This Article is From Oct 25, 2010

Jaipur: Fountains at Hawa Mahal to come alive

Jaipur: Next summer you will be able to enjoy the breeze coming over from the natural fountains at the courtyard of Hawa Mahal.

The famous fountains at the historical site will be working again. Archeological department have planned to restore the fountains within a few months.

"We are trying present Hawa Mahal as it was originally planned by the rulers of Jaipur. These fountains used to work with the help of gravitation force and we will now recharge the water source and invoke the same system which was enjoyed by the royal family of Jaipur more than two hundred years ago," a highly placed official of archaeology department said.

A budget of around `5 lakh has been earmarked for the work, he added.

Sawai Pratap Singh, son of Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh I, built the Hawa Mahal in 1799 as a continuation of the Royal City Palace. He was grandson of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh who founded city of Jaipur in 1727.

Meanwhile, archaeology department is now also planning to take up major renovation and restoration work at many other important sites across the state which till now was more or less neglected by the authorities.

Interestingly, a few places on the renovation list also includes Bala Quilla in Alwar where restoration work was done by Amber Development and Management Authority a few years ago.

A budget of `60 lakh has been earmarked for restoration and conservation work at Bala Quilla while `35 lakh will be invested to restore the places of archeological importance in Shergarh town at Baran district also.

"Beside the fountains at Hawa Mahal, we have also planned to start restoration work at famous Kiradu temple in Barmer, Shergarh town in Baran, wood work at Kesri Singh Bahrat Haveli at Shahpura in Bhilwara and conservation work at Jamuwai Mata temple at Jamwaramgarh near Jaipur," an official said.

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