Hawa Mahal, also known as the Palace of the Winds, is a stunning palace located in the heart of Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan in India. The palace was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh and was designed by Lal Chand Ustad, a famous architect of that time.
The palace is renowned for its unique architecture, which is a blend of Rajput and Mughal styles. The palace’s most striking feature is its facade, which is made up of 953 small windows, known as jharokhas. These jharokhas are decorated with intricate latticework and allow the cool breeze to pass through the palace, giving it the name “Palace of the Winds.”
The palace is built in the shape of a crown, with five floors and a pyramidal structure. The top three floors of the palace have no steps and are only accessible by ramps, which were designed for the royal ladies to enter and exit the palace without being seen by the public.
The palace was originally built to allow the royal ladies to observe the street festivals and everyday life of the city from behind the jharokhas, without being seen by the public. The palace also served as a summer retreat for the royal family, as the cool breeze passing through the jharokhas provided natural air conditioning.
Today, the palace is a popular tourist attraction and is open to visitors. The palace houses a small museum that showcases various artifacts and paintings from the royal era. The palace’s stunning architecture and unique design make it a must-visit destination for travelers to Jaipur.
Join 8nights/9days rajasthan tourjaipur Ranthambore Chittorgarh Pushkar