The
Hawa Mahal, Jaipur
Hawa Mahal or Wind Place was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh. Hawa
Mahal is the most stunning sight situated in the heart of the city of Jaipur.
Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, Rajasthan is a part of a huge complex, overlooking one
of Jaipur's main streets. Hawa Mahal of Jaipur was originally constructed to
offer the women of the court to view the activities of the street, while being
behind stone-carved screens. This five-story, pyramid-shaped structure is made
up of small casements, each with tiny windows and arched roofs with hanging
cornices, exceptionally modeled and carved. Its facade makes Hawa Mahal look
more like a screen than a palace. It is a fifty-foot high thin shield, less
than a foot in thickness, but has over 900 pigeonhole like windows and a mass
of semi-octagonal bays, carved sandstone grills, finials and domes, which give
this palace its outstanding facade.
Hawa Mahal, History
Built in 1799, the Hawa Mahal (the palace of Winds) is one of the Jaipur's
major Landmarks, although it is actually little more than a facade. This
five - storey building, which looks out over the main street of the buzzing
old city , is a stunning example of Rajput artistry with its pink,
delicately honeycombed sandstone windows, of which there are 953. It was
originally built to enable the women of the royal household to watch the
everyday life and processions of the cit. The palace was built by Maharaja
Sawai Pratap Singh and is a part of the city palace complex.
How to Reach
By Air : Indian Airlines, Jet Airways and domestic carriers operate
regular flights to and from Jaipur. Jaipur is connected to Delhi, Mumbai,
Udaipur, Jodhpur, Aurangabad, Calcutta and Varanasi by domestic flights.
By Train: The train service to Jaipur is available from all the
major parts of the country. An excellent connection from Delhi is Shatabadi
Express that provides a fast, air-conditioned rail service. Other direct
connections to Jaipur are from Bikaner, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Ahmedabad,
Secunderabad, Agra, Lucknow, Mumbai, Chennai and Calcutta.
By Bus: Jaipur can be accessed from all the major places in
Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi and Mumbai by bus. Rajasthan roadways runs
excellent regular service of AC and Deluxe Coaches from Delhi
Hotel
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