RAJASTHAN : With its sweeping deserts, magnificent forts and cultural richness, Rajasthan has dazzled all visitors for centuries. But the Shekhawati region holds a charm unlike anywhere else, an area often described as an “open-air art gallery”, where entire towns and villages are embroidered with murals, frescoes, and intricately designed havelis.
Among these architectural marvels, the Seth Arjundas Goenka haveli in Dundlod, the ancestral home of the famous Goenka family, stands out as the only heritage museum of the region. Even 150 years after it was built, the haveli rises from the sands like a proud turban crest, calling not just tourists but the present generation to reconnect with their land, their lineage, and their memories.
Between 1850 and 1900, Shekhawati’s wealthy merchants - newly enriched through global trade - entered a period of feverish architectural splendor. Forbidden from building forts or palaces that could upstage the local rulers, they poured their fortunes into creating mansions that were palatial in all but name. More than 20 towns in Shekhawati today showcase these breathtaking homes.
Among the merchant families who expanded Shekhawati’s fame were the Goenkas, whose name is traced back to an ancestor called Goyendas. By the eighth generation, Hunat Ram Goenka, a highly influential figure in Nawalgarh’s social and political circles, began attracting the envy of the local ruler. Unable to bear this hostility, he moved eight kilometers away to Dundlod.
The Raja of Dundlod, recognising Hunat Ram’s entrepreneurial talent and respected standing, welcomed him warmly. What followed was a remarkable transformation of Dundlod: the Goenkas built grand havelis, dharamshalas, wells, temples, cenotaphs, a school, a hospital, and other public structures. Over time, Dundlod proudly earned the title “the town of the Goenkas.”
It was in this landscape where the horizon was nothing but golden sand in burning summers and bitter winters that Seth Arjun Das Goenka built his monumental haveli in 1875 AD. In this land where camel caravans carried merchant goods to Gujarat ports, the construction of the grand haveli took ten full years, a decade of craftsmanship and devotion. By the middle of the 20th century, the splendor of the grand haveli began to fade as most of the Goenkas moved to different cities and urban centres to pursue their dreams.
By the 1990s, however, the realisation dawned on the need to restore the family’s grand Haveli. Every corner of the restored haveli which has been turned into a living museum now reflects how carefully Seth Arjun Das and his family designed their home. The haveli also preserves Seth Arjun Das Goenka’s taste for elegance - a unique jhoola for baby Krishna in the pooja room, a “Sword of Honor” gifted by the Raja of Dundlod, a grand four-wheeled rath, bullock carts, exquisite paintings, traditional hukkas, massive jars, and ancient Ayurvedic books.
Umesh Mishra, caretaker and storyteller of the mansion, said,“This haveli is known as Khurre ki Haveli. In those days, no building could rise higher than the king’s fort. But the Goenkas, being wealthier, were granted special permission by the Dundlod rulers.” Though business ultimately took the family to Calcutta, the Goenkas never severed their bond with Dundlod. In the 1990s, they converted the haveli into a museum, to preserve the lifestyle of 150 years ago.
Despite the region’s extremes—temperatures touching 47–48°C, fierce winds, scarce rainfall, frequent famines—the haveli remains structurally and artistically intact. As one walks through the rooms, the foresight of the ancestors becomes clear. Grain and spice storage, flour-grinding tools, traditional seating arrangements, and workspaces showcase their practical lives. The walls narrate stories—local legends, royal tales, bravery of warriors, and devotional scenes centered on Krishna. Nearby stands the magnificent Satyanarain Temple, built in 1911 by the Goenkas, where the deity sits on a swing and five daily pujas continue even today.
Mohan Das Goenka, the great grandson of the haveli builder Seth Arjun Das Goenka, is deeply connected to this project as he led the restoration effort and entrusted the haveli to the community with a vision larger than tourism. He believes it must serve as a reminder of ancestral heritage to future generations, especially to those living far away, unaware of the cultural wealth they come from.
His message is clear: “If every haveli becomes a museum, our heritage will live. If not, all of this will one day fade into history.” He adds further: “I humbly urge each one to spend some time and effort towards the development of the ‘janam bhoomi’ of their ancestors for economic improvement of the villagers and the community as a whole. This will bring a huge change in the uplift of the people here and will ensure the blessings of your ancestors which will help you prosper.”
The Goenka family lived in the haveli until 1945 and continues to visit regularly. Beyond the mansion, the family remains deeply involved with the community. They run programmes for women empowerment, skill-training centres for sewing and spice-making, and initiatives to support elderly residents. They operate schools, scholarship programmes, and organise medical camps and health checkups. Their sewing centre, opened in 2009, has trained 800 women, many of whom now train others or contribute to household income. The mansion has also become a meeting space for women’s hygiene awareness sessions, cultural activities, and festival celebrations.
Shekhawati is unique not just for its art but also for its remarkable legacy of producing warriors, farmers, artists, and industrialists. Names like Khemka, Poddar, Khetan, Goenkas, Jhanjhnuwala, and Seksarias all trace their origins to this land—entrepreneurs who built industries without MBAs, guided instead by discipline, courage, and community values. Their philanthropy lives on in the region’s schools, ponds, hospitals, stepwells, and dharamshalas.
Veteran journalist Narayan Bareth, who belongs to Ratangarh in Shekhawati, says the efforts of Goenkas will inspire the other business houses to connect with their roots.” Despite the grandeur of the surviving havelis, many others lie abandoned, their murals fading, their arches crumbling.
They “weep in helplessness,” as locals put it, standing lonely despite being born from the same legacy. Visitors often marvel at the maintained mansions like the Goenka haveli but worry for the ones left behind. If the descendants of these illustrious families turn their attention back to Shekhawati, they could revive an entire cultural landscape.”
Mohan Das Goenka asserts, “I would like to emphasise the importance of returning to one’s roots and taking care of ‘janam bhoomi’ (motherland) which will also create job opportunities for the prosperity of the villagers.” While he gets disappointed in seeing many havelis in dilapidated shape even today, he expects a brighter future where other merchant families will start to restore their legacies. As he remarks, “I hope my thoughts resonate deeply, and will inspire many to take action. Remember, every small contribution counts, and collective efforts can lead to significant positive change. Let’s work together to uplift our ‘janam bhoomi’ and create a better future for our people in villages of Rajasthan.”
For now, the Goenka haveli stands proud - a model of what patient restoration, cultural memory, and community commitment can achieve. It reminds the world that Shekhawati is not merely called an “open art gallery” as a metaphor; it truly is a vast canvas of prosperity, artistry, and history written across the desert sands.