This delightful little town, surrounded by orange groves and poppy fields, is dominated by a 19th century fort, the seat of the erstwhile princes of Jhalawar. It now houses government offices. An incongruous yet charming part of the fort is the Bhavani Natya Shala Theatre, which was modeled on the grand opera houses the maharaja had seen on his European tours. The old walled town of Jhalrapatan, 6 km south of the fort, has a splendid cluster of 11th century temples.
Sightseeing Places in Jhalawar
Garh Palace
The best treasures Jhalawar Town has to offer are locked up and accessible only to the persistent. The original residence of the royal family, the Garh Palace is, as its name suggests, a grandeur-defining-citadel-palace. Built by Maharaja Madan Singh during 1840-1845, it was later handed over to the government to house collectorate offices. You can walk through and see the Sheesh Mahal rooms partitioned into cubicles, splendid frescoes with electric fittings, and the inlay work on walls and ceilings covered by dust.
Rain Basera
Another of the royal family’s former residences, the Ran Basera makes for a lovely short foray from Jhalawar, made all the more lovely for its association with a king who would not rule. Maharaja Rajendra Singh had a dream of abdicating the kingdom for his son and retiring to write poetry. He saw this timber house in an exhibition in Lucknow in 1936 and had the whole edifice transported and installed at the vast Krishna Sagar Talab here.
How to reach Jhalawar in Rajasthan
By Air
Nearest airport is Jaipur
By Rail
Nearest railhead is Kota Junction, where all Delhi-Mumbai bound trains halt en route.
By Road
Express buses ply regularly to Jhalawar from Kota’s Central Bus Terminal near Chambal Bridge.
