Heritage Journey

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Best Season: October to March

History

Anshuman Gaekwad might be the best known of the distinguished royals of Vadodara (earlier Baroda) but the city owes its fame and prosperity to another magnanimous member of his family. Maharaja Sayaji Rao Gaekwad, who made Baroda a Sanskari Nagari (cultured city) as the locals would have it…and why not? Sayaji Rao lived in the magnificent Laxmi Vilas Palace. Faiyaz Khan of the celebrated Agra Gharana sang for him. Raja Ravi Verma painted for his family. Seek and you will find his illustrious legacy preserved in the many museums and art galleries strewn all over the city. Culture trip over, how can you not be seduced by the delectable flavours of the Gujju thali? …Scrounge the main markets and the shabby roadside joints that pop up at sundown for your share of meetha and farsaan! Come Navratri and you can't resist yourself from shaking a leg as the whole city does a Garba on the streets. At the end of it, if you have a day or two in hand make a quick trip to Bharuch or near by Champaner, where Aamir Khan Eleven batted it out with the firangs in the recent blockbuster Lagaan.

PLACES TO SEE

Laxmi Vilas Palace

This is the residence of the royal family that was built by Maharaja Sayajirao III in 1878 in the Indo-Saracenic style completed in 1890. The palace has an extensive collection of sculptures (bronze and marble) as well as some old armour pieces that are interesting. The Fatehsingh Rao Museum on the grounds is good for those interested in old paintings and other art objects. Save time for a visit to the nearby Naulakhi Well - a baoli (step-well).

Baroda Museum

Was built in 1894 and has an extensive art collection including several works by reputed British and other European artists. Other attractions are the Egyptian mummy, a skeleton of a blue whale, elegant Akota bronzes (5th century AD), Mughal miniatures and a gallery of Tibetan Art.

Nyaya Mandir

It is a splendid example of Byzantine architecture and is well worth a visit. Today it doubles as the Baroda District Court. This medieval structure is imposing both in proportion and style and makes for a great visit especially on weekends when the courts remain closed.

Aurobindo Society

Dedicated to Shri Aurobindo and contains memorabilia related to his life and work. There are halls for meditation that are open to the public. The library has an interesting collection and the sales emporium, which sells his books, is worth a visit.

Sayajibaug and Sardar Patel Planetarium

A park built by Sayajirao III in 1879, situated on the banks of the Vishwamitri. Spread over 113 acres, the attractions other than the greens are many - including a zoo, the Vadodara Museum and Picture Gallery, the Museum of Health and Hygiene and the Sardar Patel Planetarium. Kids get a kick trying the toy train that traverses the park.

Nazarbaug Palace

The royal art collection is brimming with works of masters like Raphael, Titian and Murillo. Also displayed are pieces, which can be classified under modern western, Indian paintings, Greco-Roman exhibits, Chinese and Japanese art. The extensive collection of contemporary Indian art is noteworthy.

HOW TO REACH VADODARA

By Air
Both IA (0265-794 747/ 48) and Jet (0265-337 051/52) fly daily from Mumbai while IA also flies daily from Delhi.

By Road
Excellent highways link Vadodara with Ahmedabad (113 km), Surat (154 km), Bhavnagar (300 km), Indore (323 km), Nasik (335 km), Ujjain (378 km), Bhopal (509 km) and Pune (547 km). Apart from the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation buses, government services of neighbouring Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan also operate regular services to and from Vadodara. Make prior reservations on GSRTC (Tel: 0265-794 700) buses if you are planning a long trip. Punjab Travels (0265-794 605) and Srinath Travels (Tel: 0265-433 301) are some of the good private companies who operate luxury services to nearby destinations.

By Train
Lying on the main Delhi-Mumbai route, Vadodara is very well connected with the rest of the country. Frequent express trains link Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Railway station: In downtown Sayaji, Ganj. Autorickshaws and taxis available at the station will drop you at the city centre.

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