11 Top Things to do in Baroda (Vadodara)

11 Top Things to do in Baroda (Vadodara)

1. Sayaji Baug
With an area of over 113 acres of land, Sayaji Baug is a park located on the River Vishwamitri at a distance of 2kms from the city. The park includes an excellent zoo, the Baroda Museum and Picture Gallery, the Museum of Health and Hygiene and the Sardar Patel Planetarium. For children, all fun lies in the 3.5 kms joy ride through the park on the toy train, a gift from the royal Gaekwad family. The major attraction is the floral clock, situated at the center of the garden and is the first of its kind in Gujarat.

2. The Ajwa lake
The Sayaji Sarovar or Ajwa lake,as it is called, is the principal source of water and a little far away from the city. The lake is formed by damming the Surya river and Vaghali Nala. The gardens here, are patterned after the famous Brindavan Gardens of Mysore. The colorful lighting of fountains is a major attraction for tourists. Work on the scheme was completed in 6 years time.

3. Baroda Museum & Gallery
Built in 1894, the Baroda Gallery offers an excellent collection of originals by famous British painters Turner and constable. The Egyptian mummy and skeleton of a blue whale are on the top list for those who visit the museum. They also have 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.

4. EME Temple
This beautiful Shiva temple, near Fatehgunj, is managed and maintained by the "Jawans" of E.M.E., and is made of alluminium and some alloys. It is a place of religious armony. Idols of Gods and Godesses are beautifully placed on both the side of walk and they look very attractive when illuminated at night everyday.

5. Jambhooghoda
The Jambhoghoda Palace is a large haveli which is now converted into a heritage property which is open to visits. The place itself has its own little bird farm with turkey and geese cackling away. There is also a cackle of exotic birds (like the Indian Hornbill)that one can spot here.

6. Maharaja Fatehsinha Museum
The Maharaja Fatehsinha Museum, established in the year 1961, 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.  The galleria houses an outstanding collection of the portraiture of Raja Ravi Verma, a 19th century portraitist.

7. Champaner
Champaner lies at the foot of Pavagarh fort. Citadel of Mahmud Beghada is a perfect rectangle about three-quarters of a mile long and 280 yards broad, the citadel is enclosed by a wall of massive blocks of freestone, known as Mahmud Beghada's Wall. It is strengthened by bastions at regular intervals and beautified by small carved balconies in the best Islamic style. The splendid Jama Masjid built here is one of the grandest Islamic monuments in Western India.

8. Kayavarohan
The main temple of Kayavarohan houses a unique idol which was unearthed in a farmer's field and is said to have chemical composition indicating that it was made out of a meteorite. A legend says that - this is where Lord Shankara in a guise of a child, passed away from his body and hence the name, kayavarohan.

9. Kirti Mandir
With a cluster of shiva temples, this “E” shaped large magnificent stone building was built, to the north of the statue of Prince Fatehsinhrao Gaekwad near the Vishwamitri Bridge, to commemorate the cremation of the members of the Gaekwad family. According to Sayajirao Gaekwad it was built to commemurate the benefectors of his state irrespective of their race, caste or creed. It was built by Maharaja Sayajirao at the cost of rupees fifty thousand, it preserves in its various rooms the statues and photogaphs of the members of the royal family.

10. Hajira Maqbara
Built around 1586, the Tomb has beautiful windows carved in stone; there is an old step-well in the large grounds surrounding it. Constructed in the memory of Qutub-ud-din, the general of Akbar's army, it is the only existing Mughal monument of the city. This structure was restored in year 1736  by the Governor, Malharoa Maloji under the orders of Damaji Roa II.

11. Khanderao Market
Khanderao Market is a palatial building, erected by Sayaji Rao in year 1906, at a cost of about Rs. 5 lakhs which was later gifted to the Municipality to mark the Silver Jubilee of his administration. The architecture of the main entrance looks like that of the gate of Dabhoi Fort. The perforated stone perapers are after style of the Agra Screens. Among the offices located in the market are the offices of Baroda Municipal Offices.

- By Sunil R Yadav

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