Hawa Mahal, Jaipur City, Rajasthan, India

Hawa Mahal, Jaipur City, Rajasthan, India, originally uploaded by pavangupta.

One of the most identifiable monuments of Rajasthan and certainly the most striking landmark of Jaipur, Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds), was built in 1799 AD by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh. This five storeyed structure, having 953 casements with small lattice worked (Jali) windows, was designed by Lal Chand Usta. The Maharaja and the architect Usta, both devotees of Krishna, agreed on the distinct shape of the building that resembled the form of a mukut (crown) which adorns the Lord Krishna’s head. The times when royal ladies observed strict purdah (covering the face), the screened balconies provided the zenana (ladies of the royal household) an opportunity to watch processions and other festivities on the streets below without being seen by the undesirables and strangers.

Hawa Mahal was built in 1799 AD by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, the second and the younger son of Sawai Madho Singh-I (1750-1768 AD) of Jaipur, Rajasthan. Pratap Singh was born on December 2nd, 1764 AD and became the Maharaja in 1778 AD at the age of 14, after the sudden death of his elder brother, Sawai Prithvi Singh-II (1768-1778 AD). The young ruler got his mother and her close adviser, Feroz, killed and then ruled the Kachhawaha kingdom of Jaipur for 25 years.

Sawai Pratap Singh (1778-1803 AD) was a poet at heart and a connoisseur of arts and crafts. His rule witnessed a constant struggle with the Marathas and the Mughals that became a heavy drain on the royal treasury. Despite all the challenges, he got this unique monument, Hawa Mahal, built in 1799 AD. The exact reason for building this palace is not documented but the conclusion could be a desire to please his harem. Incidentally he also got married in 1799 AD.