NADINE THE PRINCE HAVELI

Built in 1840, the house was bought by Nadine Le Prince, a French painter in 1999. Since then, the renovation works follow one another with many difficulties. The first one being to find painters restorers experts in al fresco technique. The Indians for many consider that the ravages of time should not be repaired and that the frescoes, even very damaged, should be left as is. The al fresco technique also requires knowledge of natural pigments that are impregnated into the wall. This technique allows a better conservation of the paintings, especially those exposed outside. During the first stage of renovation, the frescoes were painted directly on the walls. A few monsoons erased the work and it was necessary to start again. The visits are conducted in French by young volunteers who have come to spend a few months here. Originally, this haveli was the house of a rich merchant who spared no effort to decorate the public areas. The entrance, with its elaborately carved teak lintels and painted ceiling depicting Krishna playing the flute surrounded by his gopis, shepherdesses depicted as dancers, is breathtaking. The house housed 70 people: about thirty family members and forty servants. This haveli is one of the most beautiful in Shekhawati, because of its restoration and maintenance, which allow one to imagine the opulence of the region in the 19th century.