Travel Guide

Welcome to Vadodara,

Vadodara is the third most-populated city in the Indian state of Gujarat after Ahmedabad and Surat. Vadodara or Baroda, is situated on the banks of the Vishwamitri, a river whose name derived from the great saint Rishi Vishwamitra.

Vadodara is famous for its palaces, parks, temples and museums. Vadodara is number one industrial city of Gujarat. Vadodara is also called as ‘Sanskari Nagari(city of tradition)’ for its rich culture traditions. Vadodara is one of india’s most cosmopolition cities. Lakshmi Vilas Palace, Maharaja Fatehsingh Museum, Nazarbaugh Palace, Pratap Vilas Palace, Vadodara Museum and Gallery etc are the famous places.

Ajwa Nimeta Dam and Garden

It is an earthen dam that was built early 20th century by the then ruler of Vadodara, Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III. Its main aim was to provide water to the residents of Vadodara. Although the population of Baroda at that time was 100,000 it was the ruler’s vision to build the reservoir 3 times larger. This reservoir has the ability to attend to the water requirements of about 300,000 people residing in the eastern parts of the city.

Adjacent to the dam are the famous Ajwa gardens also called as Vrindavan Garden, which are an adaptation of the famous Vrindavan gardens located in Mysore. It is very famous especially in the evenings for its coloured fountains and a musical fountain.

Dabhoi

The fort of Dabhoi is one of the rare surviving examples of Hindu military architecture, based on the shastri traditions described in various Vaastu scriptures.The architectural style and the exquisite stone carving and iconography on the fort walls and gates suggests that it was conceived and constructed in the same period as Rudra Mahalaya and Zinzuwada Fort. It is mentioned as an important city in the Jain inscriptions of Girnar

It is a major Jain pilgrimage place. There are 6 temples. Shri Lodhan Parshvanath temple is main attraction. Dabhoi is also known for great philanthropist Shree indubhai sheth, He was one of the great son of dabhoi, he was involved in lot of charity work.

This ancient fortified town, originally known as Darbhavati, and given significant mention in the Jain scriptures of Girnar, was first walled by Solanki rulers and then developed by the Vaghelas and is impressive both in its sweeping grandeur and its fine detail. Legend has it that the mason who built Hira Gate, today the least weathered of the four gates, was buried alive within it for misappropriating city labor and materials to build a talav for his lover, so ponder love and justice as you look up at the magnificent structure. In more recent history, the town is significant for its narrow-gauge railway station, the largest in Asia, and one of the oldest in the world which was still functioning till a few years ago.

Darbar Hall

Considered as one of the most famous museums of the country it was built in 1894. The picture gallery which offers an excellent collection of originals by famous British painters Turner and constable and many others attract tourists from every part of the country. The Egyptian mummy and skeleton of a blue whale are major attractions for those who visit the museum.Other treasure includes the famous Akota bronzes dating the 5th Century A.D., A collection of Mughal miniatures, a full fledged gallory of Tibetan Art and oils by several European masters.

Laxmi Vilas Palace

The Laxmi Vilas Palace was built by R.H. Chisholm. This palace was built in full throttle 19th century Indo-Saracenic style for Rs.6 million. The after early designs by the military engineer Mant, the facade of this extraordinary building is 150 m wide. The palace is faced in red Agra sandstone with dressings of blue trapstone from Pune and Rajasthani marble. The approach to the palace is very pleasant and the interior is spectacular. The Durbar Hall has walls and floor in Venetian mosaic and marble is used extensively throughout, as is stained glass from London..

Fees : Rs. 170/-

Time: 10am-5pm Tue-Sun

Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum

The Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum contains some fine European paintings.

Tambekar Wada

The Tambekar Wada is a wooden multistoreyed townhouse. This typical Maratha mansion was once the residence of Bhau Tambekar, Diwan of Baroda. Inside are some beautiful 19th century murals.

Time : 8am-6pm

Kirti Mandir

The Kirti Mandir is situated around the Sursagar Lake in the centre of the town. The Kirti Mandir houses the Gaekwad Samadhi or memorial ground.

Sayaji Bagh

Within this shady, pleasant park is the Baroda Museum, which houses some good Asian statues and carvings, mangy zoology exhibits and an Egyptian room. The gallery has lovely Mughal miniatures and a motley crew of European masters.

Nazar Bagh Palace

The Nazar Bagh Palace has a Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace), a collection of the embroidered cloth and the jewel ‘Star of the south’. The solid gold and silver guns, each barrel 127 kgs. in weight were kept here which on ceremonial occasions, were drawn by the teams of milk-white bullocks.

Makarpura Palace

Makarpura Palace is situated about 7 kms. to the south of the city. This was built in an Italian Renaissance style and has a facade of three storeys each with an arcade running around beautiful gardens.

Naulakhi Well

The Naulakhi Well is a fine baoli, about 50 kms. to the north of the palace. It is a well preserved baoli (step well) which has galleried compartments or levels.

Baroda Museum And Picture Gallery

The Baroda Museum and Picture Gallery located at Sayajibaug was founded in 1887 by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad. Created for the welfare and education his subjects, his foresight and taste were responsible for the museum’s unique and varied collection. He procured the priceless items himself or specially entrusted the work to various scholars and art connoisseurs. Thanks to his dedication the Baroda museum today possesses some very rare exhibits and enjoys an international reputation for being one of the best in the East.

The foundation stone of the museum building was laid in 1887 and the building was completed in 1894. The construction of the picture gallery building started in 1908 and was completed in 1914, but the gallery could be opened only in 1921 as the World War delayed the transport of the collection of European paintings to India to Baroda.

The museum and the picture gallery are two separate two-storied buildings built in the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture. They were designed by two English architects, R.F. Chisholm – the then Consulting State Architect – and Major R.N. Ment. The general outline of the museum building is in conformity with the traditional local Maratha architecture of wooden framework filled with brick walls. But the ground floor has the pure European style, including a cornice decorated with a plaster copy of a Parthenon frieze. The south porch rising on a vast flight of steps is decorated with early and later Mughal forms. The pure gallery building is somewhat smaller and designed in a simple European brick style, but it has Indian columns and open pavilions on the roof. The two building are connected by a covered bridge passage. The total floor area of both the buildings is about 40,000 sq. ft. The second-phase extension of the museum building is presently in progress.

• The museum periodically organises cultural and educational exhibitions on various topics.

• Illustrated lectures are arranged in the museum’s lecture theatre and experts on different subjects are specially invited for this purpose.

• Educational films are shown regularly for the benefit of school children and visitors.

• The services of guides are provided.

• ‘Gallery-talks’ are also arranged for school children and illiterate students.

• Facilities for drawing and study of exhibits at close quarters are provided.

• Necessary permission to take photographs of exhibits and to make use of the library for research work can be obtained by making a written application.

• The museum publishes its research bulletins annually.

• Plaster-cast models of some selected objects of the museum are prepared by skilled artists in the modelling studio and sold to interested persons.

The Baroda Museum & Picture Gallery is now a part of the Gujarat state Department of Museums.

Time : It is open round the year (10.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.), except for 5 public holidays.

Fees : The entrance is Rs. 10 per visitor, but children under 12 years are exempted / foreigner 200

Eme Temple

Unique in concept and design,the EME Temple is a geodesic structure covered with aluminium sheets. Run entirely by the army authorities, this temple is a major attraction for both tourist and devotees.

Maharaja Fatesingh Museum

The museum has the royal collection of art treasures and works of old masters like Raphael, Titian and Murillo as well as modern western and Indian paintings, Graeco-Roman exhibits, Chinese and Japanese art, and a large collection of contemporary Indian art.

Fees : Indian/foreigner Rs25/100

Time : 10.30am-5.30pm

Makarpura Palace

A beautiful palace designed in the Italian style, the Makarpura palace is now used as a training school by the Indian Air Force.

Maqbara (Hajira)

Built around 1586, the tomb of Qutbuddin (the army general of the great king Akbar) has beautiful windows carved in stone; there is an old step-well in the large grounds surrounding it. It is one of the oldest Moghul monuments of the city.

Nazarbaug Palace

Situated in the old walled city near the Mandvi Clock Tower, it is the oldest palace built in old classic style by Malhar Rao Gaekwad in the late 19th century.

Sayajibaug

Sayaji Baug (the famous park) is situated on river Vishwamitri and was built by Sayajirao III in 1879. Sprawling over 113 acres, it also includes an excellent zoo, the Baroda Museum and Picture Gallery, the Museum of Health and Hygiene and the Sardar Patel Planetarium.A major attraction for children is the 3.5 kms joy ride through the park on the toy train.

Surya Narayan Temple

Surya Narayan Temple is the oldest temple of the city, which is located in the Surya Narayan Baug.

Nazarbaugh Palace

“Nazarbaug Palace” was Gaekwad Royal Palace in the city of Vadodara, Gujarat state, western India. Nazarbagh Palace was build in 1721. It has solid gold and silver guns, each barrel weighing over 100kg. It also has a Sheesh Mahal, a Glass Palace.

Built in old classical style, the palace was used on ceremonial occasions by the Gaekwads. The royal family heirlooms are on display.

Sankheda

Sankheda in Vadodara, India is known for its lacquer works. The work is done on country wood, which being brown gives darker shades.It is world famous for its handicraft furniture. The furniture made from Teak wood. The furniture made here is exported all over the world.

Development of this town comes from huge contribution by Dr.Jethalal K Parikh,who worked really hard to give good education and employment to local community.There are schools and hospital named under his wife.Local community to appreciate his efforts for development of town, they named a road after his name and has his statue at entrance of town.

Vadodara Museum and Gallery

The famous museum was built in 1894 on the lines of Victoria and Albert and Science Museums of London. Major Mant in association with R.F. Chisholm who refined some of Mant’s finest works to make genuine Indo-Sarcenic architecture designed the Building of this Museum

It preserves a rich collection of art, sculpture, ethnography and ethnology. Several of the paintings are not only original but masterpieces at the picture gallery. The picture gallery which offers an excellent collection of originals by famous British painters Turner and constable and many others attract tourists from every part of the country. The Egyptian mummy and skeleton of a blue whale are major attractions for those who visit the museum.

Other treasure includes the famous Akota bronzes dating the 5th Century AD, A collection of Mughal miniatures, a full fledged gallery of Tibetan Art and oils by several European masters.