Kothari's Patwa Haveli museum
Kothari's Patwa Haveli is a mansion built in the early 1800s from yellow sandstone with over 60 projecting balconies that show how wealthy traders designed their homes. The museum interior displays living areas, kitchens, dressing rooms, and a Jain temple furnished with painted ceilings, mirror work, and period furnishings from the 19th century.
Construction began in 1805 and took roughly 55 years to complete because the wealthy merchant Guman Chand Patwa built a separate section for each of his five sons. The Archaeological Survey of India carried out restoration work in the 1970s to return the building to its earlier condition.
The name comes from the Patwa family, wealthy merchants who traded gold and silver brocade threads. Visitors can see the original painted walls, mirror work, and 19th-century furnishings that reflect how prosperous trader families actually lived in their homes.
Rooms connect through steep stairs and narrow passages, so visitors should expect climbing and confined spaces. The terrace provides excellent views of the city and nearby Jaisalmer Fort and visits are best from October to March when the weather is cooler.
The building contains hidden safes behind paintings and murals where merchants once concealed money and valuables. These concealed chambers reveal how traders protected their wealth and give visitors insight into the practical concerns of a prosperous family.
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