Nearly half the work in the restoration and facelifting of the century-old Parsi Opera Theatre at Bhawani Natyashala in Jhalawar has been completed, state government officials said.
The Rajasthan archaeology and museum department is carrying out the restoration at an estimated budget of Rs 5 crore.
Article in Hindustan Times
The Rajasthan archaeology and museum department is carrying out the restoration work at Parsi theatre in Jhalawar.Photo by: HT Photo
The repair, restoration and facelifting works commenced in September 2018 and will continue till 2021, when it completes 100 years.
Mahendra Kumar Nimhal, the in-charge of the archaeology and museum department of Jhalawar, told HT that around 45% of the work at the Bhawani Natyashala has been completed. “Repairs and facelifting works including plaster, flooring work, light fitting, window repair and other works have completed,” he said.
Work on the lounge, stage, and roof are being carried out now, he said.
Restoration and facelifting works of Rajasthan’s only Parsi opera theatre in Jhalawar. ( HT Photo )
Chairs for permanent seating and stone benches within the campus will be fixed next, he said. “We are also finishing works on light fittings, switches and colouring of the building,” Nimhal said. Also, separate toilet facilities for the tourists will also be constructed at the opera theatre building, he said.
He added that the restoration work is being done in such a way that the historicity of the Bhawani Natyashala is not affected.
Now situated near the Garh Palace, the theatre was constructed by the Maharaja Bhawani Singh of Jhalawar in 1921 and will complete 100 years in 2021.
Plays like Abhigyan Shakuntalam, Rana Pratap, Bhul Bhulaiyya, Mahabharat, Raja Harish Chandra and others were staged at Bhawani Natyashala till 1950 but after that very few plays were staged there.