These five havelis, built of beautiful yellow sandstone, had been constructed in 50 years. These five havelis form a uniform whole. Out of these five havelis, two are in possession of the government and are being utilized as the offices of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the State Arts & Crafts Department. The third haveli has a large collection of the work of the local craftsmen from the past. It also has a little gallery that displays all the turbans ever seen in that era and is called the ‘Turban Gallery’. The largest among the five havelis houses a museum and a store for antique furniture. The fifth one is now a private accommodation & allows travelers to stay and experience life in a haveli.
These mansions are very beautifully built with walls covered with gorgeous mirror work and artistic paintings. The arches are uniquely designed and stand out. All these havelis are built in traditional Indian way – rooms around a large courtyard. Although all the five havelis are beautiful and unique in their own way but the first haveli is the finest in the lot. Beautiful doorways, intricate carvings and more than 60 balconies make it look magnificent. When the sunlight falls in through these ‘jallis’ in stone, the whole place shines brilliantly. The colorful contrast between the interiors & the desert landscape is a striking feature of architecture. It’s beautiful to see how the architecture & style is inspired by Indian and Persian styles.
Patwon Ki Haveli is also called as ‘Mansions of the Brocades Merchants’. This name was probably given because the family dealt in threads of gold & silver used in embroidering dresses. There are stories rolling around that the family made most of its money in opium smuggling & money lending. But while the stories come and go and change forms, the pieces of art have remained unchanged and each time new set of eyes and ears visit the place, a new story emerges, a new form takes shape.