Salim Singh ki haveli is located in the heart of Jaisalmer city in the western Indian state of Rajasthan. It is situated beside the hills near the Jaisalmer Fort. Salim Singh ki haveli is one of the well-known palaces in Jaisalmer, and one of the destinations on the top of lists. The haveli is an architectural wonder and has 35 balconies. The haveli is 300 years old. When it was ahead of its time for its unique structure.
Salim Singh ki haveli was built in the location of an older haveli. The old haveli was built in the late 17th century; the new haveli was built in the year 1815. The Mehta family of Jaisalmer occupied Salim Singh ki haveli, as they were the most powerful family of their time. When Jaisalmer was the capital, Salim Singh, the Prime Minister of the kingdom back then, commissioned the haveli. It is claimed that Salim Singh built two additional floors to make the palace as high as the Jaisalmer fort, but then he ordered them to be torn down.
In which city does Salim Singh Ki Haveli locate?
in Jaisalmer, known as the Golden City, for being built majorly out of yellow sandstone and its golden sand-dunes, the city of Jaisalmer was a medieval trading hub and a formerly princely state. The city is situated within the Thar Desert and you can experience the attractions on camel-back too. An exotic desert city, Jaisalmer has a lot to offer to culture enthusiasts. One of the major attractions in the city is the Salim Singh Ki Haveli.
Historical Background about Salim Singh Ki Haveli
At one point, Jaisalmer was the capital of Rajasthan, and the prime minister in 1815 was Salim Singh. He created a mansion with distinctive architecture, making the haveli a must-visit place. Interestingly, the legend has it that Salim Singh was not a very nice person. Having gone through childhood trauma, where he watched his father being killed by royal officials, he grew up hating the royals and wanted to avenge his father’s death by overthrowing the king.
When he became the prime minister, he was vicious and cruel in his dealings with the people of the city, making him notorious for not being a nice person. In his quest for vengeance, he set out to build himself a structure, the haveli, which looked even grander than the King’s residence. He also ordered two extra stories to be built so that his haveli was taller than that of the king’s - which did not go down well at all with the king.
The royals were treated with great reverence and it was not heard of for people to try to slow them down - so the king ordered the demolition of the top two stories. This ended up making Salim Singh hate the king even more. Interestingly though, the structure is so beautiful, it seems almost strange that it could be built as a sign of vengeance!
Salim Singh ki Haveli Architecture
This admirable mansion has a beautifully arched roof with excellently carved brackets in the form of Peacocks, just below the hill. The walls, balconies are all covered with imperial paintings.
There is also a superb painting of a man in a Mughal style, wearing a black turban. In the beautiful Moti Mahal of this Haveli dances used to be held in order to entertain the courtiers and the royal aristocrats.
It is said that once the Haveli of Salim Singh had two additional wooden stories in an attempt to make it as high as the maharaja’s palace, but the maharaja had the upper story torn down.
This beautiful architectural building is one of the major attractions of Jaisalmer.