HAWA MAHAL, Jaipur

The hawa mahal was built by the kings so that the queens could have a look at the festivities and happenings outside the palace without being seen. It was also built in honour of lord Krishna and each floor is called a Mandir such as Roop Mandir, shared Mandir etc.
The entrance is only Rs. 10 per person, but do engage a guide to get all the details.

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The most iconic structure of Jaipur, the gently-tapering Hawa Mahal or Wind Palace was built by Maharaja Pratap Singh in 1799. It is a 5-storey structure with the top three being just one room thick. The names of the five stories are, Sharad Mandir, where autumn celebrations took place; Ratan Mandir owing to the glasswork on the walls; Vichitra Mandir, where the deity Lord Krishna was worshipped; Prakash Mandir; and, Hawa Mandir, after which the Palace came to be known as Hawa Mahal.

It has 953 niches and 152 windows with over-hanging latticed balconies through which the royal ladies confined to the ‘purdah’ system, could watch the proceedings below in the streets of Jaipur. The system of cooling the hot summer breeze is the same as used in the Mughal monuments of Delhi and Agra. Through a series of gradually-decreasing openings, the air was cooled before it entered the main hall or the room.

The entrance is through the Siri Deorehi Gate and past the Hawa Mahal Bazar but the façade of the Palace is best captured from the main street below. Audio guide by Narrowcasters (narrowcasters.com; Mr. Mudra Verma-9314612870), is available at the entrance itself. The top floor provides plenty of excellent photo opportunities, not only of the rear portion of the tapered ‘mukut’ (crown) but also of Jaipur city and of the streets below.

It is open between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm.

First Written: Apr. 4, 2012

Hawa mahal literal means palace of breeze or wind.It's well known for its 953 jharokhas(windows).The five storey palace is made up of red stone and situated in the hustle and bustle of city.Being situated in the heart of city makes it most accessible place of visit than others and the local market is also steps awaybut has a flipside as well,The surrounding is very noisy and populated.
once inside the palace makes you re paint the past and make you feel really breezy :P.

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Hawa Mahal means Palace of the Winds. It was built by Maharaja Pratap Singh II in 1799 and was designed by the architect and astrologer Lad Chand Usta.

The red and pink sandstone façade of Hawa Mahal is one of the most photographed structures in Jaipur. There is no front door, but in the five stories high façade there are 953 windows and niches. It is the many windows that allow the cool air to circulate.

Hawa Mahal, which forms part of the east wall of the City Palace, was built for the women of the royal family. It was a place where they could sit behind the laced windows looking down on the daily street life and parades below without being seen.

Inside Hawa Mahal there is a small museum and from the top there is a great view.
The palace is open between 9.00 - 16.30 on Saturdays - Thursdays.
Admission was Rs 50 (August 2010). If you want to have an audio guide it is Rs 110 more.

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Considered one of the iconic symbols of Jaipur, this architectural fantasy was built in 1799 by the city's ruler Sawai Pratap Singh. It was named Hawa Mahal, i.e. "Palace of Winds," and was specifically designed to enable the ladies of the royal palace to watch the streets of Jaipur without being seen. The palace, therefore, has no entrance on the main street and its widows contain lattices to provide the utmost privacy. The pink façade of the building, with its five floors and domed Baroque-like windows, rises like a mountain above the street, but despite its height, the palace is only one room deep. The rear side contains two spacious courtyards with arched porticoes and is painted in a pretty mix of pink and yellow.

For more photos, check out the travelogue: "Hawa Mahal."

I'm not going to repeat everything you can read in most of the other Vter postings about this palace, in Wikipedia or something alike.

My special feeling, besides the confirmation of the beauty of its facade, was the way it is intricated with the city, dominating the image of the area, but very well integrated in the whole.

Not the usual outstanding luxury apart from the city and contrasting with it, but something being part of the street, living with it, still hiding the faces of gone women, behind its delicate windows.

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Hawa Mahal was build in 1799 and is a spectacular landmark in Jaipur Old City. The name Hawa Mahal means "The Palace of the Winds". The building has a pink-sandstone architecture with 1000 small windows. There are 5 storeys inside without stairs, only a series of ramps.

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This beautiful building is in the main street. It was built by Maharaja Sawal Pratap Singh in 1799 to allow his harem to watch the busy comings and goings of the town bazaar, instead of being shut behind four walls all day, as was normal at that time for Muslim women. It is built in Rajput style.
We were not able to go inside, and were assured there was nothng to be seen. Looking from outside is free!