VADODARA

It's the Ganpati vacation again, and although Mumbai has a lot to offer during this festival, I decided, after a long time, to escape the city for a much needed breather. Stuffing a few clothes into my little backpack, I booked a round-trip train ticket to Vadodara, and set off towards the train station a little after 4am. 

Why Vadodara, you ask? Well, it isn't too far from Mumbai and it was among one of the many places I have yet to explore. So, Vadodara? Why not? 

5.00am found me standing alone outside my designated coach of India's orange train, the Vande Bharat. In trying to combat travel anxiety, I had arrived at Mumbai Central an hour before departure time. I stood there, watching the railway employees pulling in cartloads of bottled water, packaged meals and newspapers that had to be loaded onto the train. By the time of boarding, there were a few more passengers waiting in line behind me. I found my seat, kept my bag on the rack above and settled in for the 4.5 hour journey to Vadodara. 

Seated across the aisle from me, were two  girls, the younger of whom was rather loud and cranky. Their parents were seated behind me. Dad was rather indulgent and mum was clearly who the daughter had  got her crabby attitude from. When she wasn't snapping at hubby-dearest, she was belting out bollywood ditties in a very audible and absolutely off-key voice. 

It rained all through the journey and even as I enjoyed the sight of rain on the windowpane, I was regretting wearing sneakers and jeans, both, not very convenient for repeated wear in the rains. 

Soon, I alighted at Vadodara, a busy, bustling station. Not sure which direction i had to go, I followed my nose towards platform 6, avoiding a creepy, drunk bum and stepping out onto the street. It was then that I checked Google Maps to realise that my hotel was on the other side of the train station. 

         

   

Once again, I climbed up the stairs and crossed the bridge. The Sunday Hotel was right there, across the street from the station. Green and yellow auto rickshaws stood around waiting to be hired. Busses and other vehicles zipped by from every side of the busy junction. For a brief moment, looking at the crazy traffic and the chaos caused by the sudden showers, I was a little sceptical about the location I had selected for my accommodation, however just around the corner, once I entered the courtyard of the Sunday Hotel and Convention Centre I was much relieved. The place was just as depicted on the site with a very welcoming reception area, large spaces and comfortable cozy rooms. Service is good and the only drawback that I could pick out is that the rooms could do with a few more personal touches like paintings, potted plants and a showpiece or two. Although the window faced the busy street, the room was silent and cut off from all external sound, allowing for a restful stay and a good night's sleep. 

After a much needed wash & a power nap, I dropped a few essentials in my bag and stepped out, stopping for a Gujarati thali lunch at Kheteshwar, just around the corner.

While not out of the ordinary, the food was decent and did what food is expected to do. Belly full, I next took a walk past the beautiful MSU - the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. 

What began as Baroda College in 1882,  became a public university in 1949, named after its benefactor, Maharaja Sayajirao Gaikwad III. 

The campus is vast, and from what I could see of it from the street, the architecture is beautiful, the best among the buildings being the main one that houses the faculty of arts. Robert Fellows Chisholm designed it in the Indo-Saracenic style using a beautiful blend of Indian and Byzantine arches and domes. The main dome is styled after the Gol Gumbaz of Bijapur. 

The narrow pavement outside the MSU campus has a chain of people sitting on the pavement at various intervals. At first glance, I thought they were selling semi-precious stones, but on closer inspection, they were selling teeth. And customers actually employed their services, sitting patiently on the pavement as the 'dentist' matched teeth so as to prepare the perfect set of dentures. 

Walking ahead, came to the busy Kala Ghoda Circle, named after the life-sized equestrian statue of Maharaj Sayajirao Gaikwad III. This beautiful brass statue, designed by sculptor Francis Derwent Wood, was first unveiled in 1914. 

Right beside the circle, is the SAYAJI PARK one of the largest public gardens in Western India. 

Built in 1879 by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaikwad III, this park is beautifully landscaped and worth a visit. The park is home to a planetarium, a zoo, a walk-in aviary and a toy train. I find toy trains really cute, so that's the first thing I headed to - the Vishwamitri Station. Choosing my seat in one of the empty carriages of the Sayaji Express, I waited for the 'toot toot' of the engine that signalled the start of the 20-odd minute journey around the park. Merrily tooting along, we went past the impressive Baroda Museum, a little traffic garden, multiple kids' play areas, a zoo, and an aviary. I saw various types of deer, some black faced monkeys and some regal peacocks. 

Having completed the ride, I made my way towards the WALK-IN AVIARY. This, I must say, is very enjoyable! The aviary is really something, with a wide variety of beautiful birds freely flying around. Pelicans, swans, ducks, geese, cranes and many more. I even saw a cute little pair of colourful parakeets in a hole in the tree. 

Following the aviary, I skipped the zoo because it had begun to rain again. I made my way to THE BARODA MUSEUM & PICTURE GALLERY. This museum, built in 1894, was modelled after The Victoria & Albert Museum and The Science Museum in London. The doors to the museum are not just locked, but also sealed with lac every evening, after closing. This, I learned from the security at the baggage counter. Seeing that I had a good hour and a half before closing time, I proceeded to explore at a leisurely pace, taking my time at the various exhibits. While photography is not permitted, there are QR codes at most exhibits, providing visitors with clear, detailed AV information of the contents and exhibits in various rooms. I must have hardly begun my exploration when there was a sudden power outage across the museum. This made it nearly impossible to see anything. I left having explored next to nothing. 

I walked back to the hotel, tired of the rain that couldn't make up its mind whether to fall to the earth or not. Back in the room, I realised my ankle was the size of a little kashmiri apple even though I could not recollect having twisted it at all. Applied some balm, ordered in a soup and called it a night. 

BREAKFAST AT THE HOTEL: My booking included  complimentary breakfast at the hotel's in-house restaurant. Reviews spoke highly of the breakfast spread and, I must admit, I was not disappointed. Each morning, I breakfasted like royalty and managed to stuff myself like a turkey ready for the oven, ending the meal with a huge serving of chocos in chilled milk. (Burrrrp!) Then, full and happy, I'd set out to see what I could see. 

To get to THE LAXMI VILAS PALACE, I took an auto and asked to be dropped outside Gate 1, the private entrance for its royal residents. The saffron flag was flying high above the ornate gate, announcing to all citizens that the king was currently in residence. A short distance away is Gate 2, the public entrance. Here, I had to wait a while as it was still early for visitors. I stood there with the guard, watching some golfers at play. At exactly 9.30am, the guard let all visitors in, mercifully, not too many that morning. The path from the gate to the palace is lined with frangipani trees in full, fragrant bloom. I picked some of the freshly fallen flowers and tucked them into my braided hair. 

As I had already booked my ticket online, I skipped the ticket window and made my way directly to the entrance. 

The Laxmi Vilas Palace, said to be the second largest personal residence in the world, four times the size of London's Buckingham Palace, the Laxmi Vilas Palace was constructed in 1890 by British architects Charles Mant and Robert Chisholm. It is said that the former, often given in to bouts of paranoia, died by suiside halfway through the project. The reason being his mistaken belief that his calculations had gone so horribly wrong that the palace would topple over at any time. Well, his fears were baseless, for the Laxmi Vilas Palace has been standing strong for over a hundred years now.

Even at the time of its completion, it boasted of modern amenities like elevators and a telephone exchange. The overall complex houses several gardens, a golf course, a stadium and the Maharaj Fateh Singh Museum. 

Since the royal family still resides in the palace, only one, very small section of the impressive structure is open to visitors who can explore with the help of a detailed audio guide. The tour begins at the Peacock Urn that stands on the grounds between the Palace and the sunken garden. From there, it leads to the atrium and several rooms like the Armoury, the throne room, the elephant room and, my favourite, the darbar hall. 

Beautiful sculptures by Augusto Felici,  the official court sculptor of Maharaj Sayajirao Gaikwad III,  are found scattered around the palace. The coronation room has on display, large paintings by Raja Ravi Varma, among others. The throne, or gaddi, is a simple one, consisting of a large white cushion covered by a decorative fabric, and a chattri adorned with a peacock. 

The Darbar Hall took my breath away. It is, till date, one of the most beautiful rooms of any palace I have ever seen. It is a 5000 sqft, rectangular, pillar-less hall used for large gatherings and official functions. I was very tempted to take off my shoes and walk barefoot over the floor, a masterpiece in mosaic, using Venetian tiles and semi-precious stones. High above, for the womenfolk, are intricate rosewood and  sandalwood balconies supported by saree-clad angels, creating music on their shehnaais. On the far wall across the entrance, are four large Belgian stained-glass windows depicting scenes from Indian mythology. What would I not have given to lie on the bare floor and stare up at the ceiling?!! It's breathtakingly beautiful with its geometric patterns in a Mughal inspired, lacquered style, in shades of red and green. Hanging down from here are large, European chandeliers, throwing a rich, golden glow off the Venetian tiles and the gold-leaf mosaic walls. 

What I found very disappointing is the restriction on photography and the very limited information available online, for there were many historical and architectural details that I would have loved to record and learn more about. In fact, had I known better, I'd have put my sketchpad and pencils in my bag to make up for the absence of photos. I could have also taken down some of the interesting information they were providing on the audio guide. 

Once outside again, photography is permitted (yaaaaay!) and I took my time admiring the beauty of this Indo-Saracenic masterpiece. With its ornate chattris, arched openings, jharoka windows and stone carvings. There is also a tall tower that was originally meant to be a clock tower, but seeing as the constant ticking might be a constant disturbance to the residents, the idea of a clock was scrapped and a lamp took its place. Like the flag at the gate, the lighted lamp announced the presence of the king on the premises.

 

Next, I made my way to Gate 3, leading to THE FATEHSINH MUSEUM. Said to have been constructed first as a school for the royal children, today the building houses and museum and an art gallery. The most remarkable among the collection are the original paintings of Raja Ravi Varma, who was specially commissioned by the then Maharaja of Baroda. Here, again, photography is not permitted and all phones have to be deposited at the entrance.

When heading out towards the gate, it suddenly began to rain again and I stood under the collective shelter of some banyan trees, waiting for the rain to stop. It felt good there, under the trees, with just the sound of the raindrops and cries of peacocks somewhere in the park. Somehow, the moment took me back to another, simpler time. 

On the way back to the hotel, I decided to make one last stop at KIRTI MANDIR, not a temple, but ai royal cenotaph and memorial built in 1936, by Sayajirao Gaikwad III, to honour his ancestors. As the place was closed for lunch, I spent some time at the nearby SUTO CAFÉ, settling down with a bowl of hot Maggi and a berry mojito. 

Walking back to Kirti Mandir, I was informed that photography was not permitted, I saw no signages providing information and ₹250 seemed, to me, a little too steep for a visit to a memorial and two temples. 

Later that evening, I took myself out to dinner at the neighbouring WESTERN RESTAURANT. I found myself to be the only customer there, and I wondered for a moment whether I'd chosen the right place to dine. The staff, however, were very hospitable and attentive. And the food and service were excellent. After sipping on their complimentary welcome drink of sweet & tangy pineapple soda, I ordered a masala papad loaded with onion, tomato and crunchy sev, some delicious hara-bhara kebab, and a serving of changezi chicken with khameri roti and some dal fry. Yes, I can eat. If you've read any of my previous blogs, you'd know that for a fact. 

All that food necessitates a walk before bedtime, so that's what I did. 

DAY TRIP TO CHAMPANER FORT:

Now, this archaeological site is close to 47kms from Vadodara, so I was very surprised when an auto driver agreed to drive me there and back for just ₹400. Closing the deal, I had asked him to pick me up from my hotel around 8am. He turned up at 8.30. Confidently refusing my suggestion to turn on Maps for direction, he drove around for five minutes and stopped at Sur Sagar Lake saying this area was the only Champaner he knew. I showed him pictures of the Champaner I was referring to and he began driving me towards the Palace. Seeing that he and I were not on the same page, I asked him to drop me off at the nearest bus stand. He herded me into a shared cab to Pavagadh. Apparently that's what I should have asked for at the start - Pavagadh, a town known by a hill of the same name. It is more well-known because of the numerous pilgrims who come to visit the Kalika Mata Temple that sits at its peak. It is revered as being one of the major Shakti Peethas in India. Champaner is the ancient city that lies at its foothills. 

The shared cab cost me ₹100, and the driver stopped at various places, dropping and picking up different passengers. At one time I was absolutely amused by what was happening in the car. There were four passengers huddled together on the seats behind me. I was behind the driver, squashed between two students and a chubby man. Two other passengers were squeezed into the front seat, along with the driver. Just when I was sure we couldn't possibly fit in another person, along came this chap who was directed to make himself comfortable on the driver's seat. Then, the driver proceeded to perch himself on that fellow's lap and shut the door, continuing the journey as if it was quite a normal thing for him to be doing. Still, he managed to drive safely all the way to Halol, where he asked me to alight and board another auto that took me to Pavagadh at no extra cost. 

Right across the street from the Pavagadh bus depot is the UNESCO World Heritage site of Champaner, consisting of a fort, some ruins and a few mosques. It appears that most visitors, all domestic, come to Pavagadh more for the temple and almost never for the archaeological remains dating back to the 8th century. The site features an impressive blend of Hindu and Islamic architecture. Today, you can still see the walls of the old capital standing strong. Entering from the South Gate,i first visited the SEHER (City) MASJID and then walked a short distance to the larger, and more spectacular, JAMI MASJID, built by Sultan Begada. This imposing structure built on a high points boasts of a large central dome, two tall minarets, intricate jali work and 172 pillars. I tried entering to get a better look at the interiors and the architecture, but the smell of dampness was too overpowering. 

To return to Vadodara, I boarded a local bus from the depot across the archaeological site - ₹71 for a smooth & comfortable ride back to the city. The bus was spacious & clean, the conductor was alert and chatty, and the driver was a maniac who honked at anyone and everyone who made the mistake of appearing in the same lane as himself & his big, red bus. 

MARKETS OF VADODARA: Websites speak of various local markets, almost all in the vicinity of Sur Sagar lake, an 18thcentuty urban water body, in the middle of which stands an approximately 120ft tall statue of Lord Shiva, gilded in 17.5kgs of gold. 

As always, I like local markets for it is here that I think one can experience the soul and vibe of a place. Not wanting to depend entirely on websites, I asked around about where I might go to shop for traditional fabrics and costume jewelry. As suggested, I took an auto to Mangal Bazaar. Twice. The first time I visited, it was raining and I was unable to pay attention to what was around me as I was busy trying to skip the numerous puddles of water. Not just because my sneakers were not meant to brave the rains, but more because, like everywhere else in Vadodara (as in Ahmedabad), people were spitting into the puddles left, right & centre. Ewwwww! 

My second visit was when the sun was happily dancing in the sky. I walked through the seemingly unending maze of narrow lanes, lined with shops on either side. While there were various items available, none were so interesting as to make me want to loosen my purse strings. Most items seemed similar to those found in the bustling markets of Mumbai. In fact, the markets of Ahmedabad are far more tempting. So, except for two pairs of earrings and a pair of floral, plastic bracelets, I purchased nothing else. 

For my last meal in Vadodara, I did consider eating at one of the many eating houses outside the railway station...the food on display looked all very tempting and, judging by the crowds, it was probably tasty, too. But I just  cannot bring myself to eat at a place where vendors and customers spit and litter almost beside your table. That's disgusting! While it might work fine for some, it's an absolute no-no for me. 

So, back to The Western it was. This time, the restaurant was a little more occupied. A welcome drink of crushed berries was promptly served along with the menu. I ate my masala papad, and then ordered a cheese & truffle stuffed kulcha for starters, followed by a chicken dum-biriyani. Everything was absolutely finger-lickin' yummy! 

Soon, it was the end of the vacation. I think I made the most of it, although I did lose a day lying in bed on account of a migraine and the apple on my ankle, waking up only to have a late lunch of soup and pasta at the in-house restaurant. Not bad, but when compared to the breakfast spread, I found the menu very limited. 

Anyway, as I was saying, soon it was time to return. After a final breakfast, i headed to the train station. 

The Tejas Express was a few minutes late, but the journey was comfortable. I spent it typing out this blog and trying to ignore some of the fellow passengers - two grandmas who kept stuffing their empty trays under my seat....a man dressed all in white and wearing an obscene amount of gold, who gulped down his food faster than anyone I've ever seen. Then, this fellow somewhere behind me who was carrying on such loud phone conversations!! For most part, however, I had a restful journey. 

Another vacation done! To be honest, I wasn't very decided about this one for a lot many reasons I choose not to share here. This was all very last minute, but I'm glad I went. 

Veni.  

Vidi. 

Vici?