Now let’s pick it up from right where we left it the last time. If you haven’t read my previous article on Jantar Mantar. Do check out the link below:
My First Trip to Jaipur: The Pink City
As we all know Jaipur with its rich culture and heritage gives us a lot of content to fit in just within a single blog. So here I’ve mentioned the other experiences you must have.
After visiting the historic Jantar Mantar, we headed to our next place, the beautiful Hawa Mahal Palace. So, talking about Hawa Mahal, it’s just a walking distance from historic Jantar Mantar & is a beautiful City Palace. I would like to bring you, people, to the light about one of the major notable attractions of the city in this blog.
Hawa Mahal Palace
Hawa Mahal Palace is the unique & most popular tourist place located in the heart of Jaipur, Rajasthan. Hawa Mahal is called the “Palace of Winds” because its unique five-story exterior is like a honeycomb of bees, having 953 small windows, called jharokhas, through which air flows in and keeps the palace cool.
The red and pink colored stones lined with white make it vibrant and eye-catching. Also, the Hawa Mahal was built so that royal ladies can observe the outside occurrences without being seen.
Hawa Mahal Ticket:
You can visit this sensational palace only between 9 am to 5 pm on all seven days of the week. Also, if you have purchased a composite ticket mentioned in my former blog, there is no need to buy a separate ticket for Hawa Mahal Palace.
If you’re in the mood for exploration, don’t forget to check out the top floor of Hawa Mahal from where you can enjoy a bird’s eye view of the entire area.
There is a café named Wind View Cafe in front of Hawa Mahal Palace where people come for the spectacular view. I was amazed on witnessing the stunning view. It is highly recommended for those who love exploration & photography. The rooftop seating in front of Hawa Mahal, eating the food, watching the exotic view is the perfect place for couples.
Also, if you’re a food lover then you must visit this place. Here the streets are full of traditional shops & you’ll never find your stomach empty while roaming around these streets because after every 5 shops you’ll definitely get the flavors of famous Jaipur Kachori.
I won’t be overemphasizing if I say I could go back to the beautiful pink city just for the delicious food.
How To Reach Hawa Mahal:
It is located close to other attractions such as Jantar Mantar & City Palace. According to my personal experience, it is better to park your car in the City Palace parking, as the area around Hawa Mahal Palace is congested and bears witness to traffic snarls throughout the day.
Best Time To Visit Hawa Mahal:
The best time to visit the Palace of Winds is during the sunrise when the mellow sunlight illuminates the entire structure because it looks stunning.
Hawa Mahal Architecture:
The artistic carvings and the structure of Hawa Mahal reflect its grandeur in the middle of Jaipur. The palace is built of red and pink sandstone, which is a blend of Mughal and Rajasthani style of architecture.
Hawa Mahal has 5 floors but there are only ramp to reach the top floor. This 87 feet high five-story building in the shape of a pyramid has 953 small windows known as Sharad Mandir, Ratan Mandir, Vichitar Mandir, Prakash Mandir & Hawa Mandir respectively.
The beautiful carved Mahal has beehive-like structure & 953 windows to keep this summer palace cool all around the year. You shouldn’t miss the unique & popular Hawa Mahal.
Moreover, the beautiful colored glasswork of this palace makes it unique from all other heritage places of Jaipur. When sunlight enters, the entire chamber is filled with a spectrum of different colors, a mind-blowing scene that I have never seen in any heritage place.
Historical Significance of Hawa Mahal Palace:
Hawa Mahal was built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh (grandson of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh a.k.a founder of Jaipur) in 1799 by an architect Lal Chand Usta.
The original purpose of the lattice design was to allow royal women to celebrate everyday life and festivals in the street without seeing them, as they had to adhere to strict rules of “purdah”, which forbade them to show their faces publicly.
The main gate of Hawa Mahal Palace is known as Anandapoli and the second gate is Chandrapoli. Well, Hawa Mahal doesn’t have a direct entrance because it was built as a part of the City Palace.
It is believed that Sawai Pratap Singh was a great devotee of Lord Krishna. Therefore he built Hawa Mahal in the shape of Lord Krishna’s crown.
The beautiful architecture & the breeziness of the palace make it worth a visit.
I wish I could visit this place again because watching the fascinating carved windows of the Palace of Winds was unbelievably exotic, incredibly gorgeous, and arguably.
I’m sure this will help you to explore the beauty of Hawa Mahal Palace in the best way. Do pay a visit to this amazing royal city of Rajasthan.
Stay tuned for more beautiful places in Jaipur!!
