Jaipur: An effort to clean the famous Hawa Mahal ahead of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, or Non-Resident Indian Day, here may have damaged the 18th century palace, archaeological sources said yesterday.
Apparently over-enthusiastic to clean the city in time for the PBD, civic authorities washed the pink-coloured ‘Palace of Winds' using fire brigade hoses, the sources said.
The cleaning has left several patches on the monument with faded colour and damaged other parts, according to the sources.
Experts say the cleaning was carried out without any care or supervision ahead of the PBD, which runs from today until Monday.
"During a visit to tourist spots in the city a couple of days ago, Rajasthan Tourism Minister Bina Kak had expressed dissatisfaction over the sanitation work at Hawa Mahal as it had a lot of dirt and dust," a state archaeological department official said on condition of anonymity.
He said civic officials accompanying the minister immediately directed the fire department to carry out a clean-up without consulting the archaeological department.
‘Many patches'
"Heavy pressure pipes were used in the cleaning. Along with dust and stains, the building's colour was also washed away. This has left many patches on the building without any colour," said the official.
Experts and city residents have expressed their dismay at the damage.
"The monument represents the city globally and what the civic agencies have done is completely childish," said Dharam Saini, an archaeological expert.
"Using pressure pipes has damaged the outer surface of the building which might prove dangerous for its existence in future."
Atiq Mohammad, a resident of Ramganj in the walled city, said Hawa Mahal's pink colour symbolises the culture of Jaipur, which is known as the Pink City.
"If civic agencies wanted to clean the stains and dust over its building, they should have been done so under the supervision of experts," he said.
Kak said the authorities were told to do the work under expert supervision.
"It is being examined if the use of pressure pipes has done any damage to the outer surface," he said. "An inquiry has been initiated."
Hawa Mahal was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh and designed in the form of the crown of Lord Krishna. Its unique five-storey exterior is known for its 953 small windows, called ‘jharokhas', which let breeze pass through, hence the name ‘Palace of Winds'.
