Sikar

Introduction

Sikar is a city and municipal council in the Sikar district of Rajasthan, India, and serves as the administrative headquarters of that district. It is the largest city of the Shekhawati region, which also takes in Churu and Jhunjhunu.

• Sikar is a major coaching hub for competitive examination preparation, with numerous engineering and medical coaching institutes.
• It is known as Rajasthan's 'Mini Kota'.

Before you go

Sikar is a city in the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan, an area known for its painted havelis and its history as a homeland of the Marwari community. The city sits within a semi-arid landscape, so expect hot, dry conditions for much of the year and a monsoon season that brings most of the annual rain. Plan around the heat rather than against it, and keep in mind that this is a working Indian city rather than a resort town.

Before you go, it helps to know a little about what draws travellers here: the region's frescoed merchant houses and the broader Shekhawati heritage that Sikar shares with its neighbours. Read up on that context in advance, since the experience is largely about architecture, history and local life rather than organised sightseeing.

Getting there

How you reach Sikar depends on where you are coming from. The city sits in the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan and is served by road and by rail, so your choice usually comes down to whether a train connection or a bus and car journey suits your route better.

• By train: Sikar has its own railway station, with services linking it to other towns in the region and beyond.
• By road: the city is connected by road to the surrounding Shekhawati towns and to larger cities in Rajasthan.

Getting around

Sikar is compact and centred on its old walled core, which is pierced by seven historic gates: Bawari Gate, Fatehpuri Gate, Nani Gate, Surajpole Gate, Dujod Gate Old, Dujod Gate New, and Chandpole Gate. Use these gates as landmarks when you are orienting yourself or giving directions to a driver. There is no metro or tram system, so rail and road are the only public transport modes of any scale. For travel within the city, local buses and shared transport run along the main roads, while auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws are the usual choice for shorter hops; it helps to agree on a fare before you set off, or use a metered or app-based service where one is available.

• Sikar Junction railway station, part of the North Western Railway zone, is the main railhead and sits within the city, so you can generally step off a train and continue by road transport without a long transfer. Trains connect Sikar to Jhunjhunu, Rewari, Delhi, Churu, Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar, Hisar, Jaipur, Kota, Ajmer, Udaipur, Abu Road, Indore, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Mathura, Prayagraj and Alwar. Proposed lines toward Nokha (via Sujangarh) and Neem-Ka-Thana (via Udaipurwati) are not yet part of the working network.
• Buses are the mainstay of regional travel. NH-52 runs through the city and links it with Jaipur and Bikaner, and the Kotputli–Kuchaman mega highway and the Jhunjhunu–Jaipur state highway also pass through Sikar, so services along these corridors are frequent. For regional trips, head to the bus stands serving these corridors.
• Taxis and hired cars are the comfortable option for outlying sights such as the Harshnath Temple in the hilly Aravalli country, and for day trips to Khatu Shyam Temple.
• Walking suits the historic core, with its fortified walls, seven gates and traditional havelis, as well as green spaces such as Nehru Park and Smriti Van. Outside the compact centre, distances stretch out and the heat can be intense, so reserve walking for the old city and the parks.
• Sikar has no commercial airport. Jaipur International Airport is the practical gateway; from there continue by road along NH-52 or by train to Sikar Junction. A new airport has been proposed at Shahpura, and a small airstrip at Tarpura village serves small private aircraft.

Where to stay

Food & drink

What to see and do

Three days in Sikar

Day one: Arrive at Sikar Junction, served by North Western Railway, with trains from Rewari, Delhi, Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar, Hisar, Jaipur, Kota, Ajmer, Udaipur, Abu Road and Indore. Use the town as your base for exploring Shekhawati, the painted-haveli region of Rajasthan. Enter through one of the old city gates — Bawari Gate, Fatehpuri Gate, Nani Gate, Surajpole Gate, Dujod Gate Old, Dujod Gate New or Chandpole Gate — and get your bearings on foot.

Day two: Give the day to Shekhawati's towns. Churu and Jhunjhunu lie within reach, and Sikar itself is known as Mini Kota. Plan around the heat: mornings and late afternoons are best, and the desert climate can be fiercely hot in summer and cold in winter.

Day three: Before you leave, read up on the Marwari heritage of the region and the Indian trading culture that shaped these towns. Use the remaining hours for the old city and its gates, then return to Sikar Junction for your onward train.