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| Hawa Mahal, Vizag, AP en.wikipedia.org |
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| Hawa Mahal, Vizag deccanchronicle.com |
Hawa Mahal, Visakhapatnam: The Maritime Palace of Winds
While the name "Hawa Mahal" often brings to mind the pink sandstone lattices of Jaipur, Visakhapatnam boasts its own architectural jewel by the same name. Situated prominently on Beach Road overlooking the Bay of Bengal, the Hawa Mahal of Visakhapatnam is a historic summer palace that serves as a bridge between the royal legacy of the Jeypore Kingdom and the colonial maritime history of Andhra Pradesh.
A Royal History and Eminent Guests
The foundation of this iconic beach palace was laid in 1917 by Maharajah Ram Chandra Dev IV of the Jeypore royal family (modern-day Odisha). Completed in 1923, it was designed as a summer resort and a strategic transit point for the Maharajas as they traveled from their inland kingdom to the capital of the Madras Presidency. The site was originally an uneven hillock purchased from the Raja of Salur, which was leveled and elevated to ensure the palace sat safely above sea level.
Throughout the 20th century, the palace became a hub for India’s intellectual and political elite. It hosted the first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, during the inauguration of the ship Jalausha, as well as the first President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad. Other notable residents included Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, and the legendary actress Waheeda Rehman, whose father served as a judge in the city.
Architectural Mastery: Indo-Gothic Grandeur
The Hawa Mahal is a stunning example of Indo-Gothic architecture. The two-storied symmetrical structure is built primarily from straight-cut Khondalite stones, a local material that gives the facade a distinct character. Its design features twin octagonal projections on either side, which originally housed guard rooms and were once topped with cannons.
It is a unique two story symmetrical structure made of stone with twin octagonal projections on either side. The wooden windows are framed by segmented arched openings and the high Madras roofingis employed in the interior halls supported by Burma teak beams and rafters with a view tomake interiors cool during the hot summer months on the the Eastern Coastal area.
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| Hawa Mahal, Visakhapatnam odishatv.in |
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| Interior Hawa Mahal, Vizag, AP en.wikipedia.org |
The building has sixteen rooms and a massive hall that hosted dinners and parties for the royal guests.The interior reflects a global fusion of luxury. The halls feature high Madras roofing supported by extensive Burma teak beams to ensure natural cooling against the coastal heat. The flooring is a rich mosaic of Italian marble and Indian granite, while the windows are adorned with stained Italian glass. A central courtyard serves as the building’s "lungs," facilitating the copious wind flow that gives the palace its name. Unique engineering feats, such as stone balustrades fixed without metal rods and interlocking stone columns, showcase the skill of the architect, Muppidi Venkat Rao.
Conservation and the Transition to an Art Centre
In the decades following independence, the palace served various public roles, housing a nurses’ training school and the city’s first women’s college. However, the royal family of Jeypore, led by Mayank Kumari Deo, has remained deeply committed to its preservation. Continuous renovation works ensure that the heritage significance—including underground cables from the 1950s and original teakwood furniture—remains intact.
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| Andhra Art Festival Instagram.com |
Today, the Hawa Mahal has evolved into a vibrant cultural and art center. Moving away from its exclusive royal past, the family often provides the space at no cost to budding artists for exhibitions and yoga classes. By transforming this masonry marvel into a community hub, the Hawa Mahal continues to breathe life into Visakhapatnam’s cultural landscape, standing tall as a serene sentinel against the backdrop of modern high-rise development.
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/150806/nation-current-affairs/article/hawa-mahal-turns-art-centre
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawa_Mahal,_Visakhapatnam
K. N. Jayaraman (Author: navrangindia.blogspot.com)
