Echoes of history in the mansions of Barwa village: From Thakur's fort to Kesar Talab

On the sandy land of south-west Haryana, where the heat of the sun is capable of burning even the sand particles, lies Barwa, a village that still preserves the memories of its past in the walls of mansions, the depths of ponds and the colours of paintings.

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This village is located in Bhiwani district, 25 km south of Hisar, on the Rajgarh-Bikaner highway. It is not just known as a normal rural settlement, but as a living mueum, which contains all the colors of architecture, art, culture and social history.

The fortress of Thakurs: The soul of Barwa

The first historical structure that comes to mind when we mention Barwa is the Garhi of Thakurs. This Garhi is built on a sandy mound located in the north-west of the village, which is also known as Bransa Bhawan. It was constructed in 1938 — at a time when the monsoon failed and famine conditions arose in the village. Then Thakur Bagh Singh Tanwar saw it as an employment opportunity and engaged his men in construction work.

The huge entrance of the fort is still decorated with thick iron plates and strong wood. As soon as we enter inside, it feels like we are entering a medieval tale. Rows of rooms made for storage, huge habitable halls, and the arrangement of elephant houses still testify to its grandeur.

The legacy of the Tanwars: From Rajasthan to Haryana

Barwa village was founded by the Tanwar Rajputs who came here from Jeetpura in Rajasthan about 600 years ago. The ancestors of Thakur Brijbhushan Singh, who is the heir to the fort today, took over 14,000 bighas of land here and gradually transformed it into a prosperous estate.