ON THE TRAIL
Hawa Mahal , Jaipur
Honeycombed with 953 projecting jharokha windows , the Hawa Mahal , or ‘ Palace of Winds ’ stays cool in summer as a perpetual breeze sweeps through its corridors . The five-storey lattice-like design was a way for royal ladies to observe street festivals away from prying eyes . The jewel in Jaipur ’ s crown , the palace ( particularly its backside as the entrance faces toward the nearby City Palace ) is one of the mostphotographed buildings in India . It was commissioned by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799 , and crafted from blush and rose-coloured stone , suiting the Rajasthani capital — also known as the Pink City — to a T .
Neemrana Fort Palace , Alwar
A plethora of palaces dot the deep-green valleys and Eden-like forests around Alwar , traditionally the domain of Bengal tigers and golden jackals . Located just 75 miles from Delhi , the temperate Aravalli Range in the northeastern corner of Rajasthan was selected by Prithviraj Chauhan III as the location for his palace in 1464 , when he was forced to flee the city in defeat . It was abandoned in 1947 before being restored as a 79-room hotel . The sprawling Neemrana Fort Palace is set over 25 acres and surrounded by greenery — replete with hanging gardens and a Roman-style amphitheatre . Nearby , the Baori Stepwell is one of the largest and deepest in India .
Jaisalmer Fort , Jaisalmer
Rising from the Thar Desert on Rajasthan ’ s western frontier , Jaisalmer Fort is sculpted from honey-coloured sandstone so that as night falls , it disappears into the shifting sands . This clever disguise — along with 99 buxom bastions and a triple-ring layout — safeguarded the citadel from Silk Road marauders . Dated to 1156 , it ’ s the second-oldest fort in the state , but it differs from its peers in that it ’ s a ‘ living fort ’ with seven active Jain temples and around 4,000 inhabitants , many of whom are descended from the merchants who built their havelis here . One such mansion , the Nathmal Haveli , has been converted into a museum , complete with miniature paintings .
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