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Jaipur Travel Info

Hawa Mahal

Situated near the Jaipur City Palace, Hawa Mahal is one of the most exquisite examples of Indian architecture. It is called Hawa Mahal (Air Palace) because of the numerous windows on its outer wall, which bring a lot of wind inside the palace.

Built in the year 1979, Hawa Mahal was built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, who was the grandson of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, the founder of Jaipur.

Architecture

The design of Hawa Mahal was created by Lal Chand Usta. This five story high building has a total of 953 windows on the outer wall. These windows have beautiful carving and the palace is in the shape of crown of Lord Krishna. It is believed that Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh was a staunch devotee of Lord Krishna and thus, he incorporated this design in his project.

The exterior follows a honeycomb design and is made of sandstone. The palace is the part of City Palace and was used by the women in the palace to look out on the street. The windows are designed in such a way that they give a clear view of the street, but nobody can look inside from the street. This was perfect for the women of that era, who used to observe the custom of hiding their face from strange men.

The palace was also used as a place to retreat during the intolerable summers of Jaipur. The design of this palace keeps the inner chambers cooler by allowing constant air circulation.

Attractions

Hawa Mahal is particularly beautiful in early morning when sun rays enter the chambers from the windows and bathe the entire palace in golden lights. A narrow stairway will take you to the upper stories. There are various chambers on each storey, which were used for different purposes. The interior architecture of the palace has invariable feminine feel to it, as it was mainly used by women.

Beautiful pillars, marble floorings and intrinsic carving create a beautiful atmosphere. The palace has recently been given a face lift and is restored to its former glory.

Hawa Mahal is a must-visit for every tourist to Jaipur. It is located in Northern part of the city at the main square. The palace has an entry at the rear end, so you will have to take a right turn from the front of the palace and go towards the entry to the main chamber.