India Guide
Rajasthan
Patwa Haveli
Address: not far north of Bhatia Bazaar
Price: Rs50, Indian residents Rs30, camera Rs20, video Rs40
Opening time: Daily 8am–6.30pm
The large, beautifully decorated Patwa Haveli, or Patwon-ki-Haveli, was constructed in the first half of the nineteenth century by five brothers from a Jain family who were bankers and traders in brocade and opium. Traces of stylish wall paintings survive in some rooms, but the building's most striking features are its exuberantly carved jharokhas, or protruding balconies. As well as visiting the interior of the Patwa Haveli, take a little stroll down the street whose entrance it bridges, to check out the stonework on four impressive neighbouring havelis.