Tourist Places in Churu

Churu is a desert city in the heart of Rajasthan. The great Thar Desert starts from here. The National Highway-65 connects Churu to other districts. It has a railway station which connects to the Bikaner rail line. So, it is a well-connected city with the transport system. The best time to visit Churu is winters as the summers are very harsh in the hot deserts. The vegetation is very less in the area so, only bushes of kair and Phoge are standing in the largely deserted fields. Sand dunes are closely changing their locations in the adjoining areas. The variation in maximum and minimum temperature is enormous. There is a maximum of 55 degrees and a minimum of -5 degrees in the same location.
There are many sightseeing spots like sethani ka johara which is a water reservoir and a Salasar Balaji temple where the devotees flock all around the year. The grandeur of the havelis in this arid land is mystique. Marvelous paintings decorate the walls of havelis. The havelis are surana haveli and Kanhaiya Lal Bagla Ki Haweli. Talchappar is a sanctuary in Churu which has a unique ecosystem. It has grass covering the land and some migratory birds stay here. It is a good place for bird lovers. It also is the abode of blackbuck, foxes, jungle cat, rojra, etc.

Tal Chhappar Sanctuary - The Tal Chhappar sanctuary is located in the Shekhawati region of the state of Rajasthan. The sanctuary is known for its rare blackbuck. The Tal Chhappar sanctuary is at a distance of around 210 km at the edge of the Thar desert on the Ratangarh-Sujangarh highway. Geographically, the sanctuary falls in Sujangarh Tehsil of Churu and is an amusement place for the visitors. The sanctuary is at a distance of 85 km from Churu city and at 132 km from Bikaner.

Salasar Balaji Temple - Located in the town of Salasar near Sujangarh, Salasar Balaji is the temple of Lord Hanuman. Fairs are organised every year on Chaitra Poornima and Ashwin Poornima at Salasar Balaji temple. The place also houses Rani Sati temple and Khatu Shyamji temple as well. Salasar Balaji is also known by the name of Salasar Dham.

Kothari and Surana Havelis - Another spot for the tourists to visit in Churu district is the series of havelis which were built by the Kothari and Surana merchants during the rule of their clans in this region. The most famous haveli is the ‘Malji ka Kamra’ which was built by Malji Kothari in 1925 AD when Churu was a part of Bikaner state. It was initially built as a guest house but soon it became an entertainment spot for the artists. The Haveli is built on the famous Italian and Shekhawati architectural designs. There is a famous Surana brothers’ Double Haveli located in this region as well which was built in 1870 AD. The Double Haveli includes Hawa Mahal which has 1,111 doors and windows and the Bagla Haveli.

Sethani Ka Johara - Sethani ka Johra (The Reservoir of the Wealthy Lady) was built by the wife of Bhagwandas Bagla. Bhagwandas Bagla was the first Marwari Shekhawati Crorepati. He was a very wealthy timber merchant and owned several Saw Mills. Bhagwandasji was originally from Churu, Rajasthan. Sethani Ka Johara is some 3 km west by the Ratangarh road, as a relief project during the terrible ‘Chhappania Akal’, Indian famine of 1899–1900 (vikram samvat 1956) The water attracts birds and mammals such as ‘Nilgai’ (blue bull – a large antelope). The village elders in Churu say that the water in the Johra has never dried up till date.