King Khet Singh Nirban of “Nirban-Chauahn” Rajput clan
was the one who found Khetri town. Shortly, the town was occupied by “Shekhawat
Rajputs” and was given as a reward to “Thakur Kishan Singh Ji” by “Maharao
Shardul Singh Ji” (father of Thakur Kishan Singh Ji) of Jhunjhunu region. Also,
Khetri was a subdivision of Panchpana. Raja Ajit Singh Shekhawat, an intuitive
and intelligent sovereign of Khetri established numerous palaces, temples and
forts. What’s more, Swami Vivekananda, the great scholar was the best friend of
Raja Ajit Singh. Hence, a figurine of Swami Vivekananda was established as a
commemorative plaque on an avenue around Khetri. Raja Sardar Singh was the very
last ostensible King of Khetri region.
A long time ago, the King (Raja) of Khetri was the boss
of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru’s family unit. An interesting fact is that Nandlal
Nehru, the uncle of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru was once the Diwan (chief
minister) in the Khetri stately court. Moreover, Motilal Nehru (father of
Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru) lived in Khetri during the early stages of his life.
Khetri Fort:
The key magnetism in Khetri is a fort that was
established by “Raja Ajit Singh Shekhawat Saheb Bahadur”. This Fort is the
summit of Khetri for a picturesque view of the city and its neighborhood. There
exists a negligible influence of wall paintings in Khetri edifices. These are
unadorned but the statues here are created in a truly imaginative manner. The
marvelous view from Khetri fort is a spectacular experience. It also has an
amazing yet tiny marble temple.
Excellent Architecture of Khetri Mahal (Wind Palace),
Jhunjhunu:
Khetri Mahal in Khetri, Jhunjhunu is one of the most
excellent instances of fine art and structural design of Shekhawati region. It
is also called as the Wind Palace of Jhunjhunu. Khetri Mahal was built in the
year 1770. It is assumed that Bhopal Singh, the originator of Khetri
established it. Khetri Mahal is placed to the rear of a string of narrow roads.
A surprising factor is that Khetri Mahal has no windows or doors even though it
is named as the Wind palace. Despite the fact that Khetri Mahal is deserted and
to some extent abandoned, the attractiveness and regularity of the
well-designed archways is esteemed even now. Khetri mahal is mainly celebrated
for its beautiful selections of pictures and frescos sustaining the Bhopalgarh
fort and Raghunath temple.
The inimitability of Khetri Mahal lies in the
uninterrupted stream of wind which perpetually makes this construction unique
from countless buildings. The pillars of of Khetri Mahal have substituted the
colossal barrier configurations wherever possible. This is to uphold the
uninterrupted stream of breezy wind inside the Mahal. Almost all rooms of the
Mahal are linked with each other through an ingenious chain of pillars and
arches that offer a gorgeous proportioned vision to the fortress.
Also, one can spot 2 tiny recesses with parts of
paintings (created with natural earth tint) that belong to the long-gone era in
the private meeting rooms of Thakurs. Mammoth stylish hallways with elaborately
built arches & columns can be spotted inside Khetri Mahal. The major aspect
that makes Khetri Mahal into a unique palace is it has no doors or windows
unlike other Mahals or Palaces.
Broad Ramps of Khetri Mahal:
An elongated access ramp that leads to the cosmic patio
of the Mahal from the foremost entrance hall was planned for the easy access of
Rajputs while they ride on their horses. In actual fact, the different levels
of the fortress are united with patio or terrace all the way through a string
of similar access ramps. One more reason for establishing such broad ramps was
to offer tall podiums for “Thakurs” to look down at their subjects without much
difficulty. The sight from the roof top is really impressive.
Conclusion:
It is a known fact that Khetri Mahal is an exceptional
and exclusive construction of Shekawati period. However, the pitiful condition
of this edifice is an ill-fated truth. Khetri Mahal needs some urgent attention
of the local administration as atypical structures like Khetri Mahal is a great
asset to Indian tourism Industry and our inimitable culture of the nation.
