Quick answer: Hawa Mahal is the five-storey “Palace of Winds” in Jaipur’s old city, built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh and designed by Lal Chand Ustad. Its pink sandstone front has 953 small latticed windows that let royal women watch the street unseen. You can go inside. It’s open roughly 9 AM to 4:30–5 PM daily, and entry is approx. ₹100 for Indians and ₹600 for foreigners (2026). Allow about an hour.
Most people know Hawa Mahal from one photograph: a pink honeycomb of windows rising off a busy bazaar road. What surprises our guests is how thin it is. The front is really a screen, only a room or two deep in places, with ramps, small chambers and terraces behind it. Seeing it from the street takes five minutes; seeing it from the inside takes an hour.
Hawa Mahal at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Built by | Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, 1799 |
| Architect | Lal Chand Ustad |
| Location | Hawa Mahal Road, Badi Chaupar, old (walled) city, Jaipur |
| Storeys | Five, linked by ramps rather than stairs |
| Windows | 953 jharokhas (latticed windows) |
| Material | Red and pink sandstone |
| Timings | Approx. 9:00 AM to 4:30–5:00 PM, daily |
| Entry fee (2026) | Approx. ₹100 Indian, ₹600 foreign; lower student rates |
| Time needed | 45 minutes to 1 hour inside |
| Managed by | Department of Archaeology & Museums, Rajasthan |
Why Is It Called Hawa Mahal?
“Hawa” means wind and “mahal” means palace. The small lattice windows let breezes pass through the rooms, and the narrow openings speed up the moving air, which kept the chambers cooler in Jaipur’s hot months.
History of Hawa Mahal
Who built Hawa Mahal and when?
Hawa Mahal was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, grandson of Sawai Jai Singh II, who founded Jaipur in 1727. The architect was Lal Chand Ustad. It was added to the royal palace complex, which is why the entrance sits on the City Palace side.
Why was it built?
The palace served the royal women of the court, who observed purdah. From behind the screened windows they could watch processions, festivals and street life below without being seen.
Sawai Pratap Singh was a devotee of Lord Krishna, and the tapering five-tier front is often said to be shaped like Krishna’s crown. It’s a popular explanation rather than a recorded one.
How Many Windows Does Hawa Mahal Have?
The figure in most references is 953 jharokhas; a few sources print 935, usually a slip. Each is a small projecting window with a carved stone screen, and many still hold coloured glass that throws red, green and yellow light across the floors in the morning. People also ask about doors: there’s no reliable official door count, and the main entry is a single gateway and courtyard at the back.
Can We Go Inside Hawa Mahal?
Yes. Hawa Mahal is a ticketed monument and you can walk through most of it.
Where is the entrance?
There is no entrance on the famous front. The gate is at the back, reached through a lane on the City Palace side, so from Hawa Mahal Road you need to walk around the block. Our drivers drop guests close to the entry lane so they don’t lose time looking for it.
What you see inside
- The courtyard: An open courtyard with a small archaeological museum, whose hours can differ from the monument’s.
- Ramps instead of stairs: Sloping ramps link the upper levels. They’re easy to walk but narrow in places.
- Coloured-glass chambers: Arches and windows set with coloured glass, best in morning light.
- The window galleries: Stand behind the lattice and look down at the bazaar, as the royal women did.
- The top terraces: Very narrow, with views to Jantar Mantar, the City Palace and the Nahargarh ridge.
The five levels are traditionally named Sharad Mandir, Ratan Mandir, Vichitra Mandir, Prakash Mandir and, at the top, Hawa Mandir. Signage is limited, so a local guide adds a lot.
Is it worth paying for entry?
With ten minutes, the free street view gives you the classic shot. With an hour, go in. The inside explains the building, how thin it is and how the air moves, and it’s one of the easiest places to look down over the pink city.
Hawa Mahal Timings and Ticket Price (2026)
Rajasthan revised entry fees at state-run monuments from 1 January 2026. Many websites still show the older ₹50 and ₹200 rates, so treat the figures below as approximate and check before you go.
| Visitor | Approx. entry fee |
|---|---|
| Indian adult | ₹100 |
| Indian student (with ID) | ₹50 |
| Foreign adult | ₹600 |
| Foreign student (with ID) | ₹300 |
- Timings: Approx. 9:00 AM to 4:30–5:00 PM, open every day. Sources disagree on the exact closing time, so arrive by 4 PM at the latest.
- Tickets: Buy at the counter or on the Rajasthan government’s online booking portal.
- Composite ticket: Hawa Mahal is covered by the composite ticket for state-run monuments, with Amer Fort, Jantar Mantar, Nahargarh and Albert Hall. City Palace is run separately. The composite price and validity changed in 2026, so check the current rate at the counter. It pays off if you plan four or more of these.
- Photography: Still photos are allowed; ask at the counter whether a camera fee applies. Commercial shoots need permission.
Best Photo Spots for Hawa Mahal
The front faces east, so morning light is best, roughly 8 to 10:30 AM. By mid-afternoon it’s in shade.
- Across Hawa Mahal Road: Stand on the opposite pavement and shoot upwards. Early morning means fewer buses in the frame.
- Rooftop cafés opposite: Several cafés across the road have rooftops at window height, where the well-known straight-on photos are taken. Expect to order something; some open around 8 AM.
- From inside, through a jharokha: Frame the bazaar through the lattice, or the coloured light on the floors.
- The top terrace: Wide shots over the old city towards Nahargarh.
- After dark from the street: The front is lit in the evening, though the monument is closed.
Where Is Hawa Mahal Located?
Hawa Mahal stands on Hawa Mahal Road at Badi Chaupar, in Jaipur’s walled old city, at the edge of the City Palace complex, with Johari and Tripolia bazaars a short walk away.
| From | Approx. distance |
|---|---|
| Jaipur Junction railway station | About 4–5 km (15–25 minutes by road, traffic permitting) |
| Jaipur International Airport | About 13 km |
| City Palace | Next door, a few minutes on foot |
| Jantar Mantar | A few minutes on foot |
| Amer Fort | About 11 km north |
The Jaipur Metro’s Pink Line stops at Badi Chaupar, within walking distance. Old-city parking is tight, so most visitors come by taxi.
Hawa Mahal, City Palace and Jantar Mantar in One Morning
Yes, all three fit into one morning because they sit side by side. Start with Hawa Mahal for the light, then Jantar Mantar, then the City Palace. Allow about four hours.
For the rest of the city and how many days to give it, see our guide to places to visit in Jaipur. Most guests pair this old-city morning with Amer Fort on another half-day, with a photo stop at Jal Mahal on the way.
Staying Near Hawa Mahal
Hotels and havelis inside the walled city put you within walking distance for a sunrise visit, at the cost of noise and limited parking. Hotels outside the walls are quieter and 15 to 30 minutes away by car.
Tips for Visiting Hawa Mahal
- Go early for cool air, empty ramps and the best light.
- Find the back entrance first. There’s no gate on the main road.
- Wear comfortable shoes. The stone ramps can be slippery.
- Mind the top levels. They’re narrow with low walls, so keep children close.
- Accessibility is limited. Ramps are steep and narrow, with no lift.
- Pick your season. Late October to March is most comfortable; see our best time to visit Rajasthan guide.
Plan Your Hawa Mahal Visit
Our drivers know the old-city lanes, where to drop you near the entry gate and where to wait. We can include Hawa Mahal in our Jaipur fort sightseeing tour or a Golden Triangle tour with Delhi and Agra.
Call or WhatsApp our Jaipur office on +91-9983889373, or Udaipur on +91-8619315547.
Planning more of Rajasthan? Browse all our guides on the Rajasthan Travel Blog.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why is Hawa Mahal famous?
Hawa Mahal is famous for its pink sandstone front with 953 latticed windows, the best-known image of Jaipur. Its design is unusual too: a five-storey building that’s very shallow, built mainly as a screen so royal women could watch the street below without being seen.
2. Who built Hawa Mahal, and in which year?
Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh built Hawa Mahal in 1799, with the architect Lal Chand Ustad. Pratap Singh was the grandson of Sawai Jai Singh II, Jaipur’s founder, and the building was added to the royal palace complex that includes the City Palace.
3. Can we see Hawa Mahal from the inside?
Yes. With a ticket you can walk through the courtyard, ramps, window galleries and upper terraces. The inside shows how thin the front really is and gives good views over the old city. Allow 45 minutes to an hour; the top levels get crowded at busy times.
4. Can you stay in Hawa Mahal?
No. Hawa Mahal is a protected monument run by the state archaeology department, not a hotel, and there’s no overnight access. Hotels and havelis in the surrounding old city put you within walking distance for an early visit before the traffic builds.
5. What is the best time of day to photograph Hawa Mahal?
Early morning, roughly 8 to 10:30 AM. The front faces east, so the sun lights the pink stone directly, and by afternoon it’s in shade. Mornings also have less traffic, which makes shooting from the opposite pavement or a rooftop café easier.
6. Is Hawa Mahal open on all days?
Hawa Mahal is generally open every day, from about 9 AM to 4:30–5 PM. It can close at short notice for official events or VIP visits, which happen from time to time in Jaipur, so check locally if your visit falls around a holiday or major event.
7. How far is Hawa Mahal from Jaipur railway station?
About 4 to 5 km from Jaipur Junction. By taxi or auto it usually takes 15 to 25 minutes, depending on old-city traffic. The Jaipur Metro also runs to Badi Chaupar, a short walk from the monument.
8. Is Hawa Mahal part of the Jaipur composite ticket?
Yes. The composite ticket for state-run monuments covers Hawa Mahal with Amer Fort, Jantar Mantar, Nahargarh and Albert Hall Museum. City Palace is managed separately. Prices and validity were revised in 2026, so confirm the current rate at a ticket counter before buying.
9. How much time is needed to visit Hawa Mahal?
About an hour: 45 minutes inside plus photos from the road, or 90 minutes with a rooftop café stop. With City Palace and Jantar Mantar next door, many visitors spend the whole morning here.
10. Is Hawa Mahal suitable for elderly visitors and children?
Mostly. Ramps instead of stairs help older visitors, but they’re narrow and smooth, the top levels have low walls, and there’s no lift, so wheelchair access is limited. Keep children close upstairs and go early to avoid crowds in the tight passages.