Unseen Comprehension Passages III

Unseen Comprehension Passages  Set III – [03]

Read the following passage carefully:

Hawa Mahal

The renowned ‘Place Of The Winds’, or Hawa Mahal is one of the prominent tourist attraction of the city of Jaipur. Located in the heart of Jaipur, this beautiful five-storey Hawa Mahal was constructed in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh who belonged to Kachhwaha Rajput dynasty. The main architect of this palace built of red and pink sandstone is Lal Chand Ustad and the palace is believed to have been constructed in the form of the crown of Krishna, the Hindu god. Considered as an embodiment of Rajputana architectuure, the main highlight of Hawa Mahal is its pyramid shape and its 953 windows or ‘Jharokhas’ which are decorated with intricate designs. The main intention behind the construction of the Mahal was to facilitate the royal women and provide them a view of everyday life through the windows, as they never appeared in public.

Though many reasons are cited behind the construction of the fort, Purdah system followed by the Rajputs is said to be one of the main causes. During those days, Rajput royal women did not appear in public or in front of strangers. However, they were keen to follow the day-to-day events and royal processions occurring on the streets. It is for their benefits that Hawa Mahal was built, complete with small windows and screened balconies, this gave the women a sense of freedom, without appearing in public.

However, the building does not have stairs to reach the upper floors; the storeys are connected by slopes. From Hawa Mhal, one can have an excellent view the city. The monument also has an archaeological museum.

There are numerous attractions around Hawa Mahal such as the famed Jantar Mantar, Govind Devji temple, Amer Fort, Nahargarh Fort, Ram Niwas Bagh, BM Birla Planetarium, Jain Temple, Statue Circle, Sisodia Rani Garden and so on.

(I). On the basis of your reading of the above passage answer the following:

1. Who is the architect of the ‘Palace of Winds.’ In which shape is it constructed?
2. What is the main highlight of the Hawa Mahal?
3. What was the reason behind the construction of the Mahal?

(II) Find a word or a group of words from the passage which mean the same as the following:

1. Having a lot of small part that are arranged in a complicated way. (paragraph – 1)