The Hawa Mahal ( also known as “Palace of Breeze”) is a palace in the city of Jaipur in India. The palace was built in 1799 by the Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh and was designed by Lal Chand Usta. It was part of the City Palace of Jaipur. It served as an extension of the zenana or chamber of women destined for the harem. The original function of the building was to allow real women to observe the daily life of the streets of the city without being seen.
The palace has five floors, the two upper ones a little narrower, which gives it a certain pyramidal shape. It is built in red and pink sandstone, with incrustations made of calcium oxide. The facade that faces the street has a total of 953 small windows. The wind that circulated through them gave the palace its name. This wind is what allowed the enclosure to stay cool even in summer.
The Hawa Mahal is not surrounded by gardens as is usual in the Indian palaces but it is located in the center of one of the main streets of the city. The exterior structure of the palace resembles the tail of a peacock, an animal of great symbolism in India. There are no stairs that lead to the upper floors accessed through ramps. It is considered as the maximum exponent of Rajput architecture. Although little more than the facade is currently preserved, the palace has become the symbol of the city of Jaipur.
Access : Coordinates: 26.9239, 75.8267 / By air : From Jaipur Airport ( The Sanganer International Airport is at a distance of 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) from the city ) , Jaipur is well connected by roads and railway, though the easiest way is by taxi. It’s about 13km to the mahal and takes about 30 minutes ride .
By train : From Jaipur Railway Station , take a taxi or catch a mini-bus to Badi Choupad for Hawa Mahal , The ride takes about 10-15 minutes
Alternative transportation : hotel tourist bus service , motorised tuktuk, cycle-rickshaw , taxi ,
information : The palace is located to the south of Jaipur city, at the main road intersection called the Badi Chaupad, Opening Time: 9:00am. – 4:30p.m. Entrance Fees: Indian: Rs.10, Foreigners: Rs.50
Nearby Attractions – Go next : Royal City Palace (Chandra Mahal) / Johari Bazar / Jantar Mantar /Amber Fort / Tiger Fort / Jal Mahal
