Built in 1799 by Rajput Sawai Pratap Singh, this five story building is a major tourist spot and an important milestone in Jaipur. The building is an astonishing example of Rajput artistry as it overlooks the old city. The building was built to allow royal ladies to look at the processions and the city from the Zenana Women Quarters. This mahal enabled them to climb on the top and get the good view of the city.
» Architecture : This pyramid-shaped structure is made up of small casements, each with tiny peepholes and arched roofs with hanging cornices. The top three stories of the mahal have a single room and the base have two courtyards. Its façade makes Hawa Mahal look more like a screen than a palace.
The mahal has a fifty-foot high thin shield, and has over 900 niches and a mass of semi-octagonal bays, carved sandstone grills, finials and domes.
Hawa Mahal totally lacks in ornamentation on the inner face of the building and hence it becomes clear that it was not meant for residential purposes. The chambers are plain and more mass of pillars and passages leading to the top story.
It was built at a time when royal ladies were strictly under purdah system (covering the faces). It is widely believed that Hawa Mahal, with its screened balconies, provided the ladies of the Zenana, an opportunity to watch processions and other activities on the streets below without being observed themselves.
The Hawa Mahal lives up to its expectation as one could feel the cool breeze as one climbs up the balconies. No doubt the royal ladies not only enjoyed the view but also did so in great comfort.
The best time to view Hawa Mahal is sunrise when it catches the early morning sun and is bathed in its golden light making it glow like a gem. The entrance to this strange building is on the rear side. To get in you, go to the intersection on your left, as you face the Hawa Mahal, and make a right.
