Havelis’ are traditional townhouse or manor house known for their beautifully crafted and designed intricate artwork. The word haveli is derived from the Arabic word “hawali”, meaning “partition” or “private space”, popularised during the Mughal era. Later, the haveli word was used generically to describe palatial mansions, manor houses, and townhouses. Rajasthan is home to some of the most beautiful havelis. These colourful, magnificent and grand Rajasthani havelis bring the charm and grandeur of the bygone era.
Depicting the art and cultural heritage of Rajasthan, these colourful havelis can be seen across Jaipur to Jaisalmer and from Bikaner to Jodhpur. Tourists plan their tour of Rajasthan, in a manner that helps them to get a glimpse of these grandiose mansions. Right from Mughals to the wealthy Hindu merchants of Shekhawati region, each haveli reflects’ class and grandeur of its owner. Adorned by murals, paintings, and intricate artwork; these havelis are a storehouse of antique objects and memorabilia that were in use during the 17th and 18 centuries. Today many of the havelis have been refurbished into heritage hotels; allowing tourists to enjoy a royal experience in a heritage retreat.
One of the most famous and sought after havelis to visit by tourists, is the Salim Singh ki Haveli. Salim Singh ki haveli was built on the location of an older haveli. The old haveli was built sometime in the late 17th century. Salim Singh, the then-prime minister of the state of Jaisalmer rebuilt this haveli in 1815, hence the name. The haveli was built with stones held together with iron rods. The beauty of this structure, the captivating carvings, and the fact that not even a drop of water, cement or mortar was used in construction of this structure. This unique strategy gave the building massive strength that helped it to stand the passage of time. This construction of the haveli is said to be inspired by the beauty of a dancing peacock.
According to history, Salim Singh built this massively beautiful haveli to envy the king, which ended up resulting in his demise. This mansion is famous for its distinctive architecture that includes 38 gracefully carved balconies, each different from the other. An interesting structure to visit, Salim Singh ki haveli is one of the most beautiful edifices situated in the heart of the Jaisalmer city, and is one of the main tourist attractions in the city. The haveli is also known as Jahaz Mahal, as its front has close resemblance with a ships’ stern. Known for its architectural marvel and elegance the haveli was designed with pale blue cupolas and each of the balconies have got their distinct shape. At the entrance of the haveli, tourists are welcomed by two elephants which are carved out of stones and the walls covered with countless imperial paintings.
There is one more mahal built inside the haveli, which is known as Moti Mahal. The ceilings, floors of the bedrooms, corridors of Moti Mahal are decorated with thousands of mirror pieces and gaps are packed with authentic pearls which were claimed to have been imported from Belgium. It was once upon a time a place to meet for aristocratic and royal courtiers. It is one of the must-visit places in Jaisalmer in the travel itinerary of a tourist. Known for its architectural marvel and elegance, the mansion located at Amar Sagar Pol, near the Jaisalmer Railway Station, is considered one of the most ambitious constructions of its times; and is reportedly inspired by the dancing peacock.
Tourists can see the magnificently carved brackets decorating the roof which resembles a peacock. The haveli’s roof is arched and capped with blue cupolas. ‘Salim Singh Ki Haveli’ was occupied by the wealthy merchant family of Mehtas, soon after its completion. The haveli is open to the public seven days a week from 6 AM to 6 PM. Entry fees is INR 10 for Indian tourists per head and INR 15 for foreigner tourists per head. Tourists have to pay INR 50 for still camera and INR 100 for video camera. Legend has it that Salim Singh was not a very nice person and very unpopular prime minister. He suffered from childhood trauma, of having to watch his father being killed by royal official. This filled him with rage as he grew up, hating the royals and wanted to do anything to avenge his father’s death.
So, he built the ‘Salim Singh Ki Haveli’, designed initially to be seven (7) stories tall. He wanted his haveli to be even more grandiose than the then King’s residence; but this was something never heard before. So, on the then Jaisalmer king’s orders’, two topmost floors were demolished. This enraged Salim Singh even more and he started plotting against the king. The moment, the king got whiff of the plot, he got Salim Singh executed, just before inauguration of his grand haveli.
The haveli was eventually handed over to a wealthy merchant close to the king. The haveli has a number of exit points that can be used in case of eminent danger. The haveli is considered to be a mark of luxury and extravagance, with countless stone carvings and wonderful artistic crafts. It is believed, that the splendour of the haveli played a part in the murder of Salim Singh. ‘Salim Singh Ki Haveli’ always remains on the top of every tourist’s travel plan visiting Rajasthan. This is because the splendour of the mansion is considered way ahead of its time, and is described as the greatest example of craftsmanship of architects and builders of Rajasthan at that time.
