Hawa Mahal

Hawa Mahal, the Palace of Winds, rises over Johari Bazaar in the centre of Jaipur. Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh of the Kachhwaha dynasty, a grandson of Sawai Jai Singh, had it built in 1799 from local pink sandstone to extend the zenana, the quarters of the royal women, with Lal Chand Ustad as designer. Its 953 small windows, or jharokhas, form a honeycomb that keeps air moving and the rooms cool, and the pyramid-shaped top is said to echo Krishna's crown.

Because of purdah, the latticed screens, known as Aakash Patal Jali, let royal women watch the market and the processions on the main street without being seen. The building is entered from the rear, and ramps take the place of stairs. Its five levels are the Sharad Mandir, decorated with coloured glass, the Ratan Mandir, then the Vichitra, Prakash and Hawa Mandirs. A museum inside displays Rajasthani miniature paintings, and stalls outside sell silver jewellery and leather goods.