Hawa Mahal, the "Palace of Winds", is the best-known landmark of Jaipur. Its tall honeycomb facade of pink sandstone rises five storeys above one of the busiest streets of the old city and is pictured on countless postcards of Rajasthan.
History:
It was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh and designed by Lal Chand Ustad. The royal women of the time followed strict purdah and could not be seen in public. From behind the small latticed windows they could watch festivals, processions and everyday life in the bazaar without being seen.
Architecture:
The facade has 953 small windows (jharokhas) decorated with fine lattice work. The windows let the breeze flow through the building and kept it cool in the summer heat – which gave the palace its name. The shape of the facade is said to resemble the crown of Lord Krishna, to whom Maharaja Pratap Singh was devoted. Surprisingly, the building is only one room deep in its upper levels: it is mainly a screen rather than a palace to live in.
Good to know:
The famous view is the facade from the street, best in the soft morning light; the cafés opposite offer a good view from above. The entrance to the inside is not on the main street but at the back of the building, reached by a small lane. Hawa Mahal is visited on almost every Jaipur tour together with the City Palace and Jantar Mantar.
