Hawa Mahal
The Palace of Winds
Overview
The Hawa Mahal ('Palace of Winds') is a five-storey palace façade in Jaipur, India, built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh. Its honeycomb of 953 small windows (jharokhas) allowed royal women to observe the street and festivals unseen, while channelling cooling air. Built of red and pink sandstone, it is the most photographed landmark of the Pink City and best shot in early-morning light. MyTripMyTravel times it for the dawn light and pairs it with the City Palace and Jantar Mantar.
The Hawa Mahal is the single most recognisable image of Jaipur, a five-storey pink screen of 953 lattice windows that is essentially one extraordinary façade, built so the women of the court could watch the city without being seen.
It is best understood from two sides: the iconic street elevation at sunrise, and the rear courtyard and ramps that reveal it is a screen, not a building. Both are quick but precisely light-dependent.
MyTripMyTravel times the Hawa Mahal for the early sun on its east face and folds it into the walled-city circuit with the City Palace and Jantar Mantar.
At a glance
Hawa Mahal in brief
What to see
Highlights
The street façade
The honeycomb screen at sunrise, the canonical Jaipur photograph.
Interior ramps
The rampless ascent the palace used instead of stairs.
Jharokha windows
The latticed bays that cooled the palace and screened the zenana.
Rooftop view
The city-and-Nahargarh panorama from the upper storey.
Visitor information
Our tips
Shoot the façade at sunrise from across the street before traffic builds.
Go inside too, the screen reveals itself completely from behind.
Bundle with City Palace and Jantar Mantar in one walled-city morning.
Good to know
Hawa Mahal, your questions
When is the best time to photograph the Hawa Mahal?
At sunrise, when the early sun lights the east-facing honeycomb façade and street traffic is minimal.
Can you go inside the Hawa Mahal?
Yes, the interior ramps and jharokhas are open; we arrange access and pair it with the City Palace.
How long does it take?
30 to 45 minutes, it is a façade-and-screen, quick but light-dependent.
Why was it built?
So royal women could watch street life and festivals unseen, while the lattice cooled the palace.
More in Jaipur
Visit with us
See Hawa Mahal, properly.
A private, chauffeured visit with a licensed expert guide, timed for the best light and the smallest crowds. We fold Hawa Mahal into a wider Jaipur and Golden Triangle itinerary, built entirely around you.
- Skip the queue where possible, at the right hour
- Licensed local guide who brings the story to life
- Private car and chauffeur, door to door
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