Interior of Hawa Mahal or Palace of Winds, India

© Inti St Clair/age fotostoc

A feel of an era bygone. Hawa Mahal, Jaipur

Rajasthan's capital Jaipur is home to the stunning Hawa Mahal, popularly referred to as the Palace of Winds. Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh commissioned the construction of the palace in 1799 with the intention of enabling the women of the royal family to observe street life and festivities from behind its ornately carved windows without being seen themselves. The five-storey pink sandstone palace includes 953 tiny windows, called jharokhas, that let air flow through the structure and maintain the building's coolness even during the hottest months. The Hawa Mahal, a well-liked tourist destination, showcases the Rajput era's architectural skill.