Kirti Mandir

Kirti Mandir or the Temple of Fame is the cenotaph built for the members of the Baroda royal family. Situated near the Vishwamitri Bridge, it is an impressive structure complete with ornate carvings, balconies, terraces, and domes. You can find various murals adorning the walls of this structure that represent the battle of Mahabharata. The central arch of the structure displays a map of undivided India along with bronze structures of the sun, the moon, and the earth. The rooms of the Kirti Mandir display photographs and statues of the Gaekwad family.

History :

Kirti Mandir was built by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III of the Gaekwad dynasty of the Marathas to perpetuate the glorious memory of his beloved ancestors. The sun, the moon and the earth in bronze with the undivided map of India adorn the shikhara of Kirti Mandir. It was built in 1936 as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III. The temple houses five wall paintings by artist Nandalal Bose showing various phases of battle of Mahabharata, and some episodes from Indian mythology. The city of Vadodara, also popularly known as Baroda, used to be the seat of the Gaekwad or Gaikwad monarchs. It was formerly called by many names. The city was referred to as Chandravati, then Viravati, and Vadpatra due to the great quantity of banyan trees on the River banks of Vishwamitri. Kirti Mandir is situated in the city of Vadodara .It is a collection of temples built by Sayajirao Maharajah near the Vishwamitra Bridge of the city.

It is believed that Sayajirao Maharaja built this Kirti Mandir in the memory of deceased members of the royal Gaekwad family and the edifice is dedicated to Lord Mahadev. Today it is a major tourist attraction in the city.

• Location: Sayajiganj
• Timings: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 2:30 to 5:30 pm

How to get there

By Road: Vadodara, 112 km from Ahmedabad and 420 km from Mumbai, is located on National Highway 8. There are various state transport (ST) buses and private luxury coaches from all over Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, and Rajasthan. Ahmedabad-Vadodara intercity buses take 2 hours and run every 15 minutes. There are also several private bus companies on or near Station Road. Tickets vary according to the type of bus, but the average rate is Rs 100/- to Ahmedabad and Rs 200/- to Mumbai. You can also rent a car with a driver to explore the city and its surroundings at the Express Hotel. Rates range from Rs. 650/- without air-conditioning to Rs. 2200/- for luxury vehicles, for 8 hrs or 80 km per day.

By Rail: Vadodara, a major railway junction is located on the Western Railway, which connects Mumbai, Delhi, and Ahmedabad.

By Air: Vadodara is connected by various domestic airlines to Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Daman, and Pune.