Nyay Mandir

Initially built to house a vegetable market, the structure was commissioned by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III in the memory of his late queen & wife, Maharani Chimnabai I. But upon completion of the building works, it was decided to use it as Town Hall. After a few years of being used as the town hall, it was converted to an…

Shri Sayaji Vihar Club

The Shri Sayaji Vihar club which proudly stands near the Khanderao Market, was constructed by the Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III and was originally called the Officers’ Club meant for sports activities. The Building : The building goes with the spirit of the other buildings of it’s time, and had a color scheme in contrasting colors of brick red and ivory….

Polo Club (The Maharaja Pratapsinh Coronation Gymkhana)

Commissioned in the year 1936, the Maharaja Pratapsinh Coronation Gymkhana is yet another example of an act of defiance against the Britishers. Yuvraj Pratapsinhrao the grandson and successor of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, declared that he will be setting up a Polo Club, during the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of his grandfather’s rule. The Backdrop: Just before some decades of securing…

Pratap Vilas Palace (Lal Baug Palace)

Housing the only Railway University of India, the Pratap Vilas Palace was commissioned for the crown prince of Baroda in 1908. Now known as ‘The National Academy of Indian Railways’ or ‘Bharatiya Rail Rashtriya Akademy’ (in Hindi), earlier it was known as the Railway Staff College. Railway Academy : After independence, the Bombay Province had taken over these premises on lease…

Vav (Stepwells)

The landscape of the Baroda city is dotted with several ‘vavs’ (stepwell) and had more than 100 vavs at one point in time. Unfortunately, few of them are accessible and even fewer are in a well-maintained state. Below are the descriptions of the few accessible vavs. Navlakhi Vav: Located in the Lukshmi Vilas Palace compound, the Navlakhi vav is probably…

Jamnabai Hospital

Jamnabai Hospital, the only stately building on the road from Mandvi towards the Pani gate, was actually built as the State’s military HQ, in 1882 . Within a few years of being the HQ , the building was adapted to become the first major public hospital in the state and was named after Maharani Jamnabai, the adoptive mother of Sayajirao. The…

Sayaji Baug (Kamati Baug)

Imagine a sprawling park with pathways shaded by huge leafy trees and lawns bordered with lush green bushes, in the center of the city. Sayaji Baug is one such park located in the heart of Vadodara. Also known as “Kamati Baug”, it was commissioned by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III in 1879, as a gift to the citizens of his Baroda…

Sursagar Lake

Located in the heart of the city, Sursagar Talav is a lake, formerly known as Chandan Talav. It was one of the factors that guided the placement of the old walled city called the Kila-e-Dulatabad. Later, it also became the center of the urban renewal activity that took place during the reign of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III. The lake is…

Then & Now