Bissau

Bissau is another quiet village of the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan, located 32 km from Jhunjhunu. It has seen variating fates in the pages of history. Keshri Singh, son of Sardul Singh, established the town in 1746. The town was administered quite peacefully until its reigns fell into the hands of Shyam Singh, Keshri Singh's grandson.

The administration of the state saw a steep downfall under the rule of Shyam Singh. He tried to extort huge sums of money from the merchants and traders which led them to leave the territory. There was chaos all around, as the thakurs resorted to brigandry. To bring this anarchy to an end, the Britishers called the Shekhawati Brigade, but till then the situation was handled by Shyam Singh's heir, Hammir Singh, who successfully brought back the normalcy in the region.

Sights:
Though not many tourist attractions can be found in the log forgotten village of Bissau, but one cannot miss to have a glimpse of the artistic tradition of the havelis here, if one needs to experience the magic of the Shekhawati region.

Chhatri of Hammir Singh:
Close to the private bus station is the Chhatri of Hammir Singh, a highlight of the place. It carries the rich Shekhawati tradition and artistic lineage further with its beautiful frescoes decorating the walls and domes. One of the paintings here frames a scene from the colonial era, showcasing the Britishers in fancy carriages, some in weird shapes. On the hindsight of the structure is a painting depicting the love story of Dhola-Maru. Many of the paintings of the structure's facade have faded with time.

Today the haveli is being used not as a royal residence but for some less-obvious purposes. A part of the structure is being used as a primary school and another is being used as a storehouse of fodder.

Haveli of Girdarilal Sigtia:
Located close to the bus stand, is another spectacular haveli, Haveli of Girdarilal Sigtia, where you can see colorful frescoes and depiction of customs. One of the rooms in the north-eastern part of the Haveli has a painting of Lord Shiva with a mustache. Showcasing a chapter from the Hindu mythology, this painting depicts river Ganga flowing from the Lord's tresses. In another painting, a woman is shown nursing a small child. There is also a hand imprint in bright orange on the walls of the outer courtyard. It is part of the customary practices that used to take place when a boy child was born.

Motiram Jasraj Sigtia Haveli:
Motiram Jasraj Sigtia Haveli is situated near Haveli of Girdharilal Sigtia. It has scenes from the tales of Lord Krishna and his mischievous acts of childhood, that used to impress everyone in his village. The haveli premises is now used as a primary school.

Getting There & Away:
Train: Bikaner Jaipur Express has a stoppage at Bissau too. Local trains also connect Bissau to the neighboring villages and cities.

Bus: Many buses ply between Bissau and other important cities of Shekhawati like Jhunjhunu, Mahansagar and Churu.

Getting Around:
Bissau is a small village and you can easily tour around in the area on a bicycle which can be hired from a local shop at a hiring charge of Rs 25 per day.