Haveli came under the hammer..

The palatial house of the business tycoon went under the hammer

The quest for better and better English speaking skills is one of the most rewarding and interesting journeys you would ever embark on. Let’s move on to the next step of this journey.

Contrary to the heavy violent imagery, of the hammer, this phrase is about something different. Infact the right hammer to think of is not the heavy, iron hammer of a blacksmith but the wooden hammer of a judge or an auctioneer. There, that’s the clue for this phrase.

Remember those eighty’s Bollywood movies where an ageing rich man would go poor all of a sudden because of some shady dealings by villains. The haveli would then have to be auctioned – that’s the meaning of coming under the hammer – to be auctioned.

Let’s take some examples:

1. Lala Dhaniram took a lot of bank loans but failed to return them. Finally, the bank decided to take tough action and Lalaji’s haveli, his car and his farm house went under the hammer.
2. Gandhi ji’s memorabilia went under the hammer last year in a museum in New York.
3. The famous painter’s creations went under the hammer last year and he donated the proceeds of the sales of his most expensive painting to charity.

Use the phrase to express the idea that something is being auctioned or being sold to the highest bidder in a public event.

Let’s close with some more examples:

1. Some people think that whenever Gandhi Ji’s specs or Tipu Sultan’s shoes go under the hammer anywhere in the world, the government should treat it as a national issue and make its best efforts to get it to India. I think such childish displays of patriotism are not required.
2. Seth Batliwala’s collection of bottles came under the hammer last year. A high profile young business tycoon spent Rs 100 Crores for a broken bottle which was believed to be the first beer bottle of India.