Need a quick getaway from Delhi? Escape to Jaipur and explore the history of Hawa Mahal

Hawa Mahal (Palace of winds) is a beautiful palace in Jaipur and you guessed it, named such because it was essentially a high screen wall built so the women of the royal household could observe street festivals while unseen from the outside. It is constructed of red and pink sandstone, the palace sits on the edge of the City Palace, Jaipur, and extends to the zenana, or women’s chambers. The palace, called a ‘specimen of fanciful architecture’ is located to the south of the Jaipur city, at the main road intersection called the Badi Chaupad (big four square). Jaipur city is well connected by road, rail and air links with the rest of the country.

Entry to the Hawa Mahal is not from the front but from a side road to the rear end. Facing the Hawa Mahal, turning right and again to the first right, leads to an archway entry and then to the rear side of the building.

THE TIP: If you are a photography enthusiast, take our suggestion to visit this monument during early hours of the morning. The pillars and walls and staircases get washed with golden light of sunrise, giving it a fabulous soft light effect in the pictures.