Hawa Mahal

Hawa Mahal

he Hawa Mahal is a palace in the city of Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. Built from red and pink sandstone, it is on the edge of the City Palace, Jaipur, and extends to the Zenana, or women's chambers. Hawa Mahal also known as the “palace of winds“ was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh.It is considered unique as it has many small windows and balconies that seem like a honeycomb. The structure was built in 1799 by the Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, grandson of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, the founder of the city of Jaipur of Rajasthan. He was so inspired by the unique structure of Khetri Mahal that he built this grand and historical palace. It was designed by Lal Chand Ustad. Its five-storey exterior structure resembles a honeycomb, with 953 small windows called jharokhas adorned with intricate lattice work. The original purpose of the lattice design was to allow the royal women to observe the everyday life and festivals celebrated in the street below without being noticed. This architectural feature also allowed cool breeze to enter through the Venturi effect, making the entire area more pleasant during high temperatures in summer. Many people see the Hawa Mahal from the street view and think that it is the façade of the palace, but it is its back. It was designed by Lal Chand Ustad. Its five-storey exterior structure resembles a honeycomb, with 953 small windows called jharokhas adorned with intricate lattice work. 

The original purpose of the lattice design was to allow the royal women to observe the everyday life and festivals celebrated in the street below without being noticed. This architectural feature also allowed cool breeze to enter through the Venturi effect, making the entire area more pleasant during high temperatures in summer. Many people see the Hawa Mahal from the street view and think that it is the façade of the palace, but it is its back. In 2006, after a gap of 50 years, the restoration work of the palace was started, with an estimated cost of Rs 4568 lakh. The corporate sector has taken up the conservation of the historical monuments of Jaipur and the Unit Trust of India has adopted the Hawa Mahal for its maintenance. The palace is an extended part of a huge complex. Stone carved webs, tiny windows and arched ceilings are some of the features of this popular tourist destination. The monument also has beautifully hanging cornices. In 2006, after a gap of 50 years, the restoration work of the palace was started, with an estimated cost of Rs 4568 lakh. The corporate sector has taken up the conservation of the historical monuments of Jaipur and the Unit Trust of India has adopted the Hawa Mahal for its maintenance. The palace is an extended part of a huge complex. Stone carved webs, tiny windows and arched ceilings are some of the features of this popular tourist destination. The monument also has beautifully hanging cornices.

Architecture

• The palace is a five-storey pyramidal monument with a height of about 50 feet (15 m). The upper three floors of this structure are as wide as a room, while the first and second floors have courtyards in front. Viewed from the street, the façade looks like a honeycomb with small verandahs. Each verandah has small windows and carved sandstone grills, finials and domes. This gives the impression of a cluster of semi-octagonal bays, giving the monument its unique façade. The interior of the rear of the building is made up of chambers built with pillars and corridors, with minimal ornamentation, and these reach up to the upper floor. The interior of the palace is described thus: “It has rooms of marble of various colours, adorned with inlaid panels or gilding, while fountains adorn the centre of the courtyard.”
• Lal Chand Ustad was its architect. Built of red and pink sandstone, its colour is a perfect testimony to the epithet of "Pink City" given to Jaipur, in keeping with the decoration of other monuments of the city. Its façade has 953 niches and intricately carved jharokhas (some made of wood) which stand in stark contrast to the plainer-looking rear of the structure. Its cultural and architectural heritage is a reflection of a blend of Hindu Rajput architecture and Islamic Mughal architecture; the Rajput style is visible in the form of domed chhatris, corrugated pillars, lotus and floral motifs, and the Islamic style is evident in its stone inlays and arches (as distinct from its resemblance to the Panch Mahal of Fatehpur Sikri).
• Entry to the Hawa Mahal from the City Palace side is through a royal gate. It opens into a large courtyard, surrounded by two-storey buildings on three sides, with the Hawa Mahal enclosing it on the east. An archaeological museum is also located in the same courtyard.
• Hawa Mahal was also said to be the favourite resort of Maharaja Jai ??Singh because of the grandeur and interior decoration of the palace. The breeze coming from the small windows on its facade gave a feeling of coolness to the chambers, and the fountains in the centre of each chamber added to it.

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