Jaipur. The state government is preparing to enact a law to preserve the historic and artistic mansions of Shekhawati, Rajasthan, which have become a center of attraction for domestic and foreign tourists. A bill is expected to be passed in the budget session of the Legislative Assembly, which begins at the end of this month. Building regulations will be changed if necessary.Old mansions are being converted into homestays or museums. Major industrial houses have preserved three mansions for their own rest houses. The Poddar Haveli in Nawalgarh, built approximately 125 years ago, has been converted into a museum. A plan has been developed to survey and preserve 662 100- to 200-year-old mansions in the Sikar, Churu, and Jhunjhunu districts of the Shekhawati region.In the initial phase, 27 mansions have been renovated so far. Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari and officials have sought cooperation from Shekhawati's major industrialists, who originally hail from Sikar, Churu, and Jhunjhunu but have relocated to Assam, West Bengal, Mumbai, Bihar, and other southern Indian states many years ago.These include the Birla family, natives of Pilani in Jhunjhunu district, the Poddar family of Ramgarh, the Goenkas of Mandawa, Lakshmi Mittal, head of Arcelor and a resident of Sadulpur, and Anil Agarwal, head of the Vedanta Group. These industrial houses have pledged their cooperation in preserving their ancestral mansions.Mandawa native and entrepreneur Manish Goenka said that the Goenka family had built the mansion in Mandawa 200 years ago, now our fifth generation is managing this mansion itself.Efforts are also being made to include it in the UNESCO list.The state government is also working to have the mansions included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. A team of officials from local bodies, the district administration, and the Public Works Department are working to preserve them. Additional Chief Secretary of the Public Works Department, Praveen Gupta, has called a meeting on Monday to review the restoration of the mansions.Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari said that historical and artistic havelis are an integral part of our cultural heritage. Preserving them is our priority. A large number of foreign tourists visit the state to see these havelis.
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