Gauging Gujarat

My recent visit to Vadodara or Baroda as it is better known, landed me in one of the most prosperous and industrialized states of the Indian Union - Gujarat that eluded me for many years. With this visit of mine I can claim to have visited all the states of Indian Mainland except the north eastern seven sisters. Gujarat, derived from Gujjar Rashtra, is famous not only for its geography but equally so for its culture and people. Gujarat is blessed with fertile fields and that are very congenial for growing Cotton, Groundnut, and other grains. A good number of small and big rivers satisfy the irrigational needs of a farmer. So, risk of relying heavily on the unpredictable Indian Monsoon is somewhat reduced.

Talking about the vibrant Gujrati culture is quite difficult because to understand the many colours and shades that it encompasses one needs more time and attention. However my recent week long stay did provided me a good first hand glance. A typical Gujrati would never stand in queue for a job rather he would start something of his own. It’s in their blood; Gujjus, as they are fondly called, are born entrepreneurs. Gujrati are fun-loving, hard working and good-travelers. They can be spotted everywhere – from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. Gujarat is also known for its flourishing textile industry and indigenous handicrafts.

Before leaving for Vadodara for Pre-despatch Inspection at ABB, Maneja works I had done all the research. Lonely Planet, Dorling Kindersley, Takeo Kamiya, Ahmedabad ASI Guide book and some inputs from wikipedia was just more than sufficient for me. This time also I made full and multi-dimensional use of my official visit. Top on my agenda were – Champaner Pavagarh, Modhera, Patan, Adalaj, Ahmedabad and local Vadodara sites. I was really excited about the whole idea of having a first look at the Gujarat Vavs, the Ahmad Shahi Mosques, and the princely blocks in Vadodara but equally worried about the prevailing atmospheric conditions, terribly hot and humid.

I started my Gujarat Exploration with one of the UNESCO world heritage sites at Champaner-Pavagarh that has immense historical and architectural importance. Champaner-Pavagarh Archeological Park, as it is known today, comprises of settlements of Champaner at the foothills and Pavagarh atop the hill. Ancient ruined fortifications can be seen all around. When Mahmud Begada who was more famous for eating habits than his administrative skills, planned to capture Pavagarh, held by Rajput Kings, he shifted his base to Champaner. After a long seize of 20 months, finally Begada took control of Pavagarh in 1484. The victory was followed by a reconstruction phase which resulted in a building frenzy of massive mosques and Baolis and renaming of Champaner as Muhammadabad. The love story continued with Muhammadabad being crowned as the capital of the Ahmad Shahi Empire. It ended only when Akbar, the mighty mughal emperor, consolidated his empire with the annexation of Gujarat.

After having my breakfast – ICH Style – at Guest House, I left for the Taxi Stand. My idea was to hire a cab for whole day, but the cabbies asked for an exorbitant amount that drove me to decide in favour of an Auto Rickshaw. The deal was struck for Rs. 350/- plus toll taxes. Guessing rightly about my religious affiliations, my Auto Wallah thought that my only interest would be visiting “Kalika Mata Temple” at Pavagarh hill. Just as we speedily past through Champaner, the minarets of Borah Masjid, also known as Seher ki Masjid, made a rocketing appearance. “Stop”, I screamed “I want to have a closer look at these mosques.” He was quite surprised as a Hindu had expressed a desire to visit a ruined and deserted mosque in scorching summer of May.

Leaving him just opposite the fortified township of Champaner, I entered through the arched gateway. The construction was simply massive, both secular and religious. After a few meters of walk, I was at the entrance of Borah Masjid. A few locals were pondering at the gate whether they should waste Rs. 5/- for visiting the mosque. But, I was charged at the very sight of the huge, spacious and lofty Islamic masterpiece although I had to walk a few extra meters to get the entrance tickets. A chat with ASI Officials at the ticket counter provided me with some invaluable local knowledge about exploring the settlement of Champaner.

The basic layout of Borah Masjid is very simple, but sound, with two towering minarets. The façade has been decorated with finely carved panels showing motifs such as tendrils, leaves, flowers etc. inside the mosque, there is a colonnade of pillars that support the high ceiling. It was quite cool and serenading inside, even if the outside temperature was close to 40 degrees – that’s the beauty of the whole architecture. Having done with the photographic part, I spend some time exploring the dark corners. Before bidding adieu to this massive mosque took some more pictures from outside and moved towards the more famous Jami Masjid.

Walking past the lanes that once had a bustling population during the times of Mahmud Begada; I reached the grandest mosque of Champaner – Jami Masjid. Unlike the Borah Masjid, this mosque has a lofty entrance that leads to the main mosque courtyard. The roofless entrance that must have been covered with a dome has steps on either side for moving in. The central Arch offers a great first view of Jami Masjid with two central minarets dominating the skyline and two more scaled down ones at the corners. The architectural details are very much similar to the Borah Masjid, other than the scale and grandeur. The inner decorative panels are richly crafted, even on the ceilings. The central dome, supported by long stone pillars is a bit different from the typical Muslim style. Here, the supporting pillars are placed in an octagonal array that was a common feature in Hindu Buildings. It’s definitely a fusion of Hindu architectural styles of Solanki Dynasty and Islamic influences of the Ahmad Shahi Empire.

Champaner, in its heydays, was a very prosperous settlement. The climate was salubrious, and life booming. Champaner had around ten mosques, other than a dozen of Baolis, and many other community facilities scattered within a small fortified area. But, moving along was certainly not easy in the humid conditions for me and I decided to leave the other monuments for my next visit. Relaxed for a while at the Main entrance of Jami Masjid; Chatted with the monument attendant and offered him a cigarette than he grasped without any delay. “Saab yeh cigarette hamarey yahan nahi milti”, he added. Finishing off my Classic ultra milds stick and clicking a few photographs, I walked backed for my Auto Wallah.

“Bahat time laga diya’ Yahan kuch hai kya dekhne ko?” This was the immediate response of my Auto Wallah. From there we left for the Pavagarh hill through the forested patches with signboards showcasing the local fauna. After a few meters, a ruined gate that once served as one of the outposts for the ancient citadel came in our way. A peek into the history reveals that the hill of Pavagarh actually had four fortifications, at different times. What are left today are badly ruined stray monuments beyond recognition and some crumbling walls, here and there. After the fall of Pavagarh, Champaner took the centre stage, and Pavagarh silently went into oblivion, only to be rediscovered by the devout Hindus in the 20th Century.

Centuries passed by and for Pavagarh and Champaner, fortune fluctuated beyond imagination. Today, it is Pavagarh that’s pulling the entire crowd and very few people go to see Champaner – a UNESCO world heritage site. Actually in recent times, the aggressive Hindu surge in Gujarat has made Pavagarh more famous than Champaner. Pavagarh, what I found, is commercialized place of pilgrimage with nothing special to offer. It has a modern ropeway, roadside restaurants along the narrow streets that lead to the main shrine a top the Pavagarh hill. I did spotted two ancient Jain temples, one just outside the Ropeway exit and other ruined one next to the dried divine pool at Pavagarh Hill. The main shrine “Kalika Mata Temple” is a modern structure of concrete and steel. Bright paint coats have made it more visually appealing for many, but I was quite disappointed. There was nothing really of my interest; absolutely nothing to instigate my imagination to make out a picture of how Pavagarh would have been in its prime. It is the modernity that’s dominant everywhere and antiquity is definitely lost. Took some photographs from the divine summit and decided to call off the day.

Coming down the hill in Swiss-made ropeway cars, I had my last glimpse of the old hill. Some devout pilgrims were also seen taking on the steep slope on the own. Some idiots were also hovering around the many deserted monuments along the hill ascent. The hill looked very much like the one he had seen in Matheran, very steep and old. Came back and started for Vadodara without any delay. It was around 15 00 hrs and hot winds were blowing all over the place. Reached Ellora Park around 16 30 hrs, took some rest and reviewed all that “kalakari” that I had done with my DSC-H1.

Next three days were pretty normal and routine. Early breakfast, followed by a visit to Maneja for official work, some local sightseeing in the evening, and a simple dinner to finish off the day. Amongst the many local temples I visited, EME Temple was one off-track construction. It was designed by one British engineer named Brig AF Eugene with the corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (EME) of Indian Army long back in 1966. He had tried to fuse in all the religious influences to arrive at a structure with Aluminium sheets. Unfortunately, photography was prohibited. Other temple that came in my way was the ISKCON Temple.

On my 4th day at Vadodara, I went to Ajwa-Nimetha, just because of my driver’s persuasion. He said that the area has a big reservoir and some good gardens. That was also a big disappointment just like Pavagarh. The reservoir has been sealed off for casual tourists as the entire water supply of Vadodara is dependent on it and littering, were common among the Indians, can deteriorate the hygienic quality of the water. Finding nothing interesting and shutter provoking, I made use of the Rs. 55/- entrance ticket including the parking charges, by clicking some butterflies and helping others by clicking their romantic poses.

The poor driver thought that I would be interested in the two amusement parks sitting back to back and would appreciate him for bringing me such a marvel. My response was totally different; showing no interest in the artificial parks, I asked him to take me back to Vadodara. On way back, stopped a while at Payal Snack Shop in Alkapuri Shopping area and packed some samosas and local favorite “Patra.” Patra was really good and stuffy – I had simply been bowled over by spicy Gujrati Cuisine.

Day 5 of my Gujarat Tourney was the most exciting and rewarding one. As always, meticulous planning proved to be of great help. Ahmedabad or Amdabad as it is known locally was on my agenda, and mind. Left for Vadodara railway station without breakfast; took the general ticket; taking the flyover reached platform No. 2, where Gujarat Queen was scheduled to come. Took some bhajiya with green chilies for my breakfast and waited for the train. It was crowded as expected; somehow managed to find a seat after some time. Moving through Anand (famous for Operation flood), Nadiad (that reminded me of Sajid Nadiadwala), Mehmadabad, and many other less known stations, I reached Ahmedabad at 10: 25 hrs. By that time the sun had already fired up the atmosphere.

My plan was to visit Jami Masjid first and then work out the plan for visiting other monuments. Came out of railway station and walked a few meters, to reach a chowk. I was looking for an experienced Auto Wallah as most of the Ahmedabad mosques are located in the congested walled city and found one who agreed to drop me at Jami Masjid for Rs 20. “Why do want to go to Jami Masjid? Are you a Mohammedan? “There was a flurry of queries. I made up story – a really good one. “I am student of Architecture and I am making a thesis on mosques. I have been to some of the major Indian mosques like the Jami Masjid in New Delhi, Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad, and many more”, I replied. “And yes! I am a Hindu.” He was shocked and surprised at the same time. We kept on chatting till he dropped me at Ahmad Shah’s Mosque because of a misunderstanding.

Literally, no one was there except the ASI Monument Attendant, and a local mosque attendant. I decided to stick to my fake identity – post graduate student doing thesis work. I made my way into the old and tattered mosque through the central arched entrance. This mosque has the distinction of being one of the oldest and Ahmad Shah’s personal mosque. The minarets had fallen and the carvings had faded out but whatever has survived is sufficient to make you travel back in time. Imagine 1411, A young sultan had just taken over an empire – insecure and unstable. Defending the boundaries and shrugging off the pressure from Delhi Sultanate would have been his immediate worries. And that’s why the mosque is small and simple, showing less pomp and grandeur. Moved around the interiors for some time and took some photographs.

Next on target was a small, dim and minuscule fort that can be overlooked very easily – Bhadra Fort. It is probably the smallest fort I have ever seen. This too popped up in the initial years of Ahmad Shah’s rule and that provides the logic behind its size. I moved around the edifice, full with encroachers all around, to find any approach up to the top, as my guide book suggested, but found none. Satisfying me with just two shots from outside, I said goodbye to Bhadra, the fort, only by name.

“Symbol of Ahmedabad” that’s how it is known. It also finds a place in the logo of one of the most prestigious management institutes of the world – the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. Stone carving has never achieved this level of perfection in any part of the world. The carvings fine to the extent that at places it’s difficult even to pass fingers through the beautiful Jaali. Looking at the workmanship one is bound to think that the monument that has such masterpieces must be associated with someone very important. Well! Here the case is not exactly the same. Sidi Saiyyid was just an abyssinian slave who served Ahmad Shah. There are a total of ten Jaalis – Four in the rear and two each on either side, serving as windows providing light and air.

Overwhelmed with the fineness, I decided to have a closer look and for that I had to walk a few extra meters to reach the rear side. When I had a closer look at the stone filigree, I was even more amazed. The semi-circular motif known as the tree of life is actually not a single stone but a collection of small rectangular slabs, carved and then put in place to create the visual illusion. So, has this de-rated the masterpiece in any sense, or added to the craftsmen credit. Well! I feel although working with small pieces had definitely reduced the risks involved in carving the whole that needs painstaking sincerity and immense patience. But, it left the craftsmen with an arduous task of first creating each piece and then playing jigsaw puzzle with the pieces. Placing the pieces rightly and matching each piece with the adjoining four plates in every detail, every turn and twist of braches of the tree of life was a real challenge.

The “tree of life” is perfect creation that symbolizes the fine craftsmanship that was prevalent in the medieval times. My ASI Guide book informed me that Ahmedabad, in its prime had around 50 finely crafted mosques and tombs. Ahmedabad lost its importance only when Mahmud Begada, shifted his capital to Champaner. Having quenched my photographic desires and clicking every possible frame of the famed “Jaali” I decided to move towards Adalaj for the other famous things. I took services of an Auto Wallah named Ramesh who readily agreed to show me Adalaj and other places of my interest.

Moving past the crowded streets of old city, I saw many big and small mosques. Although ASI maintains these ageing monuments with great care, Muslims are allowed to come in for mass prayers on Fridays. So, in a way, these mosques are more alive on Fridays – very much like those medieval Ahmad Shahi days. Strolling through the Raigarh Gate, we left the old city and after a few minutes we hit the bridge over famous river Sabarmati. Roads were generally in good condition and traffic decent.

River Sabarmati is more famous for an ashram by the same name that Mahatma Gandhi made on its bank, and less for its irrigational benefits it offers. A power station owned by Torrent, a pharmaceutical giant, sits pretty on the other bank and supplies power to the city of Ahmedabad. The importance that Ahmedabad held as a focal point of industrial activities can be gauged from the fact that it was one of the few places in India that had electricity even in the pre independence days. A flourishing textile industry had earned Ahmedabad a sobriquet of “Manchester of the East”. After a pleasant drive of about an hour, we reached Adalaj.

Well! Have you ever imagined how many forms and shapes can an ordinary well, primarily meant for community use, take? I am sure, you all might have seen, a well somewhere in your surrounding or house. The very basic model has a vertical shaft that goes deeper into the ground, with a pulley arrangement for putting the buckets with ropes, into it for fetching the precious water. One more arrangement that you could have seen may be is – the Baoli, predominantly found in the north Indian states of Rajasthan, Delhi, and Punjab. These Baolis mostly have straight stairs, leading into the lower levels. Some resting space is sometimes provided on the sides, for the long distance caravans to have some rest. Baolis in and around Delhi, follow this routine and simple pattern. One of the interesting varieties of these Baoli can be spotted at Abhaneri, in Dausa District of Rajasthan. Here, you have symmetrically laid steps that go as deeper as seven stories under the ground level. At higher levels one temple can be seen, supporting the popular belief that this Baoli served the dual purpose of a temple and a well. Adalaj opened my eyes to a new species of the “well” family that’s known as Vav.

Vav – Gujarati for well is somewhat different not only in its construction but also for the purpose. Adalaj Vav or Ruda Baoli as it is sometimes called, is more spacious and multi-functional and showcases the architectural experimentations that took place in Gujarat. The descend is gradual and smooth as compared to the sharp descend of the Baolis. The ratio of the horizontal length to the corresponding depth is much more than unity. Intricate carvings adorn the supporting pillars and walls. At the bottom, there are two pools, one meant for taking ritual baths, and the other, for fetching water. So, what could have been the possible uses – anything as simple as fetching water, resting place for long travelers, place for community gatherings like marriages, nodal point for sending and receiving messages just like a post office, a temple and many others beyond my knowledge and imagination?

Today, Gujarat has around 100 vavs – most of them in very bad state of maintenance and a very few like Adalaj Vav in moderately good state. Taking one of the three possible entrances, we walked down to the flat intermediate platform. The octagonal layout of pillars suggested presence of a domed roof some time back. Columns spanning the distance between the pillars are richly crafted with geometrical designs. Four beautifully carved Jharokhas are placed at the four corners of the intermediate landing. Looking down from the intermediate platform one can hardly judge the pervasive nature of artistry and detailing. As you descend down with a close watch the things become more visible – carved niches in the surrounding walls with simple motifs depicting the contemporary lifestyle, the marvelous brackets that support the horizontal slabs.

My walk down the straight stairs from the first landing to the base was full with caution and awe. Caution was associated with the fears of moving ahead in dark and the very scale of construction for an ordinary well created the awfulness. Strolling down 101 steps and passing through the jungle of 270 pillars, I reached the base. At a depth of 30 meters, it was really cool despite the outside temperature touching 45 degrees. At the base there are two pools - an octagonal and a circular one for storing water. Since it was close to noon, the light was pilfering right into the entire depth adding a bright yellowish tinge to the otherwise dull sandstone. A still haze prevalent over the pools because of evaporation of water was adding to the mystery.

Just as I took out my camera and looking for the frames, I young boy named Harsha came to me and asked, “Are you a professional?” “No I am not,” I replied. I stuck to my intro for the day and gave him some fundas about the trabeate architectural styles which he readily accepted. My camera kept on clicking with the slightest provocation, although the need of a tripod and wide angle converter did caused a lot of regret. Having moved around the interiors, I decided to have an outside view. “How can you ever make out by seeing from here that such extraordinary constructions exist underneath?” I asked myself. Staircases on either side of the octagonal shafts drew our attention. Taking the congested spiral stairs that allow movement of only one person, we landed at one level below ground. The views were simply great and the carvings maintained the same high levels.

Adalaj Vav had just ignited such a passion and desire to explore that when one of the small children informed us about one more Vav at Ambapur, I immediately decided to visit the same. Ramesh, proved very handy in finding the way out, as few local people understand and speak Hindi. After a ride of few minutes in the deserted and dusty roads of Ambapur, we reached the Vav. Sitting near a modern temple, this Vav is in a bad state; the pillars have fallen at many places, thick heap of dust has covered the carvings; the arched opening into the round vertical shaft has crumbled. There’s no water in either of the pools – the square one and the round one. Not wasting much time came out and had a chat with two kids resting near the Vav. Next on schedule – one more Vav at Ahmedabad.

After having Masala Dosa as our lunch, we moved to Asarwa to have a closer look at the Dada Harir Vav. Dada Harir Vav has the same architectural pattern as the Adalaj Vav, differing only in two aspects – intricacy and size. This Vav has less space and uses plain pillars for most of the construction. Domed roofs at the entrance and at the side stairs are additional. One more thing that caused a worry was the blackening of the stones. The sandstone looked quite dull, lackluster, and morose. I had actually decided to call off the day, when Ramesh spotted a mosque sitting just behind the Vav.

We started our exploration with an ageing attendant cum imam who had lost not an ounce of zeal and passion for the otherwise neglected and disdained monument. He took us to all the dark and unexplored corners; passing through many - straight and spiral - hidden staircases, he took us right to the dome top. “Paarow, Photo Paar low” he kept on chanting as he showed us around the mosque and the dargah sitting next to it. After clicking a few carving close ups, and having a short discussion with imam, on a rather sensitive subject of communal harmony in our country, we made our way to our next destination – the Jain temple complex of Huthee Singhjee.

This temple, build somewhere around the mid nineteenth century,1848 to be precise, is a true marvel, although an outside glimpse can hardly give an idea about the treasures that lie inside. Ornate marble carvings all around this Jain complex left no doubt about the flawless workmanship prevalent in those days. This temple dedicated to 15th century Jain Tirthankara, Dharmanatha, has a rectangular layout, with high walls all around enclosing the main shrine.

Do look out for those beautifully sculpted figures that adorn the supporting brackets at the entrance. As the fading sun had left the stone floorings terribly hot and the coir mats were just not sufficient to make it walk able, I decided to pack and leave. The frustration created by prohibitory orders about photography inside the temple premises added the extra fuel for my decision. Before bidding my final adieu, I decided to have a parikrama around the whole complex. A book on the temple complex by one of the descendants of Seth Huthee Singhjee at the ticket and publication counter drew my immediate attention. Going through its pages I made up my mind to go for it, but the hefty price tag made me to change my mind. But, I still feel that the book was a good first hand account of the temple history. Anyway, with no regrets, I returned the book and after wasting some time glancing through the picture postcards, told Anandji to move straightway to the bus Stand.

Just as we were moving through the busy streets towards Ahmedabad Bus Stand, one of the many stray mosques with two high-rise minarets drew my attention. The sun was fading by the time and with a massive tree nearby and perfect blue sky in the background, I just can’t stop myself from clicking. The minarets looked very similar to those on my ASI Guidebook cover. I decided to have a closer look, and entered the mosque. Ahmedabad, in it’s hey days, had around 50 beautifully crafted mosques. Thought some these mosques have lost their minarets because of high seismic activity in this zone, but they still stand out in the haphazardly created urban concrete clusters, and most of them are still being visited on Fridays for prayers. I look back into my guide books later informed me that, it was Muhafiz Khan’s Mosque that provoked me for the photo shoot.

On our way to Ahmedabad Bus stand, we stopped briefly for a frozen cup of special lassi in the old city. It was laced with pieces of papaya, cheeku, and some other fruits with traces of cashew, and kishmish. At bus stand, I was welcomed by a long queue of passengers waiting at the ticket counter. Bidding farewell to Anandji after some bargaining I joined them in the queue as we waited for the next bus for Vadodara. While in the Queue, I had a brief chat with a Sales Executive from Bombay who sat next to me in the bus. The drive to Vadodara was unique in many ways. This was my first ride on a National Express Highway. Ahmedabad Vadodara NE-1, as it is known, is the smoothest patch of Indian road that I have ever traveled. Our bus took around two hours to whiz past this distance of about 100 kms.

Secondly it provided me a glimpse into the Gujarat countryside. A window seat was an added advantage with soothing breeze taking away some of the fatigue. Images of Adalaj Vav, Dada Harir Vav, Ambapur Vav, and Ahmedabad kept on coming before my eyes wherever I closed them. When I reached Vadodara, it was already dark; took an Auto Rickshaw and moved to Ellora Park. A refreshing bath, followed by a homely dinner at transit camp left hardly any desires, except for one to glance through my photographic exploits during the day. Relaxing on my bed in the air-conditioned room, and putting my digicam on “Display” mode I gave a closer look at what I have captured and where I missed out. A sense of achievement and a desire to revisit Ahmedabad were high on my mind. Till now I had stuck to my planned schedule; although I had kept aside Patan and Modhera for my next visit, but still I was more than satisfied.

Day 6 of my tour was left for exploring the local monuments of Vadodara, and I did the same. Architecture was high on my priority list. Vadodara remained the seat of Gaekwads, who nurtured their capital with some great architectural creations. Gaekwads took over Vadodara from the mughals who were ailing after the death of Aurangzeb, in 1721. The third battle of Panipat in 1761 somewhat weakened the might of Marathas but Vadodara remained in their hands until Indian independence. Vadodara stepped into modernity with the efforts of one its illustrious ruler, Sayaji Rao Gaekwad, who worked for establishing educational institutions, libraries, Baroda University apart from developing the local textile industry.

Vadodara, today, is a bursting city with all modern facilities, good educational institutions, a booming engineering industry, many imposing imperial mansions from the bygone colonial era, and more importantly people with a great mindset – liberal and friendly. My interests although were restricted to the exquisite architectural works of Charles Mant and R F Chisholm. I started my tourney with Maharaja Sayaji Rao University – Faculty of Arts building.

Sitting pretty in a well manicured slanted lawn, right in the middle of the city, this building designed by Chisholm is real mix of Islamic and Byzantine styles. If you are looking for any local, I mean Hindu or Maratha influences; you may be disappointed, as there are very few. The walls are done with un-plastered brick masonry – fine and neat; green glazed tiles have also been used to break the red monotony. The arches, quite a good number of them, follow an Islamic pattern, very similar to the ones at Alai Darwaja in Qutub Complex. There is an array of circular windows on the dome that allows natural light to come in reducing the electricity needs of the building. A hefty sum of Eight Lakh thirty thousand and one hundred and fifty rupees was spend in the year 1880 to put up this stupendous structure. Sayaji Rao III was the pushing force behind all this building frenzy for a very noble cause of promoting education.

But, what makes this mammoth monument stand apart, among the others build in Indo-Saracenic style by the British Architect is the somewhat dominating dome on the convocation hall. This dome, inspired from the Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur has the distinction of being the second largest dome in India. Although I could not see the lavish interiors but a vintage photograph taken by an unknown British photographer from the Curzon collection can gave me an idea about opulence. After moving around the whole complex and clicking at the same time, I decided to wrap up my gear. “What the hell is he doing here with a camera and ceaseless curiosity in his eyes?” the students roaming there were clueless. Chisholm who designed many other imperial buildings in other parts of India will definitely be remembered for this majestic edifice.

After a short ride in a metered auto rickshaw, I reached the Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum in the palace premises. The area within the palace premises has many insignificant dilapidated edifices, scattered here and there. Moving past some of them, I reached the ticket counter of the museum. Apart from a few classics by Raja Ravi Verma, the museum houses European artifacts such as statues, paintings from less known western artists. Well! Obviously the westerner would never give away their “Mona Lisa” and whatever failed to match their taste landed in the princely statues of India. Wasting no time, I decided to move to the Lukshmi Vilas Palace – the costliest private mansion in India at the time of its completion.

Charles Mant, a contemporary of Chisholm, was bestowed upon the responsibility of designing a palace that obviously shall symbolize the Gaekwad grandeur and more importantly reflect their secular views. For Mant, it meant that he has to create a structure that pleases a Hindu, a Muslim, a Sikh and a Christian in the same way. And even if I am a layman about Architecture, but still I feel, Mant was is a serious trouble. Grandeur, well, looking into the lavish use of Italian marble, Venetian stained glasses, stucco decorations, mosaic murals with Egyptian motives and other European stuff, Mant definitely met his first objective. But, the second hurdle of harmonizing the religious fervors somewhat missed the target. The blending, to my eyes, was not as smooth, as the Gaekwads would have desired.

Looking into the palace layout, it’s quite evident that the first block resembles a Hindu temple, while the next one has a dome, a predominant Islamic feature. The high tower next to the domed Islamic portion reflects alienation towards a Christian Church. While the last block showcases the architectural features of a Gurudwara. The interiors are really lavish, with finely carved balustrades, scintillating chandeliers, gorgeous glasswork, fabulous flooring, and engraved stone panels. The only disappointing thing was prohibition on photography.

A Serenading silence prevailing over the whole palace complex suggested that it no longer finds any royal attention. Few ageing attendants and fewer tourists because of an exorbitant entrance fee of one hundred Indian rupees have left this fine opulent building in disdain. I was taken directly to a hall that houses specimens from the Gaekwad Royal Armory. Some indigenous and mostly western weapons were stacked tightly without much fanfare. The ageing attendant, Mr. Jadhav, tried to instigate a sense of Gaekwad valor by cooking some spicy stories from wars, but, with no success.

After finishing off the escorted trip of the palace interiors with the royal attendant, I moved outside. The photography restriction was no more there and with no further delay I started clicking. While I was busy capturing the Lukshmi Vilas Palace, one of attendants called me, “Aap pehle andar dekh lijiye, baad me nahi dikhayenge.” I made my way to a big hall that was used for mass public gatherings. Our guide drew our attention to the numerous electric lights that were fitted at the ceiling. “Did they have electricity in those days?” the query came immediately to my mind, but I kept it to myself. After glancing through some other western artifacts customized to Indian taste, we moved towards the Naulakhi Baoli.

Naulakhi Baoli erased all my doubts about the electric power requirements of Lukshmi Vilas Palace. “Do you have any idea why this Baoli is named so? Asked Mr. Jadhav, our guide. Well! May be nine lac rupees were spent on making this Baoli. “No, this Baoli was build to provide cooling water supply for a German generator that cost Nine Lacs in those days and catered to all the electric demands of the imported lightings in the palace” informed Mr. Jadhav. Today, this Baoli is in total neglect; some of the supporting blocks have already collapsed and many other are waiting to follow suit. The abandoned reservoir has found some interesting occupants – snakes. After a brief stay of few minutes, we made our way to the Palace.

With permission from Mr. Jadhav, I went on a photo shootout of the palace exteriors after finishing off his routine guided trip. Fusion is the keyword wherever one can see. One more interesting thing that’s worth mentioning is the use of various shades of stones to create a visual impact. The whole idea was to save the costs incurred on painting the palace. A floral motif with red sandstone is perfectly placed to spice up the otherwise boring yellowish façade while a grayish base has been attached to a beautifully carved yellow pillar to make it somewhat contrasting. After clicking a good number of photographs, had a smoke, and left for Sayaji Baug, only after satisfying the vigilant caretaker at the entrance who noted down literally everything that you need to log on a hotel register on my entry. I walked down a few yards to photograph one of the many elaborate gates that once led to the lavish palatial mansion.

This was second trip to Sayaji Baug – enormously popular amongst the locals for an early morning jog, or a casual evening strolls with local snacks thelas offering nearly everything that one may desire. Children who love exploring the many museums it houses can hardly resist a chugging ride in the toy train that encircles this Public Park - designed and planned flawlessly. There’s something for everyone – for grown ups and children with scientific taste, there’s Sardar Patel Planetarium. Also, of interest to both children and adults is the Fish Museum. Western influences are pervasive – only Indian thing being the statue of greatest Maratha warrior ever – Chhatrapati Shivaji.

But, what drew me to Sayaji Baug was the Baroda Museum – another ageless creation by Chisholm. More than the routine content of museum the architectural experimentations of Chisholm appealed me. This building, made with bricks has extended windows that stand out distinctly from the tiled sloping roof. A similar, but finer version of the same architectural style can be seen at Trivandrum - Napier Museum. Other things that drew my attention were the many cast iron vases adorning the squares, the majestic lions guarding at the rear entrance and the many small, stray constructions from the colonial days. My walk around the whole park in the sweltering May heat had left me craving for some drinks and food. After drawing a few slow puffs out of cigarette stick, I moved to Havemor, one of the many finest places in Vadodara to dine in. One Chicken Biryani, yeah, that’s what I ordered, with a bottle of appy fiz, purely on waiters recommendation.



What I missed out in this trip is the Makarpura palace of the Gaekwads that now houses the Air Force Training Centre. Baroda Air Force station, like the other defense installations, is not open to outsiders. But, I did get a glimpse of this magnificent structure made in an Italian Renaissance style, through the massive entrance gates, designed in the lines of champ esyyles in France during my visits to Maneja. Designed by Chisholm, this massive palatial construction stands apart amidst the neighboring modern concrete structures and high boundary walls with its red and white contrasting colours. “Wish Bhatta mama was posted here; he could have easily moved me around the palace”, I thought helplessly.

Desperation and frustration caused by waitlisted return ticket that I had could hardly erase those vivid images of my brief, though enjoyable, stay at Baroda. It matched my expectations with all those princely creations, an eventful history, spicy Gujrati snacks and most importantly - fun loving vibrant people with liberal and welcoming mindset. My doubts relating to communal flairs caused by the razing of a mosque right in the middle of road, just before my visit, were also put to rest. Not surprisingly, Narendra Modi still finds place in majority of Gujju hearts. Gujarat that faced most of the wrath of fierce and brutal Islamic invaders has a historical reason for this communal tilt towards nationalist Hinduism. But, what I liked most about them was their immense enthusiasm for life and celebration of the same.