaja
of Amber (Jaipur) and thus was nominally a vassal
of that court. Shekha is credited with having founded
the town of Amarsar.
As
the Mughal Empire fell into decline after the death
of Aurangzeb in 1707, the descendants of Rao Shekha,
who had already installed themselves in areas to
the east of the Aravalli Range, began to encroach
on the regions to the north and west. Covering an
area of some 30,000 sq km, today this region encompasses
the administrative districts of Churu, Jhunjhunu
and Sikar, and is known as Shekhawati.The chieftains
of the region retained a nominal loyalty to the
Rajput states of Jaipur and Amber, who in turn honored
them with hereditary titles known as tazimi sardars.
It was probably exposure to the courts of jaipur
and Amber which encouraged the chieftains, who were
known as thakurs, or barons, to commission the first
of the thousands of murals which decorated their
havelis, or mansions.By 1732, two of these chieftains,
Sardul Singh and Shiv Singh, had overthrown the
nawabs of Fatehpur and Jhunjhunu and British Ports
at Bombay and Calcutta were able to handle a much
greater volume of trade than those at Gujarat.
Shahpura (Manoharpur) is the head seat of the Shekhawat
Clan of Rajput's and the famous Shekhawati derives
its name from it. It is named after the founder ruler
of Shekhawat Maha Rao Shekhaji and the Manoharpur
Shahpura Family takes pride in being direct descendent
--- from Maha Rao Shekhaji.
As
one drives past the town on the left of the road towards
west of the highway leads to the Garden Palace. Set
amidst green surroundings this place is typical of
Shekhawati, and 200 years old created by Rao Hanuwant
Singh.
After
that Rao Dhir Singh gave the buildings at Shahpura
a face lift. He also restructured and refurnished
their old palatial house in the Pink City in 1956.
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(Rao Dheer Singh ji)
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(Rao Hanumant Singh ji)
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(Rao Pratap Singh ji)
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Thikanas
ruled by Shekhawats
All the Thikanas were in Jaipur State.
| Thikanas |
Subsub
clan |
Title |
Founder |
Founded
in |
Forts
& Palaces |
Present
Ruler |
|
Shahpura
|
Head Seat of Shekhawats
|
Rao
|
Rao Manohar Ji
|
1584
|
1 fort
|
Rao Rajendra Singh Ji
|
|
Khetri
|
Bhojraj Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Raja
|
Thakur Kishan Singh Ji
|
1742
|
2 forts & 1 Palace
|
Unknown
|
|
Dundlod
|
Bhojraj Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Thakur
|
Thakur Kesari Singh Ji
|
1750
|
1 fort
|
Thakur Raghuveer Singh Ji
|
|
Nawalgarh
|
Bhojraj Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Rawal
|
Thakur Nawal Singh Bahadur
|
1737
|
2 forts & 1 Palace
|
Rawal Devender Singh Ji
|
|
Mukandgarh
|
Bhojraj Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Thakur
|
Thakur Mukand Singh Ji
|
1859
|
1 fort
|
Thaku Ajit Singh Ji
|
|
Mandawa(Pana-1),(Pana-2)
|
Bhojraj Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Thakur,Thakur
|
Thakur Padam Singh Ji,Thakur
Gyan Singh Ji
|
1791
|
1 fort
|
Thakur Durga Singh Ji, second ??
|
|
Mehansar
|
Bhojraj Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Thakur
|
Thakur Nahar Singh Ji
|
1768
|
1 fort
|
??
|
|
Bissau
|
Bhojraj Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Rawal
|
Thakur Kesari Singh Ji
|
1746
|
1 fort
|
Rawal Sanjay Singh Ji
|
|
Alsisar(Pana-1),(Pana-2)
|
Bhojraj Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Thakur,Thakur
|
Thakur Chattar Singh Ji,Thakur
Ganpat Singh Ji
|
1853,1853
|
1 fort
|
Thakur Narender Singh Ji(Pana1),Thakur
Gaj Singh Ji(Pana2)
|
|
Malsisar
|
Bhojraj Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Thakur
|
Thakur Maha Singh Ji
|
1745
|
1 fort
|
??
|
|
Arooka
|
Bhojraj Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Thakur
|
Thakur Duleha Singh Ji
|
1796
|
1 fort
|
Thakur Raghuveer Singh
|
|
Udaipurwati
|
Bhojraj Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Thakur
|
Rao Bhojraj Ji
|
1608
|
1 Palace(now Ruins)
|
??
|
|
Chowkari
|
Bhojraj Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Thakur
|
Thakur Bakhat Singh Ji
|
1745
|
1 fort
|
??
|
|
Heerwa
|
Bhojraj Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Thakur
|
Thakur Ramnath Singh Ji
|
1763
|
1 fort
|
??
|
|
Seegra
|
Bhojraj Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Thakur
|
Thakur Mehtabh Singh Ji
|
1763
|
1 fort
|
??
|
|
Parasrampura
|
Bhojraj Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Thakur
|
Thakur Bhawani Singh Ji
|
?
|
1 fort
|
??
|
|
Sirohi
|
Bhojraj Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Thakur
|
Thakur Salim Singh Ji
|
?
|
1 fort
|
??
|
|
Surajgarh
|
Bhojraj Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Thakur
|
Thakur Surajmal Ji
|
1778
|
1 fort
|
??
|
|
Sikar
|
Rao Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Rao Raja
|
Rao Daulat Singh Ji
|
1687
|
1 fort & 1 Palace
|
Rao Raja Bikram Singh Ji
|
|
Kasli
|
Rao Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Rao
|
Rao Tirmal Ji
|
?
|
1 fort
|
Col. Rao Raj Singh Ji
|
|
Jahota
|
Achaldas Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Thakur
|
Thakur Achal Singh Ji
|
?
|
1 fort
|
Thakur Karan Singh Ji
|
|
Khandela-Bara Pana(Senior)
|
Girdhar Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Raja
|
Raja Udai Singh Ji
|
1697
|
1 fort
|
Raja Govind Singh Ji
|
|
Khandela-chhota Pana(Junior)
|
Girdhar Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Raja
|
Raja Fateh Singh Ji
|
1683
|
1 fort
|
Raja Randhir Singh Ji
|
|
Danta
|
Girdhar Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Thakur
|
Thakur Amar Singh Ji
|
1669
|
2 forts
|
Thakur Madan Singh Ji
|
|
Khood
|
Girdhar Ji Ka (Shekhawat)
|
Thakur
|
Thakur Shyam Singh Ji
|
1652
|
1 fort
|
No legal Heir of the Gaddi
|
|
Khachariawas
|
Ladkhani (Shekhawat)
|
Thakur
|
Thakur Lal Singh Ji
|
1618
|
1 fort
|
Thakur Virender Singh Ji
|
|
Khatu
|
Ladkhani (Shekhawat)
|
Thakur
|
Thakur Kesari Singh Ji
|
?
|
?
|
Thakur Bharat Singh Ji
|
|
Pachar
|
Ladkhani(Shekhawat)
|
Thakur
|
Thakur ?
|
?
|
1 fort
|
??
|
