Patwa-ki-Haveli

Top choice in Jaisalmer


The biggest fish in the haveli (traditional, ornately decorated residence) pond is Patwa-ki-Haveli, which towers over a narrow lane, its intricate stonework like honey-coloured lace. Divided into five sections, it was built between 1800 and 1860 by five Jain brothers who made their fortunes in brocade and jewellery. It’s all very impressive from the outside; however, the first of the five sections, the privately owned Kothari’s Patwa-ki-Haveli Museum, richly evokes 19th-century life and is the only one worth paying entry for.

Other sections include two largely empty government-owned 'museums' and two private sections containing shops.