Jhalawar District :

Jhalawar district is one of the 33 districts of Rajasthan state in western India. The district is bounded on the northwest by Kota district, on the northeast by Baran district, on the east by Guna district of Madhya Pradeshstate, on the south by Rajgarh and Shajapur districts of Madhya Pradesh state and on the west by Ratlam, Mandsaur and Nimach districts of Madhya Pradesh state. The district occupies an area of 6928 km². The district is part of Kota division. The historical city of Jhalawar is the administrative headquarters of the district.

Origin of name :

The name of the district is derived from the erstwhile princely state of Jhalawar (which literally means the abode of the Jhalas, a Rajput clan).

Demography :

According to the 2011 census Jhalawar district has a population of 1,411,327, roughly equal to the nation of Swaziland or the US state of Hawaii. This gives it a ranking of 349th in India (out of a total of 640).The district has a population density of 227 inhabitants per square kilometre (590/sq mi) .Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 19.57%.Jhalawar has a sex ratio of 945 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 62.13%. Jhalawar district is home to many tribes, including Gurjars, Meenas and Bhils.

Economy :

Jhalawar district is very rich in the agricultural arena. Major productions in the district are of soyabean, citrus, opium, wheat, and dhania. The prime crops in the kharif season are soyabean, pulses, jowar and maize and the rabi crops are wheat, mustard and coriander. The district experiences the highest rainfall in the state of Rajasthan. This rain is very helpful for the farmers of the region. Besides this satisfying rainfall, the district has a lot of irrigation dams, ponds, and medium scale projects that are serving the needs of farmers. Many of the small-scale industries running in the district are totally dependent on agriculture. 
History :

The territory of the present district belonged to the princely state of Jhalawar till India's independence in 1947. This princely state was carved out from another princely state of Kota on 8 April 1838 by a treaty between the British and the rulers of Kota state.

Jhalawar was founded by Jhala Zalim Singh (First), who was the then Diwan of Kota state (1791 A.D.). He established this township, then known as Chaoni Umedpura, as a cantonment. The township was surrounded with dense green forests and wild animals. Jhala Zalim Singh often came here for hunting and he liked the place so much that he wanted to develop it as a township. The objective to develop this place as a military cantonment was due to the fact that Maratha invaders passed through this central place from Malwa towards Kota to capture Hadoti states. He recognized the importance of this place and started to develop the place as a military cantonment and township, so that he could use this place to attack and stop Maratha invaders before they can reach to Kota state. 

It was around 1803-04 AD that Chaoni Umedpura got developed as a cantonment and township. Colonel Todd, who visited the region in December, 1821 described this area as the cantonment established by Jhala Zalim Singh plus a well-established township with large houses, havelis, and surrounding walls. In the year 1838, the rulers of the British East India Company separated Jhalawar from Kota and handed it over to Jhala Madan Singh, the grandson of Jhala Zalim Singh. He developed his administration services to develop Jhalawar. He resided in Jhalara Patan for a long time and started to build The Garh Palace (1840 - 1845 A.D). He was the first ruler of Jhalawar and made a great contribution in the history of Jhalawar. 

Jhala Madan Singh ruled Jhalawar from 1838 to 1845. After his death, Jhala Prithvi Singh became the ruler of Jhalawar, and ruled for around 30 years. Rana Bhawani Singh Ji, who ruled Jhalawar state from 1899 to 1929 A.D., did remarkable work in the development of Jhalawar. He was actively involved in social activities, public works (construction), education, administration, etc. During his time, Jhalawar witnessed much development and modernisation, and he was successful in laying down the groundwork for the district of Jhalawar as it exists today. 

Tourism :

The Jhalawar Fort  : The Jhalawar Fort (Garh Palace) is situated in the centre of town, and is among the most famous tourist attractions of Jhalawar. It was built by Maharajrana Madan Singh in between 1840-45. Later on, his successors added beautiful paintings inside the rooms which can be seen with the permission of the appropriate authorities. The Zenana Khas has some excellent frescoes on both walls and mirrors, prime examples of the Hadoti School of art. This beautiful monument now houses the Collectorate and other offices. 

Gagron Fort : It  is a renowned fort located 12Kms away from Jhalawar. The foundation of this magnificent fort was laid in the 7th century and its construction completed in the 14th century. Outside the fort is the Dargah of Sufi Saint Mittheshah, where a fair is held every year during the month of Moharram. Nearby is the monastery of Saint Pipa Ji, a contemporary of Kabir, the Bhakti Saint. Gagron Fort is perched on a low ridge at the confluence of the Ahu River and the Kali Sindh River. The fort is surrounded by these rivers on three sides. There used to be a moat on the fourth side, thus completing its defenses. Gagron is among the rare forts which are both a van durg and a jal durg - i.e. both forest-protected and water-protected. It is surrounded by forests and has behind it the Mukundarrah range of hills. 

Manohar Thana Fort : Manohar Thana Fort  is a well-walled town with a strong fort. The name Manohar Thana literally means 'beautiful outpost'. Manohar Thana was a principal seat of Bhil kings who were supplanted by Hada Rajputs of Bundi, and occupied a very important strategic position. The fort commands the meeting place of two rivers, Parvan and Kaalikhad. The fort has been made impregnable with double fortifications. There is an outer wall and battlements, inside which runs another circle of walls and battlements. A good Dak-Bunglow has been recently constructed here in the fort with beautiful vegetation around. Manohar Thana fort is located 90 Kms from Jhalawar. 

Bhawani Natya Shala : It was constructed in 1921 by Maharaja Bhawani Singh. It is a unique theatre which was built for the performance of plays and other cultural events. It was a popular Parsi theatre earlier. It has been recently revived and gives a very good insight into the theatre. It is quite a unique structure and an architectural marvel. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that its deep stage with its underground construction allows the horses, and even the chariots, to appear on stage. Believed to be one of the eight such theatres in the world, in its heyday it was the venue of great plays ranging from Shakuntalam to Shakespeare's classics. 

Ren Basera : Ren Basera , on the Jhalawar-Kota Road, just 6 km short of Jhalawar town is a beautiful wooden cottage located on the banks of Kishan Sagar. Maharaja Rajendra Singh brought it to the Jhalawar from an exhibition held in Lucknow. It was originally constructed by the Forest Research Institute of Dehradun. 

Bhimsagar Dam : It is located 24 Kms from Jhalawar. This dam has been built on the Ujad River near the ruins of the old capital of Khichi Chauhans-'Mau Borda'. One can find ruins of the palaces, temples and mosques, built in both Muslim and Rajput architectural style. The dam is an excellent picnic spot. 

Chhapi Dam : Chhapi Dam is located 54 Kms from Jhalawar. It is a place of antiquity streamed with beautifully carved pillars, torans and some erotic figures in the ruins of temples scattered over an area of 2 Kms. It stands on the bank of river Chhapi. Dense green forests with lush foliage add to the natural beauty of the spot. 

 Government Museum  : Government Museum, established in 1915 and located outside the fort palace, is one of the oldest museums of Rajasthan. It houses rare manuscripts, paintings, coins, and the sculptures and statues of various gods and goddesses are especially noteworthy. Inscriptions from the 5th and 7th century are also seen here. Many idols that have been recovered from ancient ruins are added here. The Ardhnarishvara Natraj, from this museum, was displayed in Moscow, during the Festival of India celebrations.