Rajasthan, the house of ancient and magnificent Forts and Palaces where each one of them have a brave and interesting tale behind.
The famous 'Hawa Mahal' or 'Palace of winds' is one of the prominent tourist attraction present in the heart of the city. When i visited the city Jaipur it was my second place where i visited as i was always intrigued about its architecture and the name of it have always caught my attention. After being there personally i got to know the importance of the Palace of Wind. Why it was constructed? and by Whom?
Back in year 1899, Maharaj Sawai Pratap Singh who belonged to Kachhwaha Rajput dynasty built this giant structure in continuation to the Royal City Palace of Jaipur. Being devotee of Lord Krishna, Maharaj made the architecture of the Palace in the form of the crown of Lord Krishna. Lal Chand Ustad had designed this palace in the shape of a pyramid with its face like a honeycomb with 953 ‘jharokas’ or small windows carved out beautifully in a traditional Marwari design covered with intricate latticework.
The main intention behind the construction of the Mahal was to facilitate the royal women and provide them a view of everyday life through the windows, as they never appeared in public. The lattice was designed so as to let the breeze flow in the palace and keep it ventilated during hot summer months.
The most interesting part of the palace is that it does not have any stairs to go the top stories of it, it only has narrow ramps which are connecting with the different floors of the Palace. It was built in pink and red sandstone, in accordance with the other monuments of the city giving Jaipur its name, ‘Pink City’. Hawa Mahal is a perfect example of the combination of Rajput and Islamic architecture where in the domed canopies, floral patterns carved out on fluted pillars show the Rajput style of architecture; the stone inlay and the beautiful arches of the palace remind us of the influence of Islamic architecture.
The breathtaking view of Hawa Mahal is must visit in Jaipur while you can have snacks just opposite to the Hawa Mahal in any of the available cafes which makes it more delightful to have a view with snacks. Try to visit the place in early morning to enoy the sunrise.
