– Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh
The Hawa Mahal, or ‘Palace of the Winds’ was envisioned by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, the grandson of Maharaja Sawai Jai Sing who founded the city of Jaipur. In 1799 Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh commissioned a well known architect of the time, Lal Chand Usta, to create a viewing gallery as a safe and respectable place for his wife, the Maharani Jaiwanta Bai, to observe the city’s ebb and flow whilst she and her ladies-in-waiting were confined to Purdah.
And oh want an elaborate display!
This ethereal masterpiece sits like a lotus flower about to bloom, enticing and seducing the onlooker or passer-by with its domed canopies, intricate filigree, sweeping balconies and cascade of arches. Tiny little windows with green wooden shutters add an element of mystery, opening and closing at random as visitors explore the inside of the Palace and look out to the city and crowds below them!
Blushed with the customary pink hue of Jaipur which symbolises hospitality, every inch of this façade is encrusted with finials, radiantly patterned jaali screens of chuna lime and showy niches, a marvellous mix of Rajputana and Mughal styles. Many of the lace-fine details are highlighted in white, suggestive of the delicate veins found in flower petals.
Towering five storeys high, this rosey-tinged opulence appears almost like an optical illusion from the ground as the top three layers taper in a pyramidal form to just one room thick. The Hawa Mahal is supposedly the world’s tallest building without a foundation and is built on a curve at an angle of 87 degrees for stability!
A devotee of Lord Krishna, Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh wished the palace to be reminiscent of the crown worn by Krishna. The peacock holds special symbolism in Indian Culture and Lord Krishna’s crown is often depicted as being fashioned from peacock feathers.
This ethereal, architectural wonder echoes the forms and patterns found in the outspread plumage of a peacock’s train – an extravagant and recognisable landmark very fitting for a Queen!
how to get there
Located near the Badi Chaupar Square, Hawal Mahal is about 12 km from Jaipur airport and 4.5km from the train station, just around the corner from the Jaipur City Palace.
Head across the square and up the staircases to the Café of the Winds opposite for unbeatable views of the palace’s delicate pink altitudes.
For an experience on the inside turn right from the square and then right again into the little alleyway to the side of the Palace. The main entrance gate is Anandpoli, surrounded by five sculptures of different gods. Follow through to the courtyard beyond where the tinkle of a water fountain sets the scene.
pause within whilst peeping out
Climb up through the layers of this building, each one like a different flavoured tier of an elaborate wedding cake!
There are few steps – the building is designed around a series of ramps. And why is this? Well the Queen and her friends wore bejewelled sarees laden with heavy materials, often weighting several kilograms. As such, the women could sit in carts and be wheeled around by attendants! Imagine racing from the very top, go-kart style down the ramps and to the ground floor – just the thought is enough to make you feel dizzy!
Pendour Pro-Tip
With gently sloping ramps all the way to the top, you can take your time on the climb up, progressing layer by layer, or run up to the top and take in all the details more slowly on your descent.
The ground floor, known as Sharad Mandir relates to the season of Autumn when many festivals would have been held. Just image the Palace filled with the sight of Jaipur’s most elegant women celebrating these Autumnal rites from the privacy of the Hawal Mahal.
Ascend to the second floor, the Ratan Mandir. The word Ratan translates to ‘precious stones’ and here there are a sprinkling of small stained glass windows capturing the glint of the sun and projecting beautiful colours onto the inside walls!
In contrast to the terracotta pink of the outside, the interior is a beautiful shade of light buttery yellow. Long galleries are punctuated by graceful arches, just crying out for a game of hide-and-seek!
And look out for the breathtaking doorways! These ornate portals are so mesmerising with their gorgeous patterns and materials, which often seem reminiscent of the colour, pattern, shape and even the iridescent sheen of peacock feathers, continuing the outdoor architectural theme in the palace’s interior.
Continue your ascent towards the summit of the building, passing the Vichitra Mandir, or ‘Unknown’ floor. These rooms, many of which are still closed off today, were reserved for the Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, who used this space as an escape from the City Palace, to retreat and compose poetry in honour of Lord Krishna.
From here the ramp begins to get a bit narrow and dark. We recommend wearing flat shoes to avoid slipping and to bring a torch if you’re a little claustrophobic, or nervous in the dark!
Prakash Mendir is the name of level four. You’re almost at the top! Prakash refers to light and on this level there are many balconies with spectacular views of Jaipur. Little cupola domes offer some shelter and photo opportunities (hopefully better than mine!)
You can just imagine the ladies coming up to this platform to take in the sunlight and enjoy the views!
As you go, don’t forget to pause and peek out of the some of the jharokhas – the little shuttered windows! There are 953 windows to peer out of, all offering cropped views of the cafes opposite and the frenzy of traffic below and the spread of the pink city, stretching out to the horizon.
The effective design of the building enabled the royal ladies to look out at the everyday street scenes and festivals of Jaipur whilst not being seen themselves. This enabled them to feel connected to the people of Jaipur whilst in Purdah. Of course the view now is all cars, mopeds, tuk-tuks and bicycles, but the Temple of the Winds still retains its elegant demeanour from a bygone age. The view may have dramatically changed since the eighteenth century, but the spirit of this place certainly has not!
It’s rather like being inside of a giant Christmas Advent Calendar, which window will open? Who, or what surprise will be concealed within? Yet this towering array of windows are full of the elegance and rhythm and hum that is only India!
Ahh the fifth floor! Finally the apex of the building known as ‘Hawa Mandir’ and for good reason – it’s breezy! Although often crowded at the top, it’s a good opportunity to take in the whole experience of this magnificent pink palace, before beginning the descent!
Pendour Pro-Tip
Hawa Mahal may be busy with locals, who might be just as interested in photographing you as they are the palace! Some may even hand you their young children and babies to hold for taking photos! Smile – you’re in India! (And probably all over someone’s facebook!)
easy breezy
The Hawa Mahal is on an east-west axis, matching the natural air flow in this area. The moving air picks up moisture from the main courtyard’s fountain, where it rises and the cooler air falls. Sweeping through the pierced little openings of the lacy screens and the shuttered windows, the air pressure drops, but the speed increases to generate a refreshing breeze. No need for electricity-hungry Air Conditioners here! Known as the Ventri effect, the idea supposedly came from the arches of the Khetri Mahal palace in Neemka Thana (also in Rajashan) where ramps enabled access to the top floors on horseback!
The jharokhas of the Hawa Mahal, which are different sizes and shapes on each floor can be closed and opened to control the movement of air depending on the weather and particular seasonal use of the room within.
The Hawa Mahal is not only a delectable feast for the eyes, but a climate responsive masterpiece that we can learn a lot from today in the context of the climate crisis. Perhaps we can use the principle of harnessing the movement of air to future proof the architecture of today? A hotel with 1,000 windows anyone?!
Even with a few cracks and the addition of structural supports here and there, the Hawa Mahal has certainly stood the test of time and remains a landmark masterpiece not just in Rajasthan, but in India. As Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh intended, the Hawa Mahal continues to draw in crowds from all over the world more than 100 years since its conception!
pendour pro-tip
There is a little hut in the main courtyard selling snacks and masala chai, with benches to sit on nearby, enjoy some refreshments as you enter or leave – or both(!) – in the presence of this magnificent wonder!
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Linda Bell
Linda Bell
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