Hawa Mahal, the famous “Palace of Winds” in Jaipur, was built by which ruler of the Kachwaha Rajput dynasty?

Introduction / Context:
Hawa Mahal is one of the most recognisable landmarks of Jaipur and a celebrated example of Rajput architecture. Its distinctive facade with numerous small windows allowed royal women to observe street processions without being seen. Exams often ask which ruler built Hawa Mahal, because it links the monument to the Kachwaha Rajput dynasty that ruled Jaipur and highlights urban development in eighteenth century Rajasthan.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The monument in question is Hawa Mahal in Jaipur.
• We are asked to identify the ruler who built it.
• Options include one Jaipur ruler, two unrelated personalities, and a generic colonial authority.
• Only one option correctly names the patron responsible for this palace.

Concept / Approach:
This is a straightforward recall question from the topic of regional architecture in Rajasthan. The key is to remember that Hawa Mahal was constructed in the late eighteenth century by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, a Kachwaha ruler of Jaipur. Although Jai Singh II founded and planned the city of Jaipur earlier, the specific structure of Hawa Mahal is associated with Pratap Singh. Matching this known fact with the options allows us to select the correct answer easily.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Jaipur was founded and planned by Maharaja Jai Singh II in the early eighteenth century. Step 2: Remember that later rulers continued to build palaces and public structures, including the iconic Hawa Mahal. Step 3: Note from art and culture references that Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, a descendant of Jai Singh II, commissioned Hawa Mahal around 1799. Step 4: Look at the options and identify Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh as the ruler specifically connected with Hawa Mahal. Step 5: Choose Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh as the answer and reject options that do not match this historical information.

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification can be done using Rajasthan tourism brochures, heritage guides, or standard art and culture textbooks. These sources explicitly mention that Hawa Mahal was built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh. While Jai Singh II is rightly remembered as the founder of Jaipur and the builder of many observatories, Hawa Mahal itself is consistently attributed to Pratap Singh. The British government and personalities like Guru Ramdas or Rabindranath Tagore have no documented role in constructing this palace.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Guru Ramdas was a Sikh Guru associated with the founding of Amritsar, not a Rajput ruler of Jaipur. Rabindranath Tagore was a twentieth century Bengali poet and philosopher with no connection to Hawa Mahal's construction. The British government did not build this palace, although it later ruled over the region. Maharaja Jai Singh II founded Jaipur and built important structures, but the specific building known as Hawa Mahal was commissioned later by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, so the option naming Jai Singh II is still not correct for this particular question.

Common Pitfalls:
A common confusion arises between Jai Singh II and Pratap Singh, leading some students to mark the founder of Jaipur rather than the patron of Hawa Mahal. Others may misinterpret the question and think of generic colonial authorities like the British government whenever the time period is not clearly recalled. To avoid such errors, students should create a simple list connecting each major Rajasthani monument with its exact patron and time period.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh.