Hawa Mahal To City Palace: Jaipur's Ode To Pantone's 'Peach Fuzz'

Every year, the design world prepares itself for Pantone to reveal its colour of the year. While in 2023, the shade was Viva Magenta, last Thursday, the global authority on colour revealed "Peach Fuzz" as this year's dominating shade. The announcement also notes that the velvety, gentle peach tone has been chosen as it represents the enriching of mind, body and heart.

If you are wondering what goes behind the selection of a shade from thousands, the answer is—a whole lot! The Pantone Colour of the Year 2024 is chosen after a year-long research by a team of human prognosticators who travel all over the world surveying fashion and design to forecast what's next.

If you want to discover the warmth and the elegance the shade has been recognised for, there's enough reason to visit Jaipur. While the city has earned the epithet "Pink City" due to the prominent buildings made with red sandstone and pink sandstone, the colour has taken a distinct shade over time that very closely resembles the colour of the year.

Jawahar Kala Kendra 

Located in Jaipur, the Jawahar Kala Kendra, built by Charles Correa in 1986, is a thriving centre for Jaipur's vibrant art, theatre and cultural scene. The architecture is a unique take on Jaipur's original city plan, which consists of nine squares and an open central square. In harmony with the city's characteristic pink facade, the sprawling complex housing amphitheatres, cafés, and art galleries boast a pink-coloured exterior that has faded over time to come closer to the peach fuzz colour. 

Address: 2, Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg, Opposite Opp Commerce College, Jhalana Doongri, Jaipur

Timings: 10 AM to 6 PM; closed on Saturday and Sunday

Entry fee: None

Johri Bazaar

Another gem in Jaipur that best showcases the warmth of Peach Fuzz is the bustling Johri Bazaar. Known as the oldest market in the city, the stretch housing approximately 400 shops, some hundred years old, was not originally washed in the colour you see today. Though it was coloured pink in 1876 when Maharaja Ram Singh commissioned the whole city to be painted pink to welcome Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, time has imbued the deep shade with a touch of orange, bringing it closer to the Pantone Colour of the Year 2024. 

Timings: 10 AM to 11 PM

Hawa Mahal

The five-storeyed palace, made from red and pink sandstone, is an iconic structure gracing every postcard of Jaipur. The iconic structure, combining Mughal and Rajput architectural styles and resembling a beehive with its 953 windows, was built in 1799 and designed by Lal Chand Ustad. The intricate latticework was implemented to filter gaze and the scorching heat. Currently, the previously bright orange-pink facade has given way to a lighter colour that may just be one or two shades deeper than Peach Fuzz. 

Address: Hawa Mahal Rd, Badi Choupad, J.D.A. Market, Pink City, Jaipur

Timings: 9 AM to 4.30 PM

City Palace

The part-residential City Palace is a must-visit for anybody travelling to Jaipur, not just for all the ancient artefacts it houses but also for its alluring architecture. Constructed in the 18th century by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of Jaipur, it blends Mughal, Rajput, and European architectural styles, showcasing a captivating fusion of artistry and cultural influences. The palace's colour scheme primarily reflects the "Jaipur Pink" hue. While this soft yet vibrant terracotta or salmon pink shade may not exactly match up to Peach Fuzz, it comes very close. 

Address: Gangori Bazaar, J.D.A. Market, Pink City, Jaipur

Timings: 9.30 AM to 7 PM

For tickets, check here.