The town of Surajgarh in the Shekhawati region of
Rajasthan derives its name from the 18th century fortified Palace SURAJGARH.
The name literally means "The Castle of The Sun". This 4 acre
fortified palace is being lovingly restored to give our guests the experience
of living like a Maharaja.
Established in 1780 by ThakurSuraj Mal, BISSAU (Thikana)
shekhawat (Sadhani clan) the township of Surajgarh came up with the
construction of the fort, for the construction of the fort not only offered
employment to the people from the neighboring villages, but after its
completion also offered a safe sanctuary from marauding bandits and invading
armies.
The frescoes for which Surajgarh are famous owe their
existence to the many travelers who came through this region, bringing along
with them stories of the lands far away, the local populace started to decorate
their homes with frescoes of the tales told by the travelers and from scenes
from the mythological time. The materials used for painting the frescoes were
crushed cowrie shells, lime and vegetable dyes which were produced locally. The
cowrie shells were used as currency at one time, but since the chipped and
broken shells had no value, they were crushed to produce a water resistant base
for the frescoes.
The Fort is owned by Tikaraj Aishwarya Katoch and
Tikarani Shailija. TikarajAishwarya is the son of Princess of Jodhpur and
Maharaja of Kangra. Tikarani Shailija is the eldest daughter of the Maharaja of
Sailana, Sailana is famed for India’s finest cuisine and Tikarani Shailija’s
grandfather has written a popular cookery book called Maharaja Sailana’s
Cookery Delights.
