A few weeks ago, I was cycling in the walled city of Jaipur. On my way to the City Palace complex, as I passed the iconic Hawa Mahal, I came across this sight outside the Sawai Man Singh Town Hall in Sireh Deori Bazaar, also called the old Vidhan Sabha by locals. A young boy was relaxing on the bed placed on the side pavement along with appliances & furniture; it was an uncommon sight. Curious, I asked if he was shifting his residence. He replied that he was waiting to deposit all these items at the police station opposite to Sawai Man Singh Townhall in line with the requirement of the dowry case. If a dowry case is filed by the married woman along with proof of purchase, the groom must deposit dowry items at the police station. The goods are released only on the court’s order at the woman’s request. Due to this, the police stations are often filled up with these items.

Earlier this week, I was rummaging through the old pictures of Jaipur that have clicked over the last 8 years. One of the pictures I clicked in 2016 caught my attention. It was a picture of the Old Assembly Hall or Purani Vidhan Sabha of Jaipur in the walled city area of Jaipur, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site; it is called Sawai Man Singh Town Hall. I haven’t taken many pictures of this historic building. Needless to say, I do possess recent pictures clicked during my heritage walking tours in Jaipur during the last two years. Allow me to share a picture of Sawai Man Singh Town Hall in Sireh Deori Bazaar from 2016.

This historic building is almost 150 years old; most photographers who captured Jaipur before the 1930s have missed this building.

Sawai Man Singh Town Hall | Old Jaipur Vidhan Sabha | Information

The building has been out of use for almost 2 decades. A huge beehive on its facade was present for many years. The current government has provided indications many times of converting this building into a “Gandhi Museum.” Being a historic building, converting it into a Gandhi museum will not be a good idea. Certainly, Mahatma Gandhi, considered the father of India, deserves respect but this building has no connection with him. I’m certain linking this building with Jaipur city and its people and history is a better option. Jaipur already has a Gandhi Museum in Gandhi Nagar on the Khadi Gramudyog campus. Even the Museum of Legacies, which was a brainchild of the previous government, was downgraded during the current government’s reign. In its current state, there are no exhibits.

History of Sawai Man Singh Town Hall

For those thinking- what is the history of Sawai Man Singh Town Hall? The precise year when the building was completed is unknown but as per the popular opinion, it was completed in 1880 AD. The building was commissioned by Sawai Ram Singh II under the supervision of Col. Samuel Swinton Jacob, then superintendent of the Public Works Department of Jaipur.

Role in Jaipur’s history

From 1952 until the 1990s, it was the state assembly hall. In the early 2000s, the assembly hall was shifted to a modern building in C-Scheme, now known as Vidhan Sabha. Since then, the old Vidhan Sabha is in a state of disrepair. The adjoining building houses the Amer Development Management Authority office, popularly known as ADMA.

Connection with Maharaja Sawai Man Singh

Even though the town hall is named after the last ruler of Jaipur, Sawai Man Singh II, the building was neither commissioned nor built by him. Its history traces back to much before his reign began in the late 19th century as detailed above. However, the building attained importance during his rule. Here is a picture of the last king of Jaipur, Sawai Man Singh II with his wife, Maharani Gayatri Devi. If you want more insights, read The legacy of Maharani Gayatri Devi of Jaipur

Sawai Man Singh Town Hall Future Plans- A Museum

As per the current information, the building will soon reopen as a museum in 2 to 3 months. The museum will showcase the cultural heritage of the state. There will be a total of 9 different zones showcasing regions of the Rajasthan state.

The first floor of the museum will have exhibits that help the visitors discover the history of the state from the Harappa civilization to the colonial period. It will include photos as well as artifacts from across the state.

The second floor of the museum will have exhibits from different areas of the state like Mewar, Marwar, Hadoti, Mewat, Godwar, and Dhundhad. I have mentioned these areas in my previous post on Patrika Gate. Check out my post-Patrika Gate A snapshot of Rajasthan. The estimated cost of the entire Sawai Man Singh Townhall project is in excess of Rs. 90 crore.

Jaipur Royal Family Battles Rajasthan Government Over Sawai Man Singh Town Hall Ownership in Supreme Court

Many people are wondering why the Jaipur royal family is fighting for the town hall? For context, Jaipur Royal family seeking the return of Sawai Man Singh Town Hall from Rajasthan Government filed a case in Rajasthan High Court. As per the latest news, the legal case between Jaipur Royal family vs Rajasthan state has reached the Supreme Court of India in 2025. Four members of Jaipur’s royal family challenged a decision by the Rajasthan High Court. A previous ruling by Rajasthan High Court stated that the royal family of Jaipur could not file a case to reclaim the Sawai Man Singh Town Hall, also known as the Old Vidhan Sabha in Jaipur, or seek compensation for its use without permission.

Sawai Man Singh Town Hall is mentioned in an old agreement signed in March 1949 between Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II and the Government of India, before the Indian Constitution came into effect. The High Court dismissed the Jaipur royal family’s case by referring to Article 363 of the Constitution. This article prevents courts from handling disputes related to agreements made between princely states and the Indian government.

However, Jaipur royal family believes the High Court misunderstood the law. They argue that Article 363 doesn’t stop them from reclaiming property that was marked as their personal asset in the agreement. They say the Sawai Man Singh Town Hall was loaned to the government temporarily for official use and, since it hasn’t served any official purpose since 2001, it should be returned to them. The family also opposed the Rajasthan government’s plan to turn the Town Hall into a museum.

Can you visit Sawai Man Singh Singh Town Hall? No, the town hall is not open for public visit. I did have an opportunity to visit the town hall during its renovation for the museum. Here are a few inside pictures of Sawai Man Singh Singh Town Hall also called old Vidhan Sabha in Jaipur.