RAS question
Patwon ki Haveli in Jaisalmer was built by:
Correct answer: (C) Patwa (Jain merchant) family.
Patwon ki Haveli in Jaisalmer was built by Guman Chand Patwa, a Jain merchant, and his five sons in the early 19th century.
Explanation
Patwon ki Haveli is linked to the Patwa Jain merchant family, not to a ruling dynasty or the British. The MIT Dome record identifies its creation as "built by the family of Guman Chand Patwa" and dates it to about 1805-1860. That matches the exam explanation: Guman Chand Patwa and his five sons built it in the early 19th century. The source also explains why the monument is prominent in Jaisalmer: it was the first haveli erected there, and it is not a single mansion but a cluster of five smaller havelis. The first was commissioned and constructed in 1805 by Guman Chand Patwa, with the five houses completed across the first 60 years of the 19th century.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) The British are not credited in the explanation or the MIT Dome record; the source attributes the haveli to the family of Guman Chand Patwa.
- (B) Rathore rulers are not associated with this haveli in the given material, which identifies a Patwa merchant family as the builder.
- (D) Bhatti rulers are linked in the question data with Jaisalmer Fort, whereas Patwon ki Haveli is attributed to Guman Chand Patwa and his family.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan art and architecture through patronage: RAS often asks who commissioned a famous fort, temple, palace or haveli. Patwon ki Haveli is a recurring example because it connects Jaisalmer's built heritage with merchant patronage rather than royal construction.