Hawa Mahal (Hindi हवा महल havā mahal, "Palace of the Winds") is an architecturally exceptional building in the old town of Jaipur, Rajasthan (India); it is part of the huge city palace of the local maharajas. Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh had the pleasure palace built in 1799, documenting the lavish lifestyle of the Rajput princes, and since then it has been considered one of India's main attractions.
The five-story building - only about five to eight meters deep - with the facade dominated by countless jaroka balconies is made of red and pink sandstone with quicklime decorations. Its sole purpose was to enable the harem ladies to watch the pompous parades held in honor of the ruler or on religious festivals without being visible themselves. The facade facing the street contains 953 small, artfully designed and barred windows that ensure constant, slightly cooling air circulation, hence the name Wind Palace (hawa = wind, mahal = palace). Through the lattice windows (jalis), the women of the court could watch the goings-on on the street unobserved. The many (semi-)dome-shaped roofs that are drawn down in the corners correspond to the Bengali type, which spread in the 17th century through Mughal architecture to the Rajput palaces and merchant houses (havelis) of Rajasthan.
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