Hawa Mahal
The Hawa Mahal is a palace in the city of Jaipur, Rajasthan,India.
Built from red and pink sandstone, it is on the edge of the City Palace, Jaipur, and extends to the Zenana, or women's chambers.
The structure was built in 1799 by the Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, grandson of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, the founder of the city of Jhunjhunu in the state of Rajasthan.
It was designed by Lal Chand Ustad.
Its five-floor exterior is akin to a honeycomb with its 953 small windows called Jharokhas.
The original intent of the lattice design was to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life and festivals celebrated in the street below without being seen.
This architectural feature also allowed cool air from the Venturi effect to pass through, thus making the whole area more pleasant during the high temperatures in summer.
Its cultural and architectural heritage is a reflection of a fusion of Hindu Rajput architecture and Islamic Mughal architecture.
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