Hawa Mahal, Jaipur

Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, a multi layered palace, was built by Sawai Pratap Singh (grand son of Sawai Jai Singh and son of Sawai Madhoo Singh) in 1799 AD and Mr. Lal Chand Usta was the architect. Hawa Mahal is the most sensational monuments in the city of Jaipur. Hawa Mahal is famous for it's beehive like structure, the Hawa Mahal is an interplay of red and pink sand stone, carefully and painstakingly outlined with white borders and motifs.

The palace, overlooks one of Jaipur's main streets and was originally constructed to offer women of the court an upper hand, so that they can watch the activities taking place in the bazaar and the surrounding streets behind stone-carved screens.

The entrance to Hawa Mahal is from the City Palace side, through a stately door which opens into a spacious courtyard. The courtyard has a double storeyed building on three sides. There is a small archaeological museum here. Only the eastern wing has three more storeys above, which are just a single room thick. The building, standing on a high podium, is a fifty-foot high thin shield, less than a foot in thickness, with small intimate chambers, which give this palace its unique facade. There are no regular stairs to reach the upper floors, but only ramps.

Hawa Mahal is a five storey building of unusual architecture,It is a stunning example of Rajput artistry made of red and pink sand stone, beautifully outlined with white borders and motif's painted with quick lime. Its facade from the road side makes Hawa Mahal look more like a delicate screen than a palace.