Hawa Mahal

Il-Hawa Mahal huwa palazz fil-belt ta' Jaipur, l-Indja. Huwa magħmul bil-ġebla tar-ramel ta' lewn aħmar u roża, u jinsab fit-tarf tal-Palazz tal-Belt ta' Jaipur u jibqa' sejjer saż-Zenana jew il-kompartimenti tan-nisa.

Storja 
L-istruttura nbniet fl-1799 mill-Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, in-neputi tal-Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, il-fundatur tal-belt ta' Jaipur, l-Indja. Tant baqa' ispirat mill-istruttura unika tal-Khetri Mahal, li bena dan il-palazz grandjuż u storiku.

Il-palazz ġie ddisinjat minn Lal Chand Ustad. Il-faċċata tiegħu ta' ħames sulari qisha xehda tan-naħal, bid-953 tieqa żgħira msejħa Jharokhas imżejna b'xogħol mirqum tal-kannizzati. Il-ħsieb oriġinali tad-disinn tal-kannizzati kien li jippermetti lin-nisa rjali josservaw il-ħajja ta' kuljum u l-festivals li kienu jiġu ċċelebrati fit-triq ta' taħthom mingħajr ma kienu jidhru, peress li kellhom jobdu r-regoli stretti tal-purdah, li kienu jipprojbixxu li jidhru fil-pubbliku mingħajr ma jkollhom wiċċhom mgħotti. Din il-karatteristika arkitettonika kienet tippermetti wkoll li tgħaddi l-arja friska mill-effett ta' Venturi, u b'hekk l-istruttura kollha minn ġewwa kienet tkun ferm iktar pjaċevoli minn barra matul is-sajf meta x-xemx kienet tkun fl-aqwa tagħha. Ħafna nies meta jaraw il-Hawa Mahal mit-triq jaħsbu li jkunu qed jaraw il-faċċata ta' quddiem tal-palazz, iżda fil-fatt ikunu qed jaraw il-parti ta' wara tal-palazz.

Fl-2006 saru xogħlijiet ta' rinnovazzjoni u ta' restawr fuq il-Hawa Mahal, wara distakk ta' xi 50 sena, sabiex jaqilgħu l-faċċata tal-monument. Il-proġett huwa stmat li sewa Rs 4,568 miljun. Is-settur korporattiv ta daqqa t'id fil-finanzjament tal-għall-preservazzjoni tal-monumenti storiċi ta' Jaipur u l-Unit Trust of India ħadet ħsieb il-manutenzjoni tal-Hawa Mahal. Il-palazz huwa parti estiża ta' kumpless enormi. Id-dettalji tax-xogħol tat-tinqix fil-ġebel huma karatteristiċi li jwasslu biex dan  il-monument jitqies bħala attrazzjoni turistika popolari.

Arkitettura 
This palace is a five-story pyramidal shaped monument that rises to about 50 feet (15 m). The top three floors of the structure have the width of a single room, while the first and second floors have patios in front of them. The front elevation, as seen from the street, is like a honeycomb with small portholes. Each porthole has miniature windows and carved sandstone grills, finials and domes. It gives the appearance of a mass of semi-octagonal bays, giving the monument its unique façade. The inner face on the back side of the building consists of chambers built with pillars and corridors with minimal ornamentation, and reach up to the top floor. The interior of the palace has been described as "having rooms of different coloured marbles, relieved by inlaid panels or gilding; while fountains adorn the centre of the courtyard".

Lal Chand Usta was the architect. Built-in red and pink coloured sandstone, in keeping with the décor of the other monuments in the city, its colour is a full testimony to the epithet of "Pink City" given to Jaipur. Its façade with 953 niches with intricately carved jharokhas (some are made of wood) is a stark contrast to the plain-looking rear side of the structure. Its cultural and architectural heritage is a reflection of a fusion of Hindu Rajput architecture and Islamic Mughal architecture; the Rajput style is seen in the form of domed canopies, fluted pillars, lotus, and floral patterns, and the Islamic style as evident in its stone inlay filigree work and arches (as distinguished from its similarity with the Panch Mahal at Fatehpur Sikri).

The entry to the Hawa Mahal from the city palace side is through an imperial door. It opens into a large courtyard, which has double-storeyed buildings on three sides, with the Hawa Mahal enclosing it on the east side. An archaeological museum is also housed in this courtyard.

Hawa Mahal was also known as the chef-d'œuvre of Maharaja Jai Singh as it was his favourite resort because of the elegance and built-in interior of the Mahal. The cooling effect in the chambers, provided by the breeze passing through the small windows of the façade, was enhanced by the fountains provided at the centre of each of the chambers.

The top two floors of the Hawa Mahal are accessed only through ramps. The Mahal is maintained by the archaeological department of the Government of Rajasthan.

Gallerija

Referenzi 

Palazzi
Indja
Monumenti