Vadodara

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Vadodara ( Gujarati: વડોદરા, Vadodara, formerly Baroda ) is a major university and industrial city in western India. With around 1.7 million inhabitants ( census 2011) it is after Ahmedabad and Surat is the third largest city in the state of Gujarat.

Geography

Vadodara is on the river Vishwamitri, he divides the city into eastern Old Town area and a modern western range, which greatly expanded since the British colonial era. Here, the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (MSU ), the main railway station and the newly created shopping centers include settled.

Altitude: 35.5 m, area: about 148 km ².

History and Politics

Vadodara was once the capital of the princely state of Baroda. To a wealthy and modern city, however, Vadodara developed under the reign of Maharaja Sayajirao III. , Which is also known as the "Golden Period" ( 1881-1939 ). In this time, the modernization of the economy, education and administration fell, such as the connection to the electricity network, the mechanization of factories, a comprehensive land and agrarian reform, the expansion of the regional rail network and the introduction of Prohibition of alcoholic beverages (which is still valid today and Gujarat as the only Indian state in the Indian Union to a so-called " dry state " does ). 1974 was officially renamed Baroda, Vadodara.

In 2002, it came in the wake of communal riots in Gujarat in some mixed neighborhoods Vadodaras to violence by Hindus against Muslims, in which hundreds of people, mostly Muslims, were killed. Investigations into the unrest soon came to the conclusion that it was involved was a deliberate pogrom, in which the now reigning Chief Minister Narendra Modi was involved. In May 2006, riots in Vadodara flickered on again, and because of the massive deployment of the military this time but few people were killed.

In 2005, the city was hit by a devastating flood, which also claimed many lives.

Economy

Besides Ahmedabad Vadodara today is one of the emerging and rapidly expanding industrial and service centers of Gujarat. Since the economic liberalization of India from 1992, many foreign enterprises have settled in Vadodara, including many German companies. The city has a highway connection and an airport ( daily flights to Mumbai and Delhi ), which will be expanded in the coming years to an international Airport. Vadodara is a center of oil refining industry with a large refinery in the north. Other priorities of the industry, the pharmaceutical and chemical production and metal processing.

Education

The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (MSU ) is currently the only English-speaking University of Gujarat, there are currently studying a little over 100,000 students in 13 faculties. The Faculty of Fine Arts is one case among the most renowned of all India. At the MSU courses, plus the German is taught.

Religion

Vadodara is the seat of the diocese of Baroda.

Attractions

Old Town: Inside the city gates comprised of Old Town is located at the intersection of the running in the north -south and east-west direction of the main axes, the Mandvi gate. In the northwestern sector of the Old Town is the Nazarbaugh Palace.

Laxmi Vilas Palace: Maharaja Sayajirao III in 1878 by. erected, big city palace in indosarazenischen style. Under Indian art historians, he is considered one of the most magnificent Maharaja's palaces in India. Includes a museum and a gallery. Located within the perimeter of the Maharaja Fateh Singh is also museum, where in addition to Indian art, Japanese and Chinese is issued. The European painting is, inter alia, represented with works by Raphael and Murillo. A catalog of these works of art was carried out under the one-time living here in exile art historian Ernst Cohn -Wiener.

Baroda Museum and Picture Gallery: built in 1894 by Robert Fellowes Chisholm, the gallery was founded in 1910 there is one of the best in India, when are issued in addition to numerous European artists, including works of British artist William Turner. The museum is situated in the vast park Sayaji Bagh, where a zoo is housed.

Mahadev Statue: In Sursagar Talav Lake in the center of the old town, 30 meters towering statue of the Hindu deity Shiva with traditional trident.

Sevasi - Baori: About 5 km to the west (22 ° 19.09 'N, 073 ° 07,15 ' E) of the city center, this Baori ( stepwell ) of Sevasi.

45 km outside of Vadodara lying north of the 800 m high Mount Pavagadh the archaeological mostly untapped ruins of the ancient city of Champaner, now a Unesco World Heritage Site. She was from the 8th to the 15th century capital of the Chauhan Rajputs.

Sons and daughters of the town

• Dilip Chitre
• Hazrat Inayat Khan