Vadodara is a Smart City

Vadodara

History Of Vadodara

Vadodara, formerly known as Baroda, has a rich history dating back to the 9th century, growing from a small Jain settlement near the Vishwamitra river into a prosperous principality under various rulers, including the Gaekwads. The city originated in the 9th century. It was known as Ankotaka which was a small Jain city near the present Akota. Archaeological evidence suggests that human activity in the region existed centuries before the present era. The region was located at the crossroads of important trade routes linking the Arabian Sea with the interior of India. Vadodara was also known as Vadpadrak (sambhvat meaning grove of banyan trees) and later came to be known as Chandan Vati after King Chandan of Dor Rajput.

The Gaekwad dynasty is a Maratha dynasty that rose to prominence in the 18th century when Peelaji Rao Gaekwad conquered Songadh from the Mughals in 1726. Peelaji Rao's son Damajirao later defeated the Mughal army and founded the Baroda state in 1734. The Gaekwads expanded their territory and became the most powerful rulers of the region. Gaekwad rule led to a period of stability and prosperity for the region.
During British rule, Baroda became a major princely state ruled by the Gaekwad dynasty and was known for its wealth and Sanskrit achievements. Backward classes were known for their education and patronage of Sanskrit. Maharaja Sayaji Rao III (1875 to 1939) was considered the architect of modern Baroda who implemented reforms in education infrastructure and the arts. He established a university, a library system and encouraged the growth of industries and agriculture. During this period, Baroda was known as a centre of education and Sanskrit.

After India gained independence in 1947, Baroda State was merged into Bombay State and later merged into the newly formed Gujarat state in 1960. The city's name was officially changed to Vadodara in 1971. Today Vadodara is a major city of Gujarat, known for its cultural heritage, historical buildings and economic importance.

Vadodara Famous Place

Laxmi Vilas Palace
Sayaji Baug Zoo
Baroda Museum
EME Temple
Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum
Tapovan Temple
Khanderao Market Building
Sur Sagar Lake
Meer Nawab Shah Saiyed Qutubuddin Tomb
Kriti Temple
Tambekar Wada
Inorbit Mall Vadodara

1. Laxmi Villas Palace

Lakshmi Vilas Palace, located in Vadodara, is the royal residence of the Gaekwad rulers, built in 1890 by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III. It is a grand palace built in Indo-Saracenic style, designed by British architect Charles Mant. Laxmi Vilas Palace is located in Vadodara. Maharaja Palace actually refers to a series of palaces in Vadodara, Gujarat, India, since the Gaekwads, a famous Maratha family, began to rule the state of Vadodara. Previously there was a government building known as Sarkar Wada. This building was not really a palace, for the Nazarabagh Palace, built in the old classical style, was built. Next, Laxmi Vilas Palace, an extraordinary building of Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture, was built in 1890 by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad 3 at a cost of GPB 180,000. It is the largest private residence ever built and is four times the size of Buckingham Palace. It has the most modern facilities at the time of construction such as elevators and interiors reminiscent of a large European country house. It is the residence of the royal family, which is held in high esteem by the residents of Baroda.

2. Sayaji Baug Zoo

Sayaji Baug was dedicated to the citizens of Vadodara by Maharaja Sayaji Rao Gaekwad 3 in 1879. Shivaji Rao 3 built Sayaji Baug on the Vishwamitri River, which is also known as Kamati Baug. It is one of the largest public gardens in Western India, spread over 113 acres (0.46 sq km).

3. Baroda Museum

The museum is located in Kamati Baug Dak Bungalow, Sayaji Ganj, Vadodara, Gujarat. It was established during the reign of the Gaekwad dynasty of the state. The building was designed by Major General R. F. Chisholm who refined some of the best works of the Gaekwads to create authentic Indo-Serbian architecture. It is spread over 113 acres. Maharaja Sayaji Rao Gaekwad III, a relative of the Gaekwad dynasty of Maratha, founded the museum in 1887. The museum building was completed in 1894 when it was opened to the public. Construction of the museum began in 1914, but was not opened until 1930 as World War I forced the transfer of pieces from Europe to Gaekwad. The picture gallery was added to the museum in 1910.

4. EME Temple

The Dakshinamoorthy and Navgraha EME Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to god Shiva, situated in EME School's campus in Vadodara, Gujarat, India. It has a Navgraha temple also which is dedicated to the nine planets in Vedic astronomy. The EME Temple was built in 1966 by the Electronics & Mechanical Engineers (EME) School of Indian Army and is maintained and run by the Army in Vadodara city of Gujarat. It has a unique design inspired by Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic dome and amalgamates elements of all major religions of the world.[citation needed] The temple is a major attraction for both tourists and is one of its kind in the world.[better source needed] The Dakshinamoorthy & Navgraha EME Temple also has 108 major archaeological stone statues circa 600-1600 CE of various Hindu deities. The statues are placed in various open spaces of the temple and attract a large number of students of architecture and archaeological studies.

5. Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum

The building was built as a school for the Maharaja's children. Today the museum displays a large number of artifacts related to the Maratha royal family. The museum houses artifacts collected by Maharaja Sir Sayaji Rao Gaekwad 3 during his many travels outside India. The major works in the museum are pending works by European and Indian artists including a collection of paintings by Raja Ravi Varma, who was specially commissioned by the then Maharaja of Baroda. The museum includes portraits of the royal family as well as paintings based on Hindu mythology for which Raja Ravi Varma was famous.

6. Tapovan Temple

Tapovan Temple located in Vadodara, Gujarat is a Hindu complex known for its peaceful environment, well maintained and rich temples of Lord Shiva, Goddess Durga and other literary deities. It is a popular spiritual and religious place. Its history is rooted in the petrochemical township and is maintained by Reliance Petrochemical Industries.

7. Khanderao Market Building

Khanderao Market in Vadodara, Gujarat was built between 1906 and 1907 by Maharaja Sayaji Rao Gaekwad III in memory of his adoptive father Maharaja Khanderao Gaekwad II and was gifted to the municipality on the occasion of his silver jubilee.

8. Sur Sagar Lake

Sursagar Lake, formerly known as Chandan Talao, is a lake in the city of Vadodara, Gujarat, India, built in the 18th century and expanded by Sureshwar Desai in the 1750s, hence the name Sursagar.

9. Meer Nawab Shah Saiyed Qutubuddin Tomb

The tomb known as Hazira in Vadodara Gujarat India contains the tomb of Qutbuddin Muhammad Khan who was the tutor of Akbar's son and successor Salim and also of his son Naurang Khan who held important positions in Gujarat under Akbar. He was the uncle of Mirza Aziz Koka, Akbar's foster brother and was governor of Gujarat thrice between 1573 and 1583. He was executed in 1583 by Shaikh Shah III, the last sultan of Gujarat.

10. Kirti Temple

Kirti Mandir was built by Maharaja Sayaji Rao Gaekwad III of the Gaekwad dynasty to perpetuate the glorious memory of his beloved ancestors. The top of the Kirti Mandir is adorned with the figures of Sun, Moon and Earth in bronze along with the undivided map of India. It was built in 1956 as part of the diamond jubilee celebrations of Maharaja Sayaji Rao Gaekwad III. The temple has five wall printings by artist Nandlal Bose depicting various stages of the Mahabharata War and some episodes from Indian mythology. The city of Vadodara, also known as Baroda, used to be the seat of the Gaekwad or Gaekwad kings and was called by various names. The city was also called Chandravati, then Veeravati and Vadapatra due to the large number of banyan trees on the banks of the Vishwamitra River. Kirti Mandir is located in the city of Vadodara. It is a collection of temples built by Sayajirao Maharaj near the city's Vishwamitra Bridge. Sayaji Maharaj is believed to have built the Kirti Mandir for the deceased members of the royal Gaekwad family and is dedicated to Lord Mahadev. Today it is a major tourist attraction in the city.

11. Tambekar Wada

Tambekar Wada is located in Tambekar No Khancho Roapur area of Vadodara. It is a 13 storey building which is a typical Maratha mansion which was once the residence of Bhau Tambekar. Inside the wada are some of the most beautiful 19th century buildings. The building is around 140 years old.

12. Inorbit Mall Vadodara

Most Famous University in Vadodara

1. Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (MSU)

2. Navrachana University

3. Parul University

4. GSFC University

5. ITM Vocational University

6. Indira Gandhi National Open University

Most Famous Food in Vadodara

1. Sev Usal

2. Dabeli

3. Gujarati Thali

Most Famous Garden in Vadodara

1. Sayaji Baug Zoo

2.Nimeta Garden

3. Ajwa Garden

4. Akota Garden

Most Famous Museum in Vadodara

1. Baroda Museum & Picture Gallery

2. Narrow Gauge Railway History Museum Dabhoi