24 Hours in… Vadodara, City of Banyan Trees Aavo Padharo Vadodara tempts with big-city blandishments like trendy restaurants, vast malls and wide avenues. Feel its royal pulse overlaid with the colour and cacophony of a modern Indian metro that has now come of age. Shakun trawls through Vadodara’s nooks and crannies to bring you a list of all that is iconic in the city as well as a few little known jewels. You must visit then once you are in Vadodara. Sayaji Baug or Kamati Baug Take at least half a day to fully explore the 45 hectares of garden grounds, with 2 museums, a zoo, a planetarium, a flower clock, and an operational toy train, among other attractions, and then come back to the park whenever you need a respite from activities in the rest of the city. Laxmi Vilas Palace This palace incorporates all the dash and daring which typified Indian maharajas. This is actually a series of palaces built by the Gaekwad family in Baroda. Among the several, the Sarkar Wada is the oldest. Post its construction, the Lakshmi Vilas Palace was built and is definitely one of the most ostentatious in the palace complex. It houses the royal family and shows extensive use of Italian flooring and mosaic decorations on the wall. The palace is the best place to catch a glimpse of the royal armoury and bronze, marble and terracotta sculptures. Several smaller buildings within the palace compound include the Motibaug Palace, the Moti Bagh Stadium and the Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum. The palace also had a small zoo, where you can now only see crocodiles in a small pond. Occasional glimpses of peacocks and monkeys can be seen at the palace compound. Also worth watching is the Navlakhi Step-Well located north of the palace, and so named because it is believed to have the capacity to hold 9 million gallons of water! More modern here is the golf course set up for the locals. Maharaja Sayajirao University Popularly known as MS University, its royal contours of domes and arches lend it a certain dignity. It is one of the most respected institutes of higher learning in western India. It is home to fine work in fields such as human genome research, social work, and technology, as well as for an excellent Archaeological Department where you can find out about new findings on Harappan sites or the intriguing excavations at the Buddhist site of Dev-ni-Mori. The university is most known for being a hub of artistic activity, however The Faculty of Arts, originally Baroda College, with its easily visible dome, provides a city landmark for the confused visitor. Vadodara Museum One of the two museums in the Sayaji Baug is the famous Vadodara Museum and Picture Gallery, built in 1894. Sayajirao traveled widely and commissioned various dealers and scholars to find objects to build a wide-ranging collection with everything from Mughal miniatures, to sculptures, textiles and objects from Japan, Tibet, Nepal, and Egypt and coins from all over the world to exhibits of the Indian musical instruments. There are also exhibits on Earth Sciences, Natural History and Zoology. One of the highlights is the 22m long blue-whale skeleton found in 1972 at the mouth of the River Mahi, most likely washed up in a storm. The Picture Gallery displays paintings by European masters, mostly from Sayajirao's private collection. There are also two wings on modern paintings. Kirti Mandir In Vadodara, one cannot escape the multiple legacies of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III who also constructed cluster of Shiva temples, located near the Vishwamitra Bridge. The marble temples, which showcase some marvelous murals, have also been dubbed the Temple of Fame, as they commemorate the deceased members of the royal family. Shaped like the alphabet 'E', this stone building is characteristic of domes, terraces and balconies.The 33 m high central shikhar is adorned with the sun, the moon and the earth in bronze and an undivided map of India. EME Temple The Indian army does not usually have separate places of worship for the different faiths, but this temple, built by the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (EME) corps entirely out of aluminum sheets, worships Dakshinamurti, another name for Shiva as an ultimate teacher. This uncommonly modern-looking temple is, however, built with holy symbols from various religions. It is open from 6:30am-8:30pm. Photography is prohibited. Aurobindo Ashram Dedicated to Sri Aurobindo, this institute is surrounded by manicured gardens and provides a peaceful environment. Yoga and meditation classes are held and taught here regularly. Various useful items prepared at the centre in Pondicherry are sold in an emporium on the ground floor. A tiny museum in the centre has on display the relics of Sri Aurobindo and also houses a library and study room. For those not interested in spirituality, the building itself is quite an enticement. Dhundiraj Ganpati Temple This temple is located in the heart of Wadi area. You need to reach there by meandering through narrow housing lanes. The upsetting thing is the temple is totally concealed by a high wall, which makes it impossible to picture an important monument inside. No wonder, hardly anyone has ever heard of it. It’s disappointing and worrying that such a gem is hidden from everyone and is not getting the attention, praise, admiration it deserves. It’s worth a visit. Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park A mélange of Hindu and Muslim architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this Islamic city (47 km from Vadodara) sprawls at the foot of Pavagadh Hill. Behind solid defensive walls are strewn the ruins of palaces, mosques and the awe- inspiring Jami Masjid, a prototype for later mosque architecture in the country. These are reasons enough to visit this 16th-century ghost city and capital of Sultan Mahmud Begada. Most tourists enjoy the ride on the ropeway to Pavagadh Hill while the devout trudge further uphill to the Kalikamata temple. Kadia Dungar Caves These caves date back to 1st and 2nd century AD and are near to Bharuch. These are Buddhist caves with monolithic lion pillars. Altogether there are seven caves and a brick stupa at the foot hills. The caves suggest that they were viharas. Qutbuddin Hajira Qutbuddin Hajira is the mausoleum of Qutbuddin Muhammad Khan, who was a general in the army of Mughal Emperor Akbar and later the governor of his region. Locally known as Hajira, this monument is certainly the most important Mughal monument in Vadodara. Built in 1586, the tomb features beautifully carved stone windows and an old step-well in the large grounds surrounding it. Mandvi Gate Mandvi Gate, often termed as the North gate of the Royal Enclosure, is one of the major landmarks in Vadodara dating back to the Mughal period. Built by Sultan Muzaffar (1511- 26 AD), this square-shaped pavilion features three bold arched openings on each of its four sides. Marked by a market place in today’s time, this gate separates the two intermingled streets into four that meet in the center. Near Mandvi Gate is a Central Library that has been inherited by the Gaekwads, and carries over 300,000 books in the present time. Tapovan temple The nine temples of the ‘Tapovan’ temple complex at the IPCL quarter in Gorwa are like a home away from home for Hindu divinities. Nearly every major god and goddess in Hindu pantheon is housed in one or other of the temples here. The mix of divinities is eclectic. There's a Shiva temple, where Shiva is worshiped along with Kali, Hanuman, Rama and his family, Vishnu and Ganesha. At the Nabagraha temple -- only the second in Vadodara -- the sun and planets are worshiped. The other temples are, if anything, more unusual. There is a Satyanarayan temple, an Ayyappa temple, a Kartik temple, a Venkateswara temple, a Manasa temple, a Durga temple and a Ramakrishna temple on the lines of Belur Math. Ranchhodrai Dakor Temple Ranchhodrai Dakor Temple is located near the banks of river Gomati, the temple is an architectural marvel and is believed to be constructed in the 18th Century. The temple houses a meter long idol of Lord Ranchhodrai (another name of Lord Krishna). Adorned beautifully with wooden carving plated with Gold and Silver the temple is a must visit while in Vadodara. Gujarat Funworld, Ajwa Located at Ajwa opposite Vrundavan Garden, the park, spread over 10 acres of land, attracts about one million people every year and looking to the potential of the place to attract tourist traffic, the park may set record of sorts in the future. Becoming a major center for recreational activities in the vicinity of Baroda. Wanna have fun? Visit Ajwa! Khusbhoo Vadodara ni… The list of things to do in Vadodara is endless. Visit the various museums, art galleries or the palaces that are a visual treat or shop till you drop for some traditional Gujarati handicrafts. Sit back and relax in the various gardens of the city or take a trip to the nearby places like Champaner or Pawagadh. Gorge on local Gujarati fare or delve into the variety of other cuisines available in the city. Revel in the religious fervour of Navratri and Dushera as you soak in the different colours of Vadodara that embrace you with their warmth..