hawa mahal - Jaipur - architecture - elements used in it - structure

1. HAWA MAHAL
JAIPUR
"THE PALACE OF WINDS"
• BUILT IN 1799 A.D BY MAHARAJA SAWAI
PRATAP SINGH
• THE MAIN MOTIVE BEHIND THE MAKING
OF HAWA MAHAL WAS TO ENABLE LADIES
OF THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD TO WATCH THE
EVERYDAY LIFE AND ROYAL PROCESSIONS
OF THE CITY.
• ARCHITECT - LAL CHAND USTA
• CONSTRUCTED IN PINK
SANDSTONE, HAWA MAHAL IS
INTRICATELY CARVED AND
BORDERED WITH WHITE
MOTIVE
• ITS FAÇADE MAKES HAWA
MAHAL LOOK MORE LIKE A
SCREEN THAN A PALACE.
• THIS FIVE-STORY, PYRAMID-SHAPED
STRUCTURE ENDORSES 953 SMALL
PEEPHOLES.
• EACH PEEPHOLE HAS TINY LATTICE
WORKED (JALI) PINK WINDOWS AND
ARCHED ROOFS WITH HANGING
CORNICES
COUTYARD VIEW
INTERIOR VIEW
THE INTERIORS ARE STARK AND PLAIN WITH A MASS OF PILLARS AND
PASSAGES THAT LEAD TO THE TOP STOREY.
THE UPPER FLOORS ARE REACHED THROUGH A RAMP RATHER THAN THE
REGULAR STAIRS, A DEVICE TO FACILITATE MOVEMENT OF PALANQUINS
CARRIED BY SERVANTS WHICH IS A LESS TIRESOME WAY.
• IT IS A FIFTY-FOOT HIGH THIN SHIELD,
LESS THAN A FOOT IN THICKNESS, BUT HAS
OVER 900 NICHES AND A MASS OF
SEMIOCTAGONAL BAYS, CARVED
SANDSTONE GRILLS.
• THE UPPERMOST THREE STORIES ARE
JUST A SINGLE ROOM THICK BUT AT THE
BASE ARE TWO COURTYARDS.
• THE PYRAMIDAL OUTLINE OF THE
STRUCTURE HAS ONE CHARACTERISTIC
FEATURE OF ARCHITECTURE - SYMMETRY,
AND, AS IN JAIN TEMPLES, USES
REPETITION OF MOTIFS TO GREAT
ENHANCEMENT OF BEAUTY AND LOOKS