Baroda - Introduction
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Population: 1.86 million
STD Code: 0265
Baroda was the
capital of the princely Gaekwad state prior to Independence.
Today Vadodara (or Baroda, as it is still generaly known), 100 km
south of Ahmedabad, is a pleasant, medium-sized city with some
interesting museums and art galleries and a fine park.
The city's Fine
Arts College attracts students from around the country and
abroad. |
Baroda - Orientation &
Information
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The train station,
bus stand and a cluster of cheaper hotels are all on the west side
of the Vishwamitra River, which bisects the city. Tilak Road
connects the station with the main part of town. The state
tourist office, Gujarat Tourism (+91 265 427489), is on the ground
floor of Narmada Bhavan, on Jail Road. There is also a
Municipal Tourist Office (+91 265 794456) opposite the train
station, open 9.30 am to 6 pm daily (closed on Sundays and the 2nd
and 4th Saturdays of every month).
The State Bank of
India on Tilak Road changes money, and the Bank of Baroda on R C
Dutt Toad (west of the station) gives Visa cash advances.
Sayaji Bagh
This extensive
park, encircled by a mini railway, is a popular spot for an evening
scroll. Within the park are several attractions. The
most important is the Baroda Museum and Art Gallery, open from 10 am
to 5 pm daily (Rs. 1). The museum has some good Indian statues
and carvings, but there are also zoology exhibits and an Egyptian
room; the gallery has Mughal miniatures and a mediocre collection of
European masters. The planetarium gives demonstration at 5pm
(English) and 6 pm (Hindi); it's open Friday to Wednesday and entry
costs Rs. 5. The small zoo is open 9am to 5pm Friday to
Wednesday (Rs. 5). There is also a health museum (free).
Other Attractions
The Naulakhi Well,
a fine baoli, is 50m north of the eclectic Laxmi Vilas Palace on
Nehru Road. About 5 km north of the town center is the unusual
EME temple, a Hindu temple with an aluminum-domed roof.
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Baroda - Places to Stay
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| Places
to Stay - Budget
Jagdish Hindu Lodge
(+91 265 361495) is in the Sayaji Gunj area near the train
station. It has fairly gloomy rooms arranged around a scruffy
courtyard. Singles/doubles with private bathroom cost Rs.
70/100.
Hotel Vikram (+91
265 361918), in the same street, is a small notch up market.
It offers single with cold water bathroom for Rs. 125 or rooms with
air-conditions for Rs. 236/350.
Apsara Hotel - in
the same street west, is a well maintained place with rooms for Rs.
180/240 with private bathroom (bucket hot water).
Places to Stay -
Mid Range and Top End
All rooms in this
class have colour TV, private bathroom and hot water (prices
don't include tax).
Hotel Royal
(+91 265 338681) in posh area of Alkapuri has well appointed
rooms, multi cusine restaurant and a banquet hall. One can
enjoy the facilites of three start hotel at affordable prices.
Ambassador Hotel
(+91 265 362726) is opposite the Apsara Hotel. There are
large, quite rooms from Rs. 225/336 or Rs. 438/538 with
air-condition.
Hotel Surya (+91
265 361361), opposite, is one of the better-value places in
town. This friendly place offers a courtesy coach to the
airport and Internet access for guests. rooms (including
buffet breakfast) go for Rs. 475/700 or Rs. 700/900 with air
condition.
Express Hotel (+91
265 337001, R C Dutt Road), about 1.5 km west of the train station,
has air-condition rooms for Rs. 1250/1500 or better executive rooms
for Rs. 1450/2050. There is coffee shop and two restaurants.
Nearby,
Welcomegroup Vadodara (+91 265 330033) is the most luxurious hotel
in town. Well-appointed air-conditioned rooms start from Rs.
2000/3300. There is also a travel desk, swimming pool,
24-hours coffee shop and an excellent Indian Restaurant.
Baroda - Places to
Eat
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Havmore (Tilak
Road), near the river, offers reasonable Indian, continental
and Chinese food. Veg/non veg main courses cost from Rs.
55 to 125. This road also has a number of ice-cream parlors.
Hotel Surya
has two restaurants: Vega, where help-yourself buffets cost Rs.
75; and Myra where excellent and filling Gujarati Talis also
cost Rs. 75.
Ruchika, at
the Welcomegroup Vadodara hotel, is recommended for a special
treat. It serves scrumptious veg and non veg Indian
cuisine in pleasant surroundings. Be prepared to fork
out a couple of hundred rupees. Otherwise try its coffee
shop where the fare is cheaper.
Baroda -
Getting There and Away
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| Air
The
airport is 8 km north-east of town. Indian
Airlines has daily flights from Vadodara to Mumbai,
Delhi and Ahmedabad. Jet Airways has daily flight
to Mumbai.
Bus
The STC
bus stand is 400m north of the train station, and there
are buses ot many destinations in Gujarat, western
Madhya Pradesh and northern Maharastra. Buses to
Ahmedabad leave at every 30 minutes (Rs. 45/52 for
normal/semideluxe, 2.5 hours)
Train
There
are many trains connecting major tourist destinations in
Gujarat and India. Check out Railway timetable,
which is available at Train station for Rs. 25.
Around
Baroda
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| Champaner
(Pavagadh)
This
city, 47 km north-east of Vadodara, was taken by
Sultan Mahmud Begara in 1484, and he renamed it
Muhammadabad.
Among
the site's exquisite mosques, the Jama Masjid,
similar in style to the Jama Masjid of Ahmedabad,
is the most impressive. Dating from 1513, it
has a wonderful carved entrance, an imposing
courtyard surrounded by galleries, lovely archways
and slim minarets.
The
Hill of Pavagadh, with its ruined fort, rises
beside Champaner in three levels. In 1533
the Mughals, led by Humayun himself, scaled the
fort walls using iron spikes driven into the rocks
and captured both the fort and its city.
Parts of the massive fort walls still stand.
According to Hindu legend, the hill is actually a
chunk of the Himalayan mountainside which the
monkey god Hanuman carted off to Lanka in an
episode of the Ramayana, hence the name Pavagadh,
which means Quarter of a Hill.
Unfortunately,
the site's neglect and increasing pressure from
the tourist trade, have led to it being listed by
the New York based World Monuments Watch as one of
the 100 most endangered monuments worldwide.
In
the month of Chaitra (March/April), a major
festival takes place at the foot of Pavagadh Hill,
honouring the goddess Makakali.
Trip
from Vadodara takes 1.5 hours: Take a frequent bus
to Halol then a minibus to Champaner. |
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