The Hawa Mahal stands to the east of the City Palace and it is Jaipur`s most much-admired landmark, which is also known as the "Palace of Winds". It is a multi layered palace, built by Sawai Pratap Singh (grand son of Sawai Jai Singh and son of Sawai Madhoo Singh) in 1799 AD and Mr. Lal Chand Usta was the architect. Sawai Pratap Singh was a great devotee of Lord Krishna and he dedicated this mahal to the Lord, its intricate exterior wall looks like a mukut (crown), which adorns Lord Krishna`s head. It overlooks one of the main street and lies sandwiched between more prosaic buildings.

It is best viewed during early morning, when it emits an orange- pink glow in the rays of the rising sun. This building looks out over the main street of the old city is a stunning example of Rajput artistry, with its pink semi-octagonal and delicately honeycombed sandstone windows. It was originally built in 1799 to enable ladies of the royal household, to watch the everyday life, colorful bazaars and processions of the city, while maintaining their tradition of being veiled and not to be seen from outside.

History
There is no definite record as to why Hawa Mahal was built, only conjecture. It certainly was not meant for residential purposes. That becomes clear if one were to view this unusual structure from the rear side. There is a total lack of ornamentation on the inner face of the building. The chambers are plain and more mass of pillars and passages leading to the top story. It does not seem to be part of the same building.

Built at a time when royal ladies observed very strict purdah (covering the faces), it is widely believed that this interesting palace, with its screened balconies, provided the ladies of the zenana (royal household) an opportunity to watch processions and other activities on the streets below without being observed themselves. The openings here are almost like peepholes, partially block by fine latticework in lime plaster, and some with plain wooden windows. The Hawa Mahal lives up to its name as one climbs up to the balconies and is almost swept away by the cool breeze. The royal ladies not only enjoyed the view but also did so in great comfort and style. Today, Hawa Mahal provides the visitor with some excellent views of the city and a bird`s eye view of the Jantar Mantar (a medieval observatory and an important tourist place in Jaipur).

Site & Architecture
This palace is a great example of Rajputana architecture. Famous for it`s beehive like structure, the Hawa Mahal is interplay of red and pink sand stone, highlighted with white quick lime. It is also carefully and painstakingly outlined with white borders and motifs. This is a pyramid-shaped structure is made up of small casements, each with tiny windows and arched roofs with hanging cornices, exquisitely modeled and carved. Its five-storey facade is decked with 953 small casements, each with tiny lattice worked (Jali) pink windows (jharokhas) and balconies. Its top three stories are just a single room thick but at the base are two courtyards. It is a fifty-foot high thin shield, less than a foot in thickness, but has over 900 niches and a mass of semi-octagonal bays, carved sandstone grills, finials and domes, which give this palace its unique façade.

The windows allows the breeze (hawa) which circulates through these windows gives the palace its name, and keeps it cool even in hot months. The entrance to Hawa Mahal is from the City Palace side, through a stately door, which opens into a spacious courtyard, with a double-storied building on three sides, and one on the eastern wing with three more stories, which is just one room wide. There is a small archeological museum here. There are no stairs to reach the upper floors, only ramps. Here, the visitors can also go inside to view the actual sitting place of the women and also have a closer look at the detailed stonework.

This historic structure is currently under the supervision of the state archaeological department and provides excellent views of the city. The best time to view Hawa Mahal is sunrise when it catches the early morning sun and is bathed in its golden light making it glow like a gem. The entrance to this strange building is on the rear side.