SOME PROMINENT YELLOW SANDSTONE HAVELIS ( MANSIONS ) OF JAISALMER, RAJASTHAN.

                                                                   

    
HAVELIS  OF  JAISALMER

The old city  has several Havelis built in artistic style .All these Havelis have extensive and ornate yellow  stone carvings .Some prominent HAVELIS  worth mentioning are ..

PATWA HAVLEIS

The Bafna  Oswal  (Jain ) Havelis known as Patwa Havelis are  the most  ostentatious  HAVELIS to visit. This  cluster of five havelis was   commissioned in 1805  by Ghuman Chand , a wealthy Trader from Bafna Oswal ( Jain ) community . This family traded in Gold and Silver threads , Opium , Jewels , Ghee etc. The  family had their business branches in Afghanistan , china , Sindh and Calcutta and Chennai  with hundreds of camels ,horses and elephants to carry their goods across various trade routes .

                                                                        

The overhanging  balconies  of these Havelis are carved intricately.   The havelis  have Decorated gateways with  arches ,elegant rooms and  Cellars  . Some rooms in these Havelis  have Intricate Mirror work . The  outer walls  of the 5  Patwa Havelis have  carvings of flowers , leaves , Birds ( peacocks ), gods and goddesses in perfect geometrical proportion.

NATHMAL KI HAVELI

Other Haveli worth mentioning is the NATH MAL  KI  HAVELI  ( Mehta Nath Mal was  a Dewan of the Jaisalmer state ) The haveli was built in 1885 AD.   Haveli as an elephant statue in its courtyard .This three storey Haveli has also been built with yellow sandstone having intricate carvings on its walls , windows and  Jharokhas .
                                                                       

                                                                         

 SALAM SINGH KI HAVELI

Another Haveli known as MOTI MAHAL or SALAM SINGH KI HAVELI  is named after  Mehta  Salam Singh , A Dewan of Jaialmer  . He was  cruel and sadistic in his dealings . He had seven wives and the again wanted to marry  a Palliwal girl  which the Palliwals refused .  In revenge ,Salam Singh started   mistreating  and  taxed them for all their activities . Palliwals  had settled near Jaisalmer  and had  built excellent rain  Water storage ponds for their agricultural activities. They were also into the trading business    Salam Singh’s .  acts forced Palliwal Brahmins  to vacate all the 84 villages granted to them by the rulers of Jaisalmer . They  moved out of the desert in one go secretly leaving behind their houses , Animals and other property  . Maharwal Gaj singh a Bhatti ruler got him finally killed .

 Built with yellow sandstone ,this haveli has carved Balconies . The Haveli had 9 floors but after the death of Salam Singh , Maharwal Gajsingh demolished 2 floors .

                                                            

Another Haveli near Mandir Palace  known  NACHANA HAVELI  is currently being used as a Restaurant.

                                                                         

             
( Autar Mota 06.01.2014)

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