By 1838 the principality was
independently ruled by the descendents of the Rajrana. Today
too, it retains much of the old world charm of crowded
bazaars, elaborate palaces, fortified towns and
colorful fetes along with the comforts of Virendra Bhawan
and a colonial Hindoostan.
Virendra Bhawan
a heritage building was built in the 1860 as The
Residency for The British Political Agent - Col. H.E Abbott.
Col.
Abbott,who came to Jhalawar in the early 1860 is said to
have introduced cricket to the region. The then Political
Agent at Jhalawar was a very keen cricketer and under his
patronage a team was formed at Jhalawar. At its invitation
Mayo College played a cricket match at Jhalawar in January,
1889 and in a low scoring match recorded a victory by 48
runs. This was the first match in Rajputana between two
teams of two different towns.
The
Cricket Feild
inaugurated by him as The
Abbott Cricket Field in 1889, is still in use
adjacent to Virendra Bhawan.
By the turn of the last
century, the Residency was home to the legendary classical
dancer UDAY SHANKAR. It was in Jhalwar that he law the court
dancer Kukibai perform on the elephants, that inspired him
to learn oriental dancing which he later took to London and
Paris with his troupe to dance with Anna Pavlova.
It was also
home to his younger brother, the musician
RAVI SHANKAR when
his father served as Diwan
to Maharajrana Bhawani Sinhji of Jhalawar.
By the turn of the last
century is was given as the Dower House to the Maharani of
Jhalawar who
lived here till 2001.
