Hawa Mahal – The Krishna’s Crown
Table of Content
- History of Hawa Mahal Palace
- Architecture of Hawamahal
- Purpose to made Hawa Mahal
- Shopping near Hawamahal Jaipur
- Know This Before Visiting Hawamahal
History of Hawa Mahal Palace
The red and pink sandstone Hawamahal is a royal palace located in the old city area of Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, and is a historical place in the Pink City. Ustad Lal Chand designed the architecture, inspired by the “Crown of Lord Krishna“. And Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh (grandson of the founder of Jaipur – “Sawai Jai Singh”) built it in 1799. Sawai Pratap Singh was a devotee of Lord Krishna, so he built this Hawa Mahal Palace as the ‘Krishna’s Crown’.
Architecture of Hawa Mahal
- The “Palace of the Winds” is also another name.
- It is a 50 feet (15 m) high five-storey building, with 953 small windows. People also call these windows “Jharokhas” in the local language.
- There is a temple on every floor.
- The first floor of Hawa Mahal is named Sharad Mandir. The second floor is Ratan Mandir, which houses artifacts made of glass. The three floors above are called Vichitra Mandir, Hawa Mandir, and Prakash Mandir respectively.
- Since it is part of the City Palace, it has no front entrance. Its main entrance is at the back which is in the form of a royal door, entering from here there is a garden full of fountains, from where a ramp leads continuously to the upper floors so that women can go up in palanquins. There are no stairs, only ramps.
- Architects consider this building the tallest building in the world built without any foundation.
Purpose to made Hawa Mahal
- In Rajput culture, if women wanted to go out in the market they had to wear a veil, which led the royal family to build Hawa Mahal right in the middle of the main market. This gave them an opportunity to sit inside and observe the market activities during the fairs and festivals of Rajasthan and the processions on special occasions.
- Its meshes are made in such a way that the airflow remains smooth and the building remains cool. As a result, it was also used as a cool resting place during the scorching summers of Rajasthan.
Shopping near Hawa Mahal Jaipur
As soon as you come out of Hawamahal, you will find many types of small shops, which sell Rajasthani clothes, traditional shoes, jewelry, handicrafts etc. Here you can buy gift items as well as household items. You will find some street vendors who sell delicious ready-to-eat foods.
Nearby Shopping Areas – Johari Bazaar, Tripolia Bazaar, Bapu Bazaar, Ajmeri Gate Market.
Know This Before Visiting Hawamahal
- Location – Hawa Mahal is located near Badi Chaupad and the City Palace area.
- Timings – 9:00 AM to 04:30 PM.
- Entry Fees – ₹50 per person for Indian Tourists, ₹200 per person for Foreign Tourists.
- Places to visit near Havamahel – City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Govind Devji Temple,
- Best Time to Visit: Rajasthan is a hot state, for this reason, we recommend you to Plan holidays in Rajasthan from October to March, when the weather is also favorable for tourists.
In summary, Every tourist coming to Jaipur must see a beautiful and unique structure like Havamahel. One of its special features is that it used architecture to create a building that could remain cool even in extreme heat. Keep your camera ready during your visit to Hawa Mahal Palace to capture its beauty from every corner.
Queries Related to Hawamahal
- Hawa Mahal to Jal mahal distance is 15 min (4.7 km) via Amer Road.
- Hawamahal is located in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
- There are lots of veg restaurants near Hawamahal.
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