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Vadodara - The Destination
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The garden city of Gujarat,
Vadodara (present-day Baroda) derives its name
from the profusion of banyan trees in the city.
Once the capital of the princely Gaekwad Family,
Vadodara is a charming city of palaces, parks,
temples, and museums.
The city thrives in palaces, museums and parks.
The Sayaji Bagh is a big well-laid
park and an important tourist attraction. Within
this park, you can see the Baroda Museum
and Art Gallery. The Museum has a good
collection of artifacts, which not only includes
Indian sculptures and ancient manuscripts, but
also houses a vast collection of Egyptian |
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antiquities, while the art
gallery has Mughal miniatures and some works
of European masters. The Sayaji Bagh also houses
a planetarium and a small zoo within it. Maharaj
Fateh Singh Museum, located
in the southern part of the city, is an important
tourist spot. It houses the royal collection
of copies of European masters. This museum also
has a good collection of Far Eastern Art and
contemporary Indian works. The Laxmi Vilas
Palace,
north of the Maharaj Fateh Singh Museum, has
a fine collection of artifacts. As this museum
is not generally open for public viewing, advance
booking has to be made to visit it. The Naulakhi
Well, a fine example of a step well
or baoli, and the EME temple,
a unique temple with an aluminum roof, are worth
paying a visit.
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the Khanderao Market is situated
the superb Tambekarwada Haveli (mansion), a
graceful four-storey structure covered in murals.
The city comes to life and form during the festival
of Navratri celebrated to honor
Goddess Amba. Street corners, city squares and
temple courtyards spill over with gorgeously
attired men and women dancing the musical, almost
mesmerizing Garba and Dandiya Ras. |
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The dance derives from the love legend of Radha-Krishna
and the Gopis (milkmaids). For these nine nights
every girl is altered into a seductive gopi
in embroidered flowing skirts and mirrored blouse,
and the boys into Krishna, the eternal yet elusive
lover. Understandably the time when love blooms!
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Vadodara - Facts at a Glance
| State
: |
Gujarat |
| Area
: |
108.22
sq km |
| Temperature : |
11 C – 31 C
(Summer)
24 C – 45 C (Winter) |
| Altitude
: |
35.5
mts |
| Rainfall : |
931.9 mm |
| Language
: |
Gujarati,
Hindi, English |
| Best
Season : |
November
- February |
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The earliest record of Baroda city
is found in a land grant dating back to AD 812. In
the grant, Baroda is referred to as Vadapadraka. It
was also known as Chandanavati, after a local Rajput
ruler. The city underwent constant renaming, from
Varhavati, Vatpatraka, Vadodara, and, in 1971, to
Baroda.
The history of Baroda is divided
into different periods. The Hindu period lasted from
ancient times until 1297. The Muslim rulers of the
Delhi sultanate ruled this region from 1297 to 1401.
An independent Muslim kingdom was established here,
which was known as the Gujarat Sultanate. The present
city was established during this period, which spanned
from 1401 to 1573.
Baroda became the part of the mighty
Mughal Empire when Akbar, the Mughal emperor, defeated
the local Muslim ruler in 1573. The Mughal period
lasted until 1734, when the Maratha period started
under the Gaekwad family. From 1734 to 1947, it became
the capital of the powerful Gaekwad rulers.
In 1802, the British, under the banner
of the East India Company, established a residency
in Baroda to cement their relation with the Gaekwads.
Later this residency was responsible for all erstwhile
princely states of Gujarat and Kathiawad. In 1947,
when India gained independence and all princely were
abolished, it became a part of the state of Gujarat.
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