Char Chowk Haveli

Lonely Planet may earn a commission from affiliate links on our site. All recommendations and reviews reflect our own independent opinions.

Beneath the eaves on the northern external wall of this haveli (traditional, ornately decorated residence), you’ll find a picture of a bird standing on an elephant and with another elephant in its beak. The murals in the inner courtyard are well preserved, and the walls and ceiling of a small upstairs room on the eastern side are completely covered with paintings. It has some explicit erotic images, but it’s ill-lit – the caretaker will open the room for you for some baksheesh.

In the same building, a room in the northwestern corner retains floral swirls and motifs on the ceiling with scenes from the Krishna legends interspersed with inlaid mirrors. The black-and-white rectangular designs on the lower walls create a marbled effect. The front facade is disintegrating at the lower levels, with the plaster crumbling and the bricks exposed. The southern haveli is still inhabited.


Must-see attractions