Hawa Mahal or the "
Palace of Wind"
is situated in the Pink City Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan state. This
was built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799 AD. This five storeyed palace
made of red & pink sandstone has a number of tiny windows, arched roofs and
balconies is a great example of Rajputana architecture. This historic structure
is currently under the supervision of the state archaeological department
and provides excellent views of the city.
Architecture
The Hawa mahal was built by Sawai Pratap Singh who was the grand son of Sawai Jai Singh in 1799 AD and was designed by Mr. Lal Chand Usta, a famous architect of the time. This was purposely made for ladies of royal families to watch royal processions and various activities in the streets while seated behind the small windows.
Attraction within the palace are
Casements : This five storied pyramid-shaped structure has
953 small casements and each had tiny windows, small balconies and curved
roofs which are beautifully carved.
Courtyards : The entrance to Hawa Mahal is through a beautifully
carved door that open into the courtyard of the palace which is surrounded
by double storeyed building on three sides.
Other Attractions near Hawa Mahal
City PalaceCity Palace : This massive palace complex was
built by Maharaja Jai Singh II and has several palaces like Mubarak Mahal,
Chandra Mahal, Museum, Shri Govind Temple etc. Also there are courtyards,
gardens and buildings inside the palace.
Jantar Mantar : This is one of the five observatories built
by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in 1716 AD to study the movements of sun, moon,
planets & stars.
Amber Fort : The fort palace is built by the Kachchawaha
dynasty which has several apartments with palaces, halls, pavilions, gardens
& temples inside it.
How to Get There
Air : The nearest airport is Jaipur Airport, Sanganer which is at a distance of 11 km from where regular flights connect Jaipur, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and other major destinations of India.
Rail : Trains are available from all the major parts of India. The luxury train the "Palace on Wheel" also covers the city.
Road : A good motorable road network connects the city with all the major tourist destinations in and arround Rajasthan.
More Rajasthan Forts & Palaces :
Amber Palace Jaipur