Hawa Mahal Resembling Krishna’s crown, Hawa Mahal is an elaborate monument in Jaipur. Standing right in the middle of the old market of Jaipur, the structure made of red and pink sandstone keeps the name of the Pink City very proudly.
Lal Chand Ustad has put a lot of effort in designing the back of the palace to blend in the city, which is now also confused as the front by people.
Also known as ‘The Palace of Winds’, the Hawa Mahal is a part of the City Palace. There is no entrance from the main road to the mahal, so you have to seek for the gate which let you enter. Inside are five floors designed very carefully.
There are 953 ‘jharokhas’ made to allow the winds to pass into the palace and keep it fresh and breezy in sweltering summers.
Being surrounded by the traditional market of Jaipur, you will find all the authentic pieces of souvenirs related to the culture and the history of Jaipur.
Hence, you can club shopping while visiting the palace.
Make sure to spend your entire evening shopping traditional souvenirs and then wait for dusk to draw upon only to see the colourfully lit Hawa Mahal standing amidst the bustling market.
History of Hawa Mahal Jaipur -
Hawa Mahal was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh who was the grandson of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh. The story of the birth of the palace started when Pratap visited Jhunjhunu and saw Khetri Mahal.
Maharaj was impressed by the unique design of the Khetri Mahal, and that was when he decided to create a better version of it. Lal Chand Ustad designed this palace and ended up making one of the best monuments history has ever created.
The primary purpose for creating this palace was to give royal women a separate place. From Hawa Mahal, they could enjoy the everyday lives and celebrations of the festival through the windows without being seen as they weren’t allowed to go out in public without a veil.
The Hawa Mahal was a part of the main City Palace, and the royal family used to come here to escape the scorching heat as this palace was always cold and breezy due to the windows it has.
From then on, it has been preserved to keep the glory and grace alive for the generations to come.
Architecture of Hawa Mahal Jaipur -
Hawa Mahal is an excellent example of Hindu Rajput architecture finely blended with Islamic Mughal architecture giving it the face it is famous for.
It is made with red and pink sandstone along with white marble inside the palace.
The look of the palace observed from the street looks extremely beautiful, and people mistake it with the entrance of the palace.
Actually, it is the backside of the palace as it is an extended part of the main City Palace. It has five floors adorned with 953 jharokhas and latticework.
The technology of Venturi effect is utilised well to make the air coming inside the palace cool.
This effect always helped the Hawa Mahal stay serene and pleasant, so royal women never had a problem staying here in hot temperatures.
At several times, the entire royal family used to get together here and escape the summers together.
This honeycomb-like monument is a proud heritage left by the bygone era, which is an integral part of the history as well as architecture.