| The Hawa Mahal | |
|---|---|
_-_img_01.jpg) Easternfaçade of the Hawa Mahal, 2022 | |
  Location in Jaipur Show map of Jaipur Location in Rajasthan Show map of Rajasthan Location in India Show map of India | |
| Alternative names | Palace of the Winds, Palace of the Breeze |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | HinduRajput Architecture |
| Location | Jaipur,Rajasthan |
| Country | India |
| Coordinates | 26°55′26″N75°49′36″E / 26.9239°N 75.8267°E /26.9239; 75.8267 |
| Completed | 1799; 226 years ago (1799) |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Red, yellow, black, rainbow and pinksandstone |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Lal Chand Ustad |
| Main contractor | Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh |
| Other information | |
| Public transit access |  Pink LineAtBadi Chaupar |
The Hawa Mahal is a palace in the city ofJaipur,Rajasthan,India. Built from red and pinksandstone, it is on the edge of theCity Palace, Jaipur, and extends to theZenana, or women's chambers.
Hawa Mahal is known as the “palace of winds“.[1] Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh built it palace in 1799. Hawa Mahal is considered to be unique as it has many small windows and balconies that seem like a honeycomb.[2]
The structure was built in 1799 by the Maharaja SawaiPratap Singh, grandson of Maharaja SawaiJai Singh, the founder of the city ofJhunjhunu in the state of Rajasthan.[3] He was so inspired by the unique structure ofKhetri Mahal that he built this grand and historical palace.
It was designed by Lal Chand Ustad. Its five-floor exterior is akin to a honeycomb with its 953 small windows calledJharokhas decorated with intricatelatticework.[4] The original intent of the lattice design was to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life and festivals celebrated in the street below without being seen. This architectural feature also allowed cool air from theVenturi effect to pass through, thus making the whole area more pleasant during the high temperatures in summer.[4][5][6] Many people see the Hawa Mahal from the street view and think it is the front of the palace, but it is the back.[7]
In 2006,renovation works on the Mahal were undertaken, after a gap of 50 years, to give a facelift to the monument at an estimated cost of Rs 4.568 million.[8] The corporate sector lent a hand to preserve the historical monuments of Jaipur and theUnit Trust of India has adopted Hawa Mahal to maintain it.[9]The palace is an extended part of a huge complex. The stone-carved screens, small casements, and arched roofs are some of the features of this popular tourist spot. The monument also has delicately modelled hanging cornices.
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This palace is a five-storey pyramidal shaped monument that rises to about 50 feet (15 m). The top three floors of the structure have the width of a single room, while the first and second floors have patios in front of them. The front elevation, as seen from the street, is like a honeycomb with small portholes. Each porthole has miniature windows and carved sandstone grills, finials and domes. It gives the appearance of a mass of semi-octagonal bays, giving the monument its unique façade. The inner face on the back side of the building consists of chambers built with pillars and corridors with minimal ornamentation, and reach up to the top floor. The interior of the palace has been described as "having rooms of different coloured marbles, relieved by inlaid panels or gilding, while fountains adorn the centre of the courtyard".[10][11]
Lal Chand Ustad was the architect. Built-in red and pink coloured sandstone, in keeping with the décor of the other monuments in the city, its colour is a full testimony to the epithet of "Pink City" given to Jaipur. Its façade with 953 niches with intricately carved jharokhas (some are made of wood) is a stark contrast to the plain-looking rear side of the structure. Its cultural and architectural heritage is a reflection of a fusion of HinduRajput architecture andIslamicMughal architecture; the Rajput style is seen in the form of domed canopies, fluted pillars, lotus, and floral patterns, and the Islamic style is evident in its stone inlayfiligree work and arches (as distinguished from its similarity with the Panch Mahal atFatehpur Sikri).[12]
The entry to the Hawa Mahal from the city palace side is through an imperial door. It opens into a large courtyard, which has double-storeyed buildings on three sides, with the Hawa Mahal enclosing it on the east side. An archaeological museum is also housed in this courtyard.[13]
Hawa Mahal was also known as thechef-d'œuvre of Maharaja Jai Singh as it was his favourite resort because of the elegance and built-in interior of the Mahal. The cooling effect in the chambers, provided by the breeze passing through the small windows of the façade, was enhanced by the fountains provided at the centre of each of the chambers.[14]
The top two floors of the Hawa Mahal are accessible only through ramps. The Mahal is maintained by the archaeological department of theGovernment of Rajasthan.[13]
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The Palace of the Winds at Jaipur. Built by the maharaja of Jaipur in 1799, this imposing building, part of a palace complex, is today actually only a facade.
Hawa Mahal.
Media related toHawa Mahal at Wikimedia Commons
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