Situated in the heart of the city, Polo Ground is a huge open ground used by the people of the city during festivals. There used to be a big lake called Bhesana or Bhesaniya Talao (Lake) where the ground is now situated. Between 1910-1912 this lake was filled up with soil to make way for the Polo Ground, under the orders of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III.
This lake called the Bhesana Talav was known as the Mahasenak Talav before it was known as the Bhesana Talav (or Bhesaniya Talav). One finds the mention of this Mahasenak Talav as one of the limits of the ancient settlement called Vatapatraka in an old Tamrapatraka (inscribed copper plate). This same Tamrapatraka has the first-ever written mention of the Vadodara city as the Vatapatraka settlement. Currently, this 9th-century copper plate is stored at the Oriental Institute of The Maharaja Sayajirao University.
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After the formation of the Polo Club in the year 1936, the royal family leased the Polo Ground under the administration of the Polo Club and Collector. Spread on a massive area of 16 acres of land, Polo Ground can accommodate up to 2 Million(s) people at a time. Earlier used for playing Polo, the ground is now used for Cricket Coaching. During the summers, a huge circus is set up in the ground, much to the delight of the children of the city. Also used during the festivals like Diwali & Dussehra, the ground is a center of festivities in the heart of the city.
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