Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds)

Hawa Mahal, the Palace of Winds, is a five-storey pink sandstone palace facade in Jaipur, Rajasthan, built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh as an extension of the City Palace. The front of Hawa Mahal is covered in 953 small latticed windows, designed so that the women of the royal household could watch street processions below without being seen.

Sawai Pratap Singh was a devotee of Krishna, and his architect Lal Chand Ustad shaped the facade like Krishna's crown. The honeycomb windows also let breezes flow through the building, which gave Hawa Mahal its name. Behind the famous front the building is surprisingly shallow, only a room or two deep in places, with ramps rather than stairs leading to the upper floors. Today Hawa Mahal is a museum run by the Rajasthan archaeology department and the most recognisable building in Jaipur.

What to see

• The street facade, best photographed from the rooftop cafes opposite in morning light
• The ramps up to the top floors and the view over the Pink City and Jantar Mantar
• Coloured glass windows in the upper chambers that throw patterns on the floor
• The courtyard and small archaeological display at the back entrance

What to wear

Hawa Mahal is a museum with no formal dress code, but the Pink City is conservative, so shoulders and knees covered is respectful. Wear shoes with grip for the narrow stone ramps. Jaipur is hot from April to June and cool on winter mornings. The shops of Badi Chaupar sell the leheriya wave-dyed and bandhani fabrics used for Rajasthani saris and safa turbans; Jaipur men wear the safa for weddings and festivals.

Local food to try

Hawa Mahal stands in the middle of Jaipur's best food streets. Walk to Johari Bazaar for Laxmi Mishthan Bhandar, known for ghevar and a vegetarian thali, or find pyaaz kachori and mirchi vada at the stalls around the chaupars. Dal baati churma and ker sangri are the dishes to order at lunch. Most food in the walled city is vegetarian; halal meat dishes are easiest to find around Ramganj Bazaar.

Good to know

• Best from October to March; arrive at 9am for fewer crowds and front-lit windows
• Open daily, about 9am to 5pm
• Entry fee at the gate, higher for foreign visitors; composite tickets available
• Allow 45 minutes inside, plus time to photograph the facade
• In the walled city, 15 minutes by car from Jaipur Junction station
• Photography allowed; the entrance is at the back, not on the main road

Nearby places

Hawa Mahal is a short walk from the City Palace and Jantar Mantar, and the jewellers of Johari Bazaar start at the corner.