What the Taj Mahal is to Agra, Hawa Mahal is to Jaipur. It is the most photographed monument in Jaipur. Located on a busy road near Sireh Deodhi and Johari Bazars, the iconic monument is thronged by tourists for Instagrammable pics. But there is more to Hawa Mahal than the obligatory selfie with it. On our earlier visits to Jaipur, we had only admired it from the street. This time around, we wanted to explore the palace in its entirety and peer at the city from one of its windows. Read on to know how we went about exploring Hawa Mahal.
History of Hawa Mahal
After visiting the Jantar Mantar Observatory and City Palace, it is now time for us to explore Hawa Mahal. Our knowledgeable guide, Vismaya Bhati, takes us through a shortcut from City Palace to avoid traffic to the Hawa Mahal complex. He explains the details and history behind the structure. Hawa Mahal, when translated into English, is called Wind Palace. Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh commissioned the palace in 1799, and Lal Chand Ustad built it. The five storied building is in the shape of a crown of Lord Krishna. A blend of Rajput and Mughal architecture styles, Hawa Mahal, with its jharokhas and latticework windows, resembles the honeycomb of a beehive.
The Gates to Hawa Mahal
We purchase entry tickets and enter Hawa Mahal through the Anandpoli Gate. We find ourselves in a courtyard with the Chandrapoli gate on the other end. The Chandropoli gate has engravings of five gods and goddesses. In arch-shaped niches are carvings of Goddess Lakshmi, Ganesh, Vishnu, Shiva and Kalki. There are two dwarpalaks or gatekeepers on either side. From this gate, we enter the main courtyard, which has a fountain in the centre and buildings on all four sides. The one in the East is the five-storied Hawa Mahal.
Another view of Hawa Mahal
Having always seen the Hawa Mahal from the roadside (East), seeing it from the opposite side is a welcome departure. While the front roadside façade is in pink (gehua) stone and almost uniform in dimension, the inside view is not so. There are shades of yellow, ochre and of course the trademark pink. The sizes of windows, balconies/ jharokas are varied.
Panoromic View from Hawa Mahal
We enter the building and see a model of the structure enclosed in a glass case on the ground floor. Through rampways, we ascend the various floors of Hawa Mahal. Trust me, you will be thankful that there are no stairs but ramps, making it easier to climb the five-storied structure. We soon find ourselves on the top floor and can see the entire Jaipur city. The Jantar Mantar observatory, City Palace, Isar Lat Sargasuli Tower and hills with a fort. We see the busy streets with traffic and markets with shops.
Natural Air Conditioning
The 953 small windows or jharokhas have intricate lattices or jhali work. In earlier times, women followed the purdah system, so the lattice work allowed them to observe the goings on in the streets without being seen. The air circulation through the latticework and cooling helps reduce the temperatures in scorching summers. It was a natural air conditioning system that was engineered by the architect Ustad. No surprise it was hence christened Hawa Mahal or Wind Palace.
Puppet Show at Hawa Mahal
We descend the rampway and reach the lower floors, where a crowd has assembled. A Rajasthani puppet show is underway with accompaniment to music of drums and harmonium. The puppets are dressed in gold costumes, men donning pagdis or turbans and women in ghaghra cholis. Expert puppeteers pull strings as the puppets dance and make acrobatic moves.
Shopping and Busy Market
We exit the Hawa Mahal and see shops selling jutties, bags, souvenirs, and traditional clothes in the compound. As we approach the main road, we see shoppers in a buying frenzy, electric rickshaws zipping by and tourists trying to pose with the Hawa Mahal. It is now more than three hours since we began exploring the city. All that walking and climbing has tired me, and to add to that, the scorching heat. We decide to grab refreshments from a café opposite Hawa Mahal.
Where can you get the best view of Hawa Mahal?
The Tattoo Café and Wind View Café, just opposite Hawa Mahal, provide a picturesque view of Hawa Mahal. We decide to visit the Tattoo Café and have some refreshments. We order some beverages as my husband Rafiq tries to get some good shots of Hawa Mahal in his camera. The café is most sought after by tourists who can pose with a drink in hand with Hawa Mahal as the backdrop.
Hawa Mahal by night
The beauty of Jaipur is that its monuments and important structures are illuminated at night. At night, the lit-up Hawa Mahal is like a bride decked in bridal jewellery waiting for her beloved. We strongly recommend that you take a look at the Wind Palace at night. The traffic can be overwhelming, but the stunning view will more than compensate for it.
Most travel operators will just show you the Hawa Mahal in passing from the roadside. But we would strongly recommend that you set aside some time to go inside the monument and peer at the city through its jharokhas. It will be well worth the time and effort!
~ Shameera Somani with Rafiq Somani
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