Manak Chowk - History, Timings & Entry Fee

At a distance of 2.5 km from Jaisalmer Railway Station, Manak Chowk is a popular market place situated outside the beautiful Jaisalmer Fort.

Manak Chowk is flooded with shops offering decorative leather works, ethnic silver jewellery, craft works and antique pieces. It draws several tourists from far and wide who are thrilled at the wide variety of traditional ethnic goods that are available at affordable prices. An important commercial and business hub of Jaisalmer, the market portrays the rich artistic caliber and creative skills of the local craftsmen of Rajasthan.

The tourists can experience the architectural splendor of the beautiful havelis of the ancient times in the market place of Manak Chowk. Patwon ki Haveli, Salim Singh ki Haveli and Nathmalji ki-Haveli are the most famous havelis in this area. Majority of these havelis were constructed during the 18th and 19th centuries and exhibit rich art and craft works. This market place was a popular beehive of trade and was known by the name Sadar Mandi. Back then, the Sadar Mandi or the grain market used to be crowded with traders from Iraq, Egypt, Persia and Arabia.