Introduction:
Hawa Mahal - The
Hawa Mahal was designed by renowned architect Lal Chand Usta
and is built of red and pink sandstone and is a living testimony
of Rajput architectural grandeur. The Hawa Mahal is shaped
like a pyramid and has a staggering 953 small windowpanes
and all of them are conspicuous by their miniscule lattice
work, miniature balconies and vaulted roofs all of which are
exquisitely designed and engraved.
Hawa Mahal Built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, Hawa
Mahal is the most stunning sight in the city of Jaipur. The
palace, part of a huge complex, overlooks one of Jaipur's
main streets and was originally constructed to offer women
of the court a vantage point, behind stone-carved screens,
from which to watch the activities taking place in the bazaar
and the surrounding streets. Hawa Mahal Jaipur five-story,
pyramid-shaped structure is made up of small casements, each
with tiny windows and arched roofs with hanging cornices,
exquisitely modeled and carved. Its façade makes Hawa
Mahal look more like a screen than a palace. 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. As
a matter of fact, Hawa Mahal is believed to build for the
women of the Royal Families, since they had to observe strict
"purdah" (cover). The small windows and screened
balconies serve the women to watch processions and different
activities taking place on the streets. In this manner, the
women could enjoy a sense of freedom without showing themselves.
Early morning is considered as the best time to visit the
Palace, when it is drenched in the golden light of the Sun.
At this time, Hawa Mahal appears incredible. One cannot possibly
describe the beauty of the Palace in words. The golden light
of the early morning sun floats beautifully through the windows
of this palace creating a wonderful sight for one and all.
The palace has to be visited to experience the true beauty.
Jaipur is a fascinating city but to make the city fascinating,
it has great palaces and other structures that are architectural
wonders. Look you may from whichever way - houses, shops and
havelis - they are all pink. The long crenellated walls protecting
the city and the huge gateways guarding the entrance to the
city are all in pink. Even the women who come to the city
market from their neighboring villages are dressed in pink,
gorgeous yellow, red and blue. Men dressed in white dhoti
and shirts carry huge magnificent turbans - mostly pink, red
and yello |
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