The structure was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Prarap Singh, the grandson of Sawai Jai Singh, who was the founder of Jaipur. He was so inspired by the unique structure of Khetri Mahal that he built this grand and historical palace.
It was designed by Lal Chand Ustad. Its unique five floors exterior is akin to the honeycomb of a beehive with its 953 small windows called Jharakhas, decorated with intricate lattice work.
The original intent of the lattice design was to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life and festivals celebrated in the street below without being seen, since they had to obey the strict rules of "purdah", which forbade them from appearing in public without face coverings.
This architectural feature also allowed cool air from the Venturi effext to pass through, thus making the whole area more pleasant during the high temperatures in summer.
Many people see the Hawa Mahal from the street view and think it is the front of the palace, but in reality it is the back of that structure.
