Sayaji Baug

Sayaji Baug is a garden located in Vadodara, Gujarat, India. Also known as “Kamati Baug,” it was built by H.H. Maharaja Sayaji Rao Gaekwad – a great visionary ruler of Baroda. It is the biggest garden in Western India with the area surrounding more than 100 acres. It has one of the biggest floral clock in World and in India.

It was way back in 1875 when a tract of land on the bank of river Vishwamitri, on the outskirts of the city was chosen by the Maharaja to develop a vast garden and a zoo.

Description

Sayaji Baug was dedicated to the citizens of Vadodara by Maharaja Sayaji Rao Gaekwad III in 1879. Sayajirao III built Sayaji Baug, well known as Kamati Baug, on the river Vishwamitri. It is one of the largest public gardens in Western India, sprawling over 113 acres (0.46 km2). It has a rich flora of more than 98 species of trees. It is one of the finest gardens in India, and is maintained by Vadodara Municipal Corporation. Thousands of citizens of the city come here for their morning walk as well as for pleasant view of the garden. The garden is home to the Baroda Museum & Picture Gallery, the Sardar Patel Planetarium, and the Sayaji Baug Zoo.

There are three entrance gates. The main gate is at Sayaji square (informally known as “Kala Ghoda Chowk” or “black horse square” because of an equestrian statue standing there). This gate is only 800 meters from the main city railway station and even less from the city bus stand. The third gate is at Rana Pratap square in Fatehganj area, and the second gate stands somewhere in between first and third gates.

Highlights

Baroda Museum & Picture Gallery

The museum was built in 1894 to resemble the Victoria & Albert Museum of London. The building was designed by Major Mant and R.F. Chisholm. It preserves a rich collection of art, sculpture, ethnography & ethnology. The picture gallery has diverse works of art from both India and abroad, including works by British painters J. M. W. Turner and John Constable, a gallery of Tibetan art, Akota bronzed dating to the fifth century AD, and a collection of Mughal miniature paintings.

Sardar Patel Planetarium

The planetarium is situated near the main gate of Sayaji Baug. It is a pyramid-shaped building with a capacity of 200 spectators. It has daily public shows as well as offering special shows to educational institutions. it has shows in Hindi, English and Gujarati. The planetarium also gives you information about a variety of planets and stars.