Hawa Mahal Jaipur: The Palace of Winds
Photo: Tony Sebastian / Unsplash
Contents
Hawa Mahal, the Palace of Winds, is Jaipur's most iconic landmark: a pink five-storey facade that looks like a honeycomb, pierced by countless jharokhas, the small latticed windows that keep the building breezy and give it its name.[1] Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh built it in 1799.[2]
Look past the famous facade
Most visitors photograph the lattice from across the road, which works well for a short old-city stop. Step inside to understand the building itself. The 87-foot pyramid-shaped structure has 365 windows and five levels named Sharad Mandir, Ratan Mandir, Vichitra Mandir, Prakash Mandir and Hawa Mandir, and the second courtyard holds a large tank with fountains.[2]
Things to Do
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Architecture and purpose
The jharokhas had a purpose: they let the ladies of the royal family and court watch the busy streets of Johari Bazaar without being seen.[1] A passage connects Hawa Mahal to City Palace, and royal women used it to watch the Teej, Gangaur and other processions below.[2]
The facade is designed like the crown of Lord Krishna, with Lal Chand Ustad as architect.[2] The style blends Hindu Rajput and Islamic Mughal traditions: domes, canopies and fluted pillars are Rajput, while stone inlay filigree and arches are Mughal.[1] The main entrance is called Anandpoli and the second Chandrapoli.[2]
Fit it into a Jaipur visit
Local buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws all go to Hawa Mahal from anywhere in the city.[1] Jantar Mantar is 700 m away, the Government Central Museum at Albert Hall 2.5 km and Amber Fort 7.2 km.[2] Choose the exterior view if you are passing through the old city, and allow more time if you plan to enter.
The monument opens at 09:00, and its closing time is given as 18:30 or 19:00; Dhulandi (Holi) is its holiday. On the general ticket, foreign adults pay ₹200 and foreign students ₹100, while Indian adults pay ₹50 and Indian students ₹20. Children under 7 enter free, student rates need a valid ID card, and entry is free on 30 March (Rajasthan Diwas), 18 April (World Heritage Day), 18 May (World Museum Day) and 27 September (World Tourism Day).[2] You can buy tickets on the official Hawa Mahal booking page.
For more places and planning ideas, see our India travel guide.
Sources and background
Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.
- [1] Rajasthan Tourism: Hawa Mahal. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- [2] Rajasthan Tourism Official Booking Portal (OBMS): Hawa Mahal. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hawa Mahal, or the Palace of Winds, is a five-storey Jaipur landmark built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh. Its honeycomb facade of jharokhas let the ladies of the royal household watch street life without being seen.
They let the ladies of the royal family and court watch the busy streets of Johari Bazaar unseen, and they keep the palace breezy. They also give the monument its distinctive screen-like facade.
The facade looks good from across the road. Go inside to explore the five named levels and the courtyard with its fountain tank.
Sharad Mandir, Ratan Mandir, Vichitra Mandir, Prakash Mandir and Hawa Mandir.
Hawa Mahal opens at 09:00 and closes at 18:30 or 19:00. On the general ticket, foreign adults pay ₹200 and foreign students ₹100; Indian adults pay ₹50 and Indian students ₹20. Children under 7 enter free.
Notice how the lattice screen serves the monument's purpose, then compare the Rajput features (domes, canopies, fluted pillars) with the Mughal ones (stone inlay filigree, arches). The two entrances are called Anandpoli and Chandrapoli.
Yes. Jantar Mantar is 700 m away, the Government Central Museum at Albert Hall 2.5 km and Amber Fort 7.2 km.
