Sprawling across an area of 6,928 sq km, Jhalawar is a district located in the state of Rajasthan. One of the 33 districts of Rajasthan, this district is a part of Kota Division. The administrative headquarters of this district is the historical city of Jhalawar, which is also known as Brijnagar.
It is bounded on the north-east by Baran District and on the north-west by Kota District. Besides, it is surrounded by Neemuch, Mandsaur and Ratlam districts on the west and Shajapur and Rajgarh districts on the south. On the east lies Guna district of Madhya Pradesh.
Jhalawar till the independence of India belonged to the former princely state, Jhalawar, meaning abode of Jhalas, a Rajput clan. Lying in the Hadoti region located in south-east Rajasthan, Jhalawar has River Kali Sindh flowing through its centre. The district is divided into six sub-divisions, 7 tehsils, 4 sub tehsils, 6 blocks and 1,618 revenue villages.
The history of the place dates back to 1719, when it was founded by the Diwan of Kota State, Jhala Zalim Singh (First). The destination was then established by him as a cantonment, which was known as Chaoni Umedpura. Owing to the presence of wildlife and flora, the destination was often visited by Jhala Zalim Singh for hunting.
The place attracted him to such an extent that he decided to develop it into a township, as a military cantonment. This decision was taken owing to the fact that Maratha invaders, who captured Hadoti states, passed through this place from Malwa towards Kota.
He thought that by doing so he could easily attack and stop invasions of the Marathas before they can reach Kota. By 1803-04, the destination was developed as a township. The history of the place adds to its rich culture, which includes fairs, festivals and temples.
Chandrabhaga Kartik Fair is one of the most important fairs of Jhalawar, which is held on the banks of river Chandrabhaga. During this fair, several cultural activities are also organised, which include folk dances and paintings. Apart from Holi, Diwali and Dussehra, Gangaur is one of the most important festivals celebrated here, held in the month of March and April. Dedicated to Goddess Parvati, women pray for their husbands, while unmarried women entreat for a perfect groom.
Festivals and fairs add to the attractiveness of this destination along with plenty of tourist attractions located within. Jhalawar Fort and Bhawani Natyashala are the two most prominent attractions of the destination. Other than these, tourists can also visit Sitaleshwar Mahadeva temple, which is the most famous temple of the destination.
Flights, buses and trains, all are available for travellers planning to visit Jhalawar. Tourists travelling by air can board flights to Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport in Indore, which is located at a distance of 268 km.
Trains are also available, which are served by the Ramganj Mandi Railway Station, located at a distance of 25 km from Jhalawar. Those travelling by buses can board these from places like Kota, Bundi and Jaipur so as to reach the destination. Winter is the best time to explore Jhalawar, which extends from the month of December to February.