Vadodara

Vadodara (Gujarati: વડોદરા Vaḍodarā), also known as Baroda, is a city in Central Gujarat, India. It is named for the vaḍ (વડ, meaning "banyan") trees that flourish in the area. It is known as the cultural capital of Gujarat.

Understand
Vadodara lies on the bank of Vishwamitri River, 141 km from Gandhinagar, the state capital. The eastern part is the old city, while the western part beyond the Railway Station is the modern part of the city.

Vadodara came into prominence during the period of the Maratha confederacy, when the a general of the Marathas, Pilaji Gaekwad, conquered the city from the Mughals. He and his descendants ruled the region, initially under the vassalage of the Maratha Peshwas, becoming increasingly independent as the Peshwas weakened as a power. After the defeat of the Peshwas, the Gaekwads continued to rule the kingdom as one of the autonomous princely states under the British. Vadodara owes much to the Gaekwads, who were generally considered to be enlightened rulers, bringing industry and excellent educational institutions to the city. Many of the attractions for travelers are from those times.

The city has continued its tradition of being a being an industrial centre during modern times as well. It is home to people who have moved here from other cities in India, attracted by a lifestyle that combines the calm of a small town with the amenities you would expect from a major city. Vadodara has a significant population of people who have returned from a stay abroad (former Non-Resident Indians or NRIs) who have decided to settle here.

Talk
Apart from Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi and Sindhi  are spoken by pockets of the population, Marathi due to the heritage of the Gaekwad rule and Sindhi by descendants of refugees from the Partition. Most people are easily able to speak passable English, and in certain areas you will meet people that are fluent in English.

By plane
The nearest international airport is about 100 km away in Ahmedabad which hosts Air India, Emirates Airlines, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines.

By car
The National Highway no.8 passes through Baroda. It is connected by excellent roads. There is an express highway to Ahmedabad, and highway travel is fairly speedy by road, at least to other places in the western part of the country. Its going to be a 6 Lane road soon.

By bus

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Get around
Local transport consists mainly of city buses and three-wheelers called auto-rickshaws which are very cheap and easily available. All the drivers refuse to use meters. You can also get an autorickshaw using the Uber or Jugnoo apps, or you can use the prices from these apps to negotiate a better one.

The VITCOS City Buses take you to all parts of the city, and the VITCOS Bus Stand is right opposite to the Railway Station. The buses are very comfortable and cheap. They cost ₹1 per 1.2 km.

See






Do
There are quite a few sights worth taking a look at such as the Lakshmi Vilas Palace and the old zoo. If you're headed here plan a trip that lasts not more than three days because then you'll run out of things to do. And because of the fact that it is cosmopolitan, infrastructurally decent and well connected by rail, road and air, this is a good place to have as your 'hub' and make day trips to other places.



Events

 * Vadodara International Art and Culture Festival -

Religious festivals

 * Navratri, meaning nine days, is the biggest festival of Baroda. People worship the nine avatars of Goddess Durga, the manifestation of Shakti. The festival includes typical dances, known as Garbas and Dandiya Raas, performed by men and women wearing traditional, colorful dresses. The Navratri festival normally falls in the month of October every year

Learn
If you wish to undertake studies in the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (MSU) you must apply at any India Embassy or Consulate in your country for a student visa. International student fees are high. Your best bet for reducing costs is to apply for scholarship issued by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).

Work
Vadodara has companies like L&T, Xylem water solutions, IOCL, ABB, GSFC, ONGC, IPCL (now Reliance), Bombardier, General Motors, Kemrock, Alembic and Jyoti. Many other petrochemical companies like GACL and pharma companies like Sun Pharma, Alembic and Sarabhai are also well known. It is also considered a good location for IT companies, and a new biotech park is coming to the city. Quickstart Global has set up its operations as well, providing employment to more than 800 people in Vadodara.

Buy
Camel leather and related arts of embedding pure gold and stone colors, on camel leather and hide vessels are well known here.



Eat
There are plenty of eateries in and around the city and getting good food is not a problem.

Mid-range


Don't forget to try the famous 'Gujarati Thali' (Kathiyawadi):



Drink
Vadodara is a nice place to be but lacks a nightlife altogether because of a blanket ban on alcohol throughout Gujarat. Foreign nationals can procure alcohol after getting a permit, but this procedure is not without its headaches.

You will need your passport plus a photocopy of your passport data page and your visa. You must ask your hotel to stamp this photocopy and write a simple statement to say that "xxx is residing at this hotel, room xxx. The fee for the permit is ₹100. The permit is valid for one month, during which time each person is allowed to buy a limited quantity - 10 units at a time (one unit is 10 large bottles of beer, or 3 bottles of wine or 1 bottle of spirits), no more than twice in six days.  This should satisfy all but the heaviest of drinkers. You can use the permit at any location that sells alcohol.

The wine shop at the Hotel Kaviraj (the hotel is being refurbished but the wine shop is open on the side of the building) is open from noon to 10PM and can always issue a permit.

Budget
Choose any of the hotels available besides the railway station (Sayaji Gunj area), but be aware that they sometimes refuse foreign tourists because of the paperwork needed for the booking.



Mail
Vadodara has 3 main post offices:



Phone and internet
Most hotels in Baroda do offer free Wi-Fi. You'll be able to check email or use Skype at McDonald's Family Restaurants too. Internet Cafes are few.

Stay safe
Vadodara is generally a safe city, and is heavily secured by the local cops (who may be in yellow-ochre, black, white or informal dress but in yellow-ochre socks). In the relatively unlikely event that you have any trouble, you can call 108 (emergency number).

Cope
Tourists and especially non-resident Indians can expect to pay significantly more than locals, so don't be surprised if you experience this.

Go next

 * Bharuch - Halfway between Vadodara-Surat, Bharuch is the oldest city in Gujarat.
 * Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park (47 km from Vadovara) - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You'll see the remains of a medieval city whose architecture is special because it was Islamic buildings executed by Hindu and Jain workmen in a very unique style.  Pavagadh Kalika mandir is a must see place. You may hire local taxi or auto to reach Manchi which is 5 km from Pavagadh. There is a state bus facility every hour from Pavagadh to Manchi. At Manchi, Get a Ropeway (Udan Khatola in Hindi) ticket (₹98 to and fro) one of the best ropeways in India. After getting down from ropeway, climb 250 steps to Kalika mandir.
 * Dabhoi (33 km from the city center) - an old fortified town, originally known as Darbhavati, renowned for its gates and Jain temples, both impressive for its fine carved details
 * Kevadia ( from Vadodara) – a small town, best known for the majestic Statue of Unity.
 * Sankheda - Travel to Sankheda to see the making of lovely lacquer-coated furniture.
 * Tejgadh - A village noted for its  Tribal Academy of Gujarat, which is a social service organization aiming for the development of local tribals. It also operates a museum showcasing tribal crafts.