Hawa Mahal

Hawa Mahal was built in 1799, by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh. Hawa Mahal or Palace of the Wind, is one of the major landmarks of Jaipur. It is an integral part of the City Palace, an extension of the women's chambers or Zenana, standing away from the main complex. The monument offers a panoramic view of Jaipur city.

Though the main purpose of building the structure is not known, it is said that it was raised with the aim of offering the ladies of the royal household to see the everyday life and royal processions in the city without being seen by others. This five storey building of outstanding architecture is designed by Lal Chand Usta.

It is a extraordinary example of Rajput artistry made of red and pink sand stone, beautifully outlined with white borders and motif's painted with quick lime. Its exterior from the side makes Hawa Mahal look more like a delicate screen than a palace. The structure consists of 953 small casements, each with tiny lattice worked pink windows, small balconies and arched roofs with hanging cornices, intricately modeled and carved.

The site offers superb views of the city, including the many old palaces and houses which were painted ochre-pink, the colour of hospitality, by the Rajputs, for the 1853 visit of Prince Albert.

The facade of the Hawa Mahal has sometimes aroused unfair judgments as 'a baroque folly' and a 'bizarre piece of architecture'. The five storeyed facade encrusted with elegant trellis work on windows and small balconies have 953 niches. Lal Chand Usta who designed the Hawa Mahal had dedicated it to Lord Krishna and Radha but its fanciful structure appealed to the Maharaja who found it ideal for the seraglio.

The upper floors are reached through a ramp rather than the regular stairs, a device to facilitate movement of palanquins carried by servants. This is a less tiresome way as the ramp ascends lazily to the top of the freestanding square tower.

Imagine queens and princesses loaded with the heaviest jewelry and covered with the endless yardage of Clothes - skirts and sarees, climbing to the uppermost pavilion heaving and painting for respite from the sweltering summer heat. Here even the May-June winds feel so mild and cool.

Jaipur itself appears in all its grandeur, with straight, wide roads, intersections and teeming crowds in the market. Jantar Mantar looks a collection of mystifying masonry instruments. The City Palace stands apart, surrounded by a maze of courtyards. The Nahargarh fort, perched upon the hill, which slopes down sharply towards the palace, keeps its vigil over the city looks spectacular, a truly fairy-late setting.

The beauty of the Hawa Mahal lies in its fragile appearance, which, like a vision, threatens of vanish into thin air. It is, of all buildings in Jaipur, the most romantic and delicate - which cannot be said of some better-known examples of solid architecture.