Request for Special Status and Heritage State Declaration for Rajasthan

New Delhi/Jaipur/Jhunjhunu. Justices amicus KK Gupta, appointed by the Hon'ble Permanent and Continuous Lok Adalat for Jhunjhunu, Nawalgarh and Mandawa municipalities of Shekhawati region of Rajasthan, has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat requesting to declare Rajasthan as a special state and heritage state from the point of view of tourism. Gupta said that Rajasthan holds the top position in the whole world in terms of attracting domestic and foreign tourists and tourism.

K K Gupta is currently a member of the NSSC of the Government of India, Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural), Coordinator of the Government of Rajasthan and the State BJP. He has previously been the Brand Ambassador of the Swachh Bharat Mission campaign of the Government of Rajasthan and the Chairmen of the Dungarpur Municipal Council. He is also associated with many other organizations including the International Vaishya Council and the Chamber of Commerce.

Gupta is also going to write a letter to the Chief Minister of the state Bhajan Lal Sharma and request that a separate discussion session be organized on the development and revival of the Shekhawati havelis during the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit-2024 to be held in Jaipur at the end of this year and efforts should be made to invite investors and experts for the revival of dilapidated havelis. He said that there are about 500 havelis in the Shekhawati region. There are many such havelis which have more than 100 rooms. He suggested that attractive proposals should be made to the owners who are unable to maintain these havelis and proposals should be made to revive these havelis. Also, a special policy should be made by the state government for the acquisition of abandoned or dilapidated havelis by the local bodies. Apart from this, a special fund should be established to promote tourism development in this area. Gupta said that the old havelis and the frescoes and other paintings and artwork present in them in Jhunjhunu, Churu and Bikaner Districts of the Shekhawati region of the state have their own unique identity in the world. While the name of the Albrecian town of Spain comes first among the beautiful towns of the world, the name of the Mandawa town of Jhunjhunu District is at the 30th place where about 50 thousand foreign tourists come every year who capture the beauty of the beautiful havelis of Mandawa and the paintings on the ceilings and walls, the unmatched work of artistic windows and lattices in their cameras. These old havelis of Shekhawati region have their own historical and cultural importance. These havelis, which are unique examples of architecture, introduce us to the ancient culture of India and also connect everyone with the glorious civilization of the country and the state. The amazing architecture and beautiful paintings in these grand havelis attract domestic and foreign tourists.

Gupta has written in his letter that many places of heritage importance present in Rajasthan are famous in the country and the world and Rajasthan is recognized as an open art gallery. At present, Rajasthan is the largest state in the country in terms of area. Along with this, the state also holds the top position in attracting domestic and foreign tourists and in terms of tourism. More than half of the tourists who come to Rajasthan go to see the ancient havelis of Shekhawati region. Tourism business plays an important role in the overall development of any region. Tourism is a big industry in itself. With the arrival of domestic and foreign tourists, the revenue income of the country and the state increases and thousands of people also get employment. 

The three bodies of Shekhawati region, Jhunjhunu, Nawalgarh and Mandawa are not only famous from the tourism point of view, but the religious places here are also of great importance from the religious tourism point of view. Khatu Shyam Ji Temple in Sikar district, Salasar Hanuman Ji Temple in Churu, Rani Sati Dadi Temple in Jhunjhunu have deep faith of crores of religious lovers and domestic tourists. Film makers also have a deep interest in this area. Two popular films have also been made here in the past, one of which is "Pyara Shyam Dhani Datar" on Khatushyam Ji Temple and the other is "Jai Jeenmata". In the coming time, another film "Moti Sethani" is going to be made in the name of Maa Rani Sati Dadi, which will make its name at the world level in the fame and promotion of these places.

*Local bodies will have to protect the havelis otherwise it will be brought to the notice of the court: Justice Amicus Gupta*

Gupta said that for the proper protection of the world famous havelis of Rajasthan, the honourable courts had entrusted the responsibility to the local municipal bodies of Jhunjhunu, Nawalgarh and Mandawa and any kind of negligence in this has been considered as disregard of the orders of the honourable court. In this regard, the officers of the three bodies have also been instructed from time to time that they should compel the owners of the havelis which are becoming dilapidated in these areas to protect them and the report of the havelis which have been damaged should be sent to the honourable court for cognizance. In this context, the senior officials of the concerned department have also been informed that it is very important to keep our historical heritage safe because these historical heritages will keep reminding the coming generations that how rich and glorious the history of Rajasthan and Shekhawati region has been.

Gupta has given clear instructions to these local bodies that these three bodies of Shekhawati region are not only famous from the tourist point of view but are also very important from the religious point of view, therefore it is their responsibility to keep this area clean and beautiful. It is the responsibility of every officer and public representative that they should not limit the ambitious Swachh Bharat Abhiyan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi only to papers and false figures and photos but to bring this campaign on the ground and give it the reality. He instructed the three bodies that the local bodies which have not sent their report till now should send their report immediately otherwise the honorable court and higher officials will be informed about this after inspecting the spot. Also, any kind of negligence in this regard will not be tolerated.

Gupta underlined that tourism is a big industry in itself. With the arrival of domestic and foreign tourists, the revenue of the country and the state increases manifold and thousands of people also get employment, but for this it is also very important to keep in mind that wherever there is dirt, the number of tourists decreases instead of increasing and ultimately the local people as well as the state and the country suffer losses.