Shekhawati havelis and heritage objects on view at India Habitat Centre

A reverse-glass painting, a bridal box and objects recovered from old havelis are among around 1,000 exhibits at the Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, on Lodhi Road.

*Raj Se Swaraj Tak – From Colonial Rule to Freedom, Through the Eyes of Shekhawati* follows 10 strands of the northern Rajasthan region’s history, including its frescoed architecture, saints, trade networks, the British Raj, oleography, the freedom movement and the Shekhawati diaspora. Shruti Nada Poddar, founder of the Museum of Heritage and Art at Ramgarh, and art historian Alka Pande curated the exhibition.

The show draws on Poddar’s 12-year personal collection and material from havelis she acquired and restored. A separately displayed section on bridal education includes tablets found in old bridal boxes; access to that material will be restricted.

Shekhawati’s painted haveli towns entered UNESCO’s Tentative List in 2026. The exhibition is open through September 30. A discussion on the region’s future is scheduled at the venue on September 27, World Tourism Day.