Ministry of tourism’s heritage tag to Jhargram Rajbari
The Statesman | 21 May 2025
The ministry of tourism has awarded ‘basic heritage’ certificate to the palace resort of Jhargram.
Vikramaditya Malladeb, one of the members of the royal family, said: The Palace Resort Jhargram got the Heritage Basic Certificate from the minister of tourism on 15 May. “It is a real prestigious moment for us,” he maintained.
Advertisement
Jhargram Palace, still inhabited by the Malladeb royal family, stands as an architectural fusion of European and Islamic styles. The palace’s ground floor has been transformed into a heritage accommodation. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee during her tour to the district stays at this heritage accommodation.
As per the classification guidelines of the ministry of tourism, this category covers royal residences/ havelies/ hunting lodges/ castles / forts/ palaces built prior to 1935. The accommodation unit should have five to 10 rooms. The hotel must be managed and run by the owning family and offering traditional cuisine. There should be four to five items which have close approximation to continental cuisine. The hotel should offer traditional cuisine of the local region. There should be qualified, trained, experienced, efficient and courteous staff in service. Also, the hotel should be environment-friendly and plastic-free. The gardens and grounds should be well maintained.
A delegation from the ministry of tourism, led by Pranav Prakash, regional director of tourism( east) visited Jhargram Palace on 23 April. The committee after evaluating the palace parameters submitted a report to the ministry.
Other members, who also inspected the palace, included representatives of the Hotel and Restaurant Approval and Classification Committee under the chairmanship of the regional director (east).
Sumit Dutta, founder of Jhargram Tourism, said:“It’s good news for the promotion of tourism in Jhargram as more foreigners and NRIs along with domestic tourists will visit the area and enjoy the heritage stay.”
Jhargram is coming up fast as a tourist destination. There are both government and private accommodation, homestays and farm stays. People are visiting the district throughout the year.
After coming to power in 2011, chief minister Mamata Banerjee visited Jhargram almost every month to win the confidence of the local people. Jhargram had become a haven for Maoists.
The state government carried out massive development in infrastructure. A bridge was constructed at Lalgarh. Schemes were taken to boost tourism. A super speciality hospital was also set up.
Now, the tourists are visiting Kanak Durga temple, tribal museum. The folk artists were given musical instruments. The artisans, who make different items from black stone, have been provided financial and material assistance.
Farm stay is a new concept in Jhargram. The tourists stay in farm houses to see village life. Tribal food has become quite popular among the tourists. People also visit a nearby waterfall. The tourists are visiting the district round-the-year.