Shilpa Srinivas

A photo essay of Churu, Rajasthan - The Town with a glorious past and a garbled present.

Updated: May 16

The first time I ever heard of Churu, Rajasthan was when I was 8, my aunt decided to marry a companionable man from Rajasthan and move there. She always welcomed our family to visit her, but somehow my parents couldn’t manage to do so. That was until I took it upon myself to make it happen.

Fondly known as the ‘Gateway to Thar desert’, Churu is a district in Rajasthan (India) situated amidst the shifting golden dunes. Not so long ago, in the 18th century, the region brimmed with merchants as the whole province was a bustling trade zone. Besides the soaring highs and lows of temperature, my aunt would often talk about the ancient Havelis, philanthropically minded people and of course, the elaborate clothing. What seemed a drastic cultural shift for her then and visiting her now, I was somewhat spellbound as to how she had seamlessly managed to mould herself to the new hometown.

Churu seemed like another world to me, contrasting from the city (Bangalore) that I had grown up. When, in fact, Churu is just a few hours of drive from the capital city of India, (Delhi) brings the question of why it still lies in the shadow. I remember wanting to see if there were any heritage hotels or any guided activities to experience? There were none except ‘Malji ka Kamra’, which is perhaps what sets this town apart. When you are done trying to relate to the imaginary world of kings and queens, step back in history and visit a town that the man built and thrived.

Below is a photo essay of my experiences in Churu, as I was a relative by the law of the people who live in here gave me a peek into the untainted and earnest everyday life, and I’m thankful for the revelation.