Template:Infobox building The Jhargram Raj Palace, also known as Jhargram Rajbari, is the current residence of the Malla Deb royal family. Situated in Jhargram district, West Bengal. About 15 rooms on the ground floor have been converted into a Heritage Hotel managed by the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Ltd.[1][2]
History
Raja Man Singh, granted mansabdari of the entire region of Junglekhand to his victorious generals Sarveshwar Singh Chauhan and his elder brother, under suzerainty and subordination as a tributary vassal state to the Mughal Emperor Akbar. He named his capital Jhargram which means 'a village surrounded by deep forests', hence the rulers of Jhargram assumed the title "Malla Deb".[3][4]
In 1799, the ruler of Jhargram, revolted against the East India Company along with rulers of Bishnupur and others and the revolt was termed as Chuar Mutiny. The ruler was forced to surrender and the status Jhargram kingdom made to a Zamindari estate under the British authority. The kingdom had eight sardars under the system and one Sub Zamindar of Beliaberah.[5][4]
The royal family ruled their dominions and estates from Jhargram Palace. The kingdom had its golden era during the reign of Raja Narasingha Malla Deb, under the guidance of his mentor and Dewan Rai Bahadur Debendra Mohan Bhattacharya, he developed Jhargram town into a modern planned township and commissioned the new Palace in 1931 which is one of the finest example of Indo Saracenic architecture in Eastern India and spread over 30 acres.[6]Template:Self-published inline
Architecture
The Main Building is impressive. The Jhargram Raj Palace is an opulent Italianate structure, set in carefully laid lawns and gardens. The Palace was restructured in 1931 CE, by the Calcutta Improvement Trust during the reign of Raja Narasingha Malla Deb Bahadur. In the Palace campus, so evocative of a regal lifestyle, the past comes alive.[7]
The Palatial Guest House is a part of the Jhargram Raj Palace it has been a host to several dignitaries right from its inception some of the dignitaries who have officially stayed in this building as per the records are:
- Lord Willingdon, the British Viceroy of India
- Sir John Arthur Herbert, the Governor of Bengal
- Lord Richard Casey, the Governor of Bengal;
- Chakravarti Rajagopalachari
- Prafulla Chandra Ghosh
- Bidhan Chandra Ray
- Lal Bahadur Shastri
- Morarji Desai
- General Cariappa
- Uttam Kumar
- Saiyid Nurul Hasan
- Pranab Mukherjee
- Mamata Banerjee[8]
Heritage tourism
The proprietors of Jhargram Palace have converted a part of the palace into a heritage hotel.[9] It is maintained by the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Ltd, called the Jhargram Rajbari Tourism Project.[10] Other tourism infrastructures in and around the palace which is boosting tourism in West Bengal.[11]
See also
References
- ↑ Royal retreats: Jhargram Palace/ Midnapore. The Telegraph(5 July 2008).
- ↑ Durga Pujo beyond Kolkata: rajbaris to river cruises. Condé Nast Traveller(17 October 2023). Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ↑ Royal Families of India. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Broken Palace{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Notion Press(7 September 2021). ISBN 9781685544089
- ↑ Indian Princely States
- ↑ JhargramEstate(19 May 2014).
- ↑ Top Heritage Hotel in India(27 January 2015).
- ↑ guests of the Royal family
- ↑ Bengal's 'rajbaris' are slowly becoming boutique hotels. The Hindu(21 June 2018). Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ↑ Royal retreats, the heritage palace hotels of West Bengal. Get Bengal(29 December 2022). Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ↑ How heritage projects in locations like Jhargram Palace are boosting tourism in West Bengal(2 March 2016).