Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, India

Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, India

The ‘Palace of the Wind’ was built for the female residents of Jaipur’s City Palace. Traditionally, the women of Jaipur wore scarves over their faces when in public. Hawa Mahal gave the women of City Palace a place to watch the activities on the streets of the city without having to wear veils and scarves. And they could do so in relative comfort. The vented, ornate windows and balconies provide passive-cooling, keeping the interior more comfortable than the sunbaked streets, all without using any mechanical air conditioning devices.