Shekhawati Region:

Shekhawati Region: Muslims of the Khaimkani clan settled in this region and established two small states based at Jhunjhunu and Fatehpur in 1450. In 1730 Rajput Sardul Singh of the Shekawat clan took over Jhunjhunu, though the city was made wealthy by Marwari merchants who were Hindus of the vaisya caste and Jains.

Later the Marwaris formed ties with British to oust local Rajputs and won the independence . After the British left India many Marwari merchants purchased once British-run industries.

Before the rise of Bombay and Calcutta including the arrival of railways, this region prospered as an important caravan route (called "spice road") connecting China, Delhi and Sind (now in Pakistan) with the Gujarati coast. The Marwari merchant and landowning castes (thakur) grew rich on trade and taxes from the through traffic, but instead of building temples they competed in building grand havelis.

The painted havelis were built between 1770s and 1930s, murals are depicting traditional themes, scenes from folk tales, religious stories, animals and local customs, far-away cities, merchants with their families, British sahibs of the Raj and Victorian technology, each mural bordered with ornate floral designs.