Hawa Mahal - Rajastan

Location: Jaipur, Rajastan

Built by: Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh

Built in: 1799 AD

Visiting Hours: 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM(Daily)

Ticket Price: Indian/foreigner incl camera ₹10/50, audio guide Hindi/English ₹80/110, human guide ₹200

Hawa Mahal  is a palace in Jaipur, India, so named because it was essentially a high screen wall built so the women of the royal household could observe street festivities while unseen from the outside. Constructed of red and pink sandstone, the palace sits on the edge of the City Palace, and extends to the zenana, or women's chambers.

History

It was in 1799 that the Kachhwaha Rajput ruler, Sawai Pratap Singh, grandson of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh who built Jaipur, constructed Hawa Mahal as a continuation of the Royal City Palace. Sawai Pratap Singh's devotion to Lord Krishna is evident in the palace's construction as it resembles the lord's crown. Though many reasons are cited behind the construction of the fort, Purdah system followed by the Rajputs is said to be one of the main causes. During those days, Rajput royal women did not appear in public or in front of strangers. However, they were keen to follow the day-to-day events and royal processions occurring on the streets. It is for their benefit that the Hawa Mahal was built, complete with small windows and screened balconies. This gave the women a sense of freedom, without appearing in public. 

Architecture

Hawa Mahal, designed as a beehive castle with small windows, has a height of 50 feet from its base. This structure, erected on a thin shield or podium approximately fifty feet high, has walls less than a foot thick. Constructed of red and pink sandstones by Lal Chand Ustad, Hawa Mahal is famous for its windows or 'Jharokhas' which enable free circulation of air within the structure. Its entrance is a door which leads to a spacious courtyard surrounded by two-storey buildings on three sides. Of the five storeys of the Mahal, the top three storeys have the thickness of a single room while the bottom storeys have courtyards. The interior of the Hawa Mahal is stark and plain with passages and pillars reaching to the top storey. The building does not have stairs to reach the upper floors; the storeys are connected by slopes. From Hawa Mahal, you have an excellent view of the city. The monument also has an archeological museum. 

Nearby Places To See

Jaipur-1.3 km

City Palace-0.4 km

Jantar Mantar-0.3 km

Amber Fort-7.3 km

Nearby Places To Shop

Tripolia Bazaar-0.6 km

Johari Bazaar-4.1 km

Chandpol Bazaar-1.5 km

Tibet Market-0.8 km

Anokhi Museum Of Hand Printing-9.2 km