An important building of high security, privacy and luxury is Jodh Bai’s palace. Jodh Bai is the Rajput queen wife of Akbar. She was renamed as Mariam-uz-Zamani Begum Sahiba. But as per some records the name Jodh Bai is a misnomer and her actual name is Hira Kunwari, alias Harkhabai. It is believed that this palace is meant for all the wives of Akbar to live.
The palace is complete in its design and arrangements. There are high plain outside walls 10 metres high with principal apartments attached to its inner side opening into the courtyard. The palace measures 98 metres by 66 metres. Entrance is through a guarded single monumental gatehouse on east. It has staggered doorways to keep privacy.
Within this palace there are living rooms, corridors, private chapel for devotions and roof terraces with screened parapets. It contains symmetrical range of buildings surrounding an open quadrangle square. Middle of each side and the corners are formed into separate blocks rising into two storeys. Each is a self-contained suite of living rooms with stairs to first floor.
There are corridors in the ground floor in between these living rooms. The first floor contains living rooms, corridors, open and semi open terraces at regular intervals and has chatris. Heating system was arranged for the ground floor halls in cold winter weather. It contains several decorative Hindu motifs like swan, parrot, elephant, lotus, ghatmala etc.
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The exterior is simple and plain. Superstructure comprises hemi spherical domes and pyramidal roofs.
The design of Jodh Bai’s palace resembles the architecture of Gujarat and Rajasthan containing the elements like pillars, niches, ornamental brackets, wide inclined eaves and volute forms. Blue glazed tiles are applied to some of the roofs and cupolas. The ceiling in one of the upper room is made of wagon-vault with groins.
The following are accommodated near this palace:
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i. Hawa Mahal (palace of air) on north
ii. Service rooms and bath rooms on south.