Hawa Mahal, Jaipur

The well planned 'pink city' of Jaipur, which was founded by Sawai Jai Singh in the 18th century CE i.e. in the year 1727, falls under the 'Golden Triangle' along with Delhi and Agra. A major centre of attraction among the tourists from all across the globe, Jaipur is a home to numerous historical structures built by the Maharajas of Jaipur, among which Hawa Mahal occupies an important place.


History
The multi-layered facade of Hawa Mahal, which was mainly used by the royal Rajput women to view the processions carried out in Jaipur from its windows, was constructed by Sawai Pratap Singh in the year 1799.


Architecture
Planned and designed by Lal Chand Ustad, the Hawa Mahal is an excellent work of art, architecture and sculpture, carried on by the skillful artisans. The Hawa Mahal, carved with red and pink sandstone with white borders and motifs, comprises nothing inside it but a series of corridors with its numerous windows overlooking the street. The top three stories of this screen-like structure are simply as thick as a single room, but at its bottom are present two courtyards, which again present a unique example of the perfect facade-planning. The palace also has a thin shield as high as 50 foot with its thickness as 49 foot along with 900 niches and a number of carved sandstone grills, finials and domes, which are an add on to its magnificent architecture.

How to Reach
» Airways - The Sanganer airport at Jaipur is a domestic airport, which is well connected to the cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Luckhnow and others by a good network of flights.
» Railways - The nearest railhead is at Jaipur, which is well linked to Delhi, Ahmedabad and other major cities of India.
» Roadways - Jaipur is linked with Delhi(258 km) and Mumbai(1,202 km) by National Highway number 8 and can be easily reached from different places by bus, coach or a private taxi.