When Sayajirao III was adopted by Maharani Jamnabai Saheb in 1875, many of his relatives came and settled in Baroda. One of these was Baburao Gaekwad, Maharaja Sayajirao III‘s real uncle.
For settling down in Baroda a house was necessary, Baburao transformed this need into a grand mansion called the Vitthal Niwas. Built around the 1890s, this stately mansion is located just across the road from the Jumma Masjid in the Mandvi area. That his mansion is located so near to the Sarkarwada (the then residence of Gaekwads) says that he must have held high esteem in that period.
Baburao named this mansion after his son Vitthalrao who lived in this mansion with his wife Pannabai, 4 sons and 3 daughters. Vitthalrao held the rank of a “Mankari Sardar”, and was charged with a duty to look after the Parks & Gardens of the State.
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Patterned somewhat like the Baroda College (now Faculty of Arts – MSU), the building features the use of sandstone together with exposed brickwork just like the college. But what gives the building its elegance is the abundance of the graceful cusped arches carved in sandstone. It also features a small dome on one side and a beautiful small balcony protruding from the portion above its gateway. All these elements together make the building such that, just by looking at it one would’ve known the status of its residents!
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With portions of it sold over the years, currently a part of this mansion is demolished & other part lies in shambles. If it is not refurbished or taken care of, it will soon vanish from the city’s heritage buildings!
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