About
Hawa Mahal
Hawa Mahal also known as Palace of the Wind, is a magnum opus of Rajput
artistry. Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh constructed the palace in 1799. This 5
story magnificent palace built in red and pink sandstone is exquisitely
bordered with motifs painted with quick lime. Hawa Mahal is an indispensable
part of the City Palace, a dilatation of the Zenana Mahal a women's
chambers, standing away from the main complex. The Mahal with a marvelous
panorama of Jaipur City and kaleidoscopic view of market place was primarily
entrenched with the aim of enabling ladies of the royal court to watch the
royal processions and other activities on road without being seen by others.
Architecture of Hawa Mahal
This exquisitely modeled and carved structure was designed by Lal Chand
Usta, is a remarkable example of Rajput artistry. Its camouflage from the
roadside makes Hawa Mahal look more like a delicate screen than a palace.
This five-story, pyramid-shaped structure has 953 small carapace with
beautiful latticework on pink windows, small balconies and curvilinear
roofs. These small windows circulate cool air even in the hottest summer
months.
Entrance / Courtyard
Famous for it's Beehive like structure, the Hawa Mahal entrance is in the
rear side of the main building, there is no entrance at the front portion of
the Palace. There is a small archaeological museum in courtyard girdled by
double story building on three sides. The building stands over a high
lectern. It is a 50ft high thin shield, not even a foot in thickness, with
small intimate chambers, which give the unique exterior to the structure. He
upper floors can only be accessed by a ramp, as there are no regular stairs.
Important Information
Best Time to Visit : October- March
Timings : 9:00 hrs- 17:00hrs. Hawa Mahal can be visited during
these hours.
Accessibility
Air : Jaipur can easily be accessed as there are regular flights
connecting Jaipur to Delhi, Mumbai, Udaipur, Jodhpur, and Varanasi.
Rail : Trains to Jaipur are available from all the major parts of
the country. There are also special trains from Delhi such as the Palace on
Wheels and Royal Orient Express, which makes a royal ride for the travelers.
Road : There are excellent bus services from all the major places
in Rajasthan, Delhi and Mumbai.
To reach Hawa Mahal tourists' taxis, horse carts, rickshaws are also easily
available.
