Vadodara

Vadodara, also known as Baroda, is the third-most populated town in Gujarat after Ahmedabad and Surat (the three towns with a population of over 1 million in Gujarat). It is located on the Vishwamitri river, southeast of Ahmedabad and is known as the Cultural Capital of Gujarat.

History

Baroda's more recent history began when the Maratha leader Pilaji Gaekwad (or Gaekwar) conquered the city from the Mughal empire in 1721. The Gaekwads were granted the city as a fief by the Peshwa, the nominal leader of the Maratha empire. After the Maratha defeat by the Afghans at the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761, control of the further regions of the empire by the Peshwas weakened, and the Gaekwad Maharajas ruled Baroda until Indian independence. In 1802, the British intervened to defend a Maharaja that had recently inherited the throne from rival claimants, and Baroda concluded a treaty with the British that recognized their independence from the Maratha empire, and guaranteed the Maharajas of Baroda local autonomy in return for recognizing British sovereignty.

Related Topics:
Maratha - Gaekwad - Mughal - Fief - Peshwa - Maratha empire - Third Battle of Panipat - Maharaja

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Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, who took the throne in 1875, did much to modernize Baroda, establishing compulsory primary education, a library system, a university, and model textile and tile factories, which helped to create Baroda's modern textile industry. With India's independence in 1947, the last ruling Maharaja of Baroda acceded to India. Baroda was added to Bombay state, which was divided into the states of Gujarat and Maharastra in 1960. Because Gujarati was Baroda's predominant language, it became part of Gujarat.

Related Topics:
Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III - University - Textile - Bombay state - States - Gujarat - Maharastra - Gujarati

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Modern Baroda is a great and fitting memorial to its late ruler, Sayaji Rao Gaekwad III (1875-1939 AD). It was the dream of this able administrator to make Baroda an educational, industrial and commercial centre and he ensured that his dream would come true. For this reason, the city is also referred to as Sayaji Nagari (the town of Sayaji).

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