Originally called Baroda after early English travelers and merchants called it Brodera, the city is the third largest one in Gujarat. Its name was officially changed to Vadodara in 1974.
Vadodara, located at 22.30°N 73.19°E at an elevation of 39 metres (128 ft) is also known as the Kala Nagari (City of Arts), Sayaji Nagari (City of Maharaja Sayajirao), Banyan City, Cultural Capital of Gujarat (Sanskari Nagari) and Power Hub of India.
Its history traces back to the mid-pleistocene period around 1.25 - 0.7 million year ago when we were still in the old stone age. The evidences exist of the existence of the early man of old stone age at the Mahi River valley at a number of sites within 10 to 20 kms. Human settlements dating back to 1000 B.C has been found on the bank of river Vishwamitri which ascertains the existence of the Stone Age Era.
During ancient times Vadodara has been known as Ankotakka, Vadpadraka, Chandanavati and Virakshetra or Viravati. The first recorded history of the city is in a grant or charter of 812 CE that mentions it as Vadapadraka by the early trader settlers.
Ankotakka
Around the beginning of the Christian Era, a small township seems to have developed on the right bank of the river Vishwamistri on a mound. It came to be known as Ankotakka (present day Akota) and mound is popular as Dhantekri. The township of Ankotakka developed during the rule of the Guptas and Maitraka Dynasty. The entire settlement was developed by clearing the grazing land and forests and covered an area of 0.5 to 0.75 sq kms.
Vadpadraka
But a severe flood in 600 A.D. forced the inhabitants to abandon the township and move away to the East of Ankotakka. This formed a new township name Vadpadraka possibly due to the presence of banyan trees.
The earliest record of the city is in a grant or charter of 812 CE that mentions it as Vadapadraka, a hamlet attached to the town of Ankottaka. In the 10th century Vadapadraka displaced Ankottaka as the urban centre.
Chandanavati
The city of Vadodara is reported to have previously been named Chandanavati for a time, "for Raja Chandan of the Dor Rajputs, who wrested it from the Jainas".
Virakshetra/Viravati - It was also called by these names by the 17th century Gujarati poet Premanand Bhatt, native to the city.
History of Vadodara falls into different periods
Hindu Period (until 1297)
Gupta Empire
Maitraka Dynasty (475 AD - 776 AD)
Chavda Dynasty (690 AD - 942 AD)
Chaulukya Dynasty / Solanki Dynasty (940 AD - 1244 AD)
Vaghela Dynasty (1244 AD - 1304 AD)
Muslim Delhi Sultanate (1297 AD - 1401 AD)
Gujarat Sultanate (1401 AD - 1573 AD)
Under Gujarat Sultanate Vadodara went through a rapid development phase when it was given as a Jagir to Prince Khail Khan or Muzaffar Shah II (1511 AD - 1526 AD) by his father Mahmud Begada or Mahmud Shah I (1458 AD - 1511 AD) the Sultan of Gujarat.
Muzaffar Shah II or Khail Khan built the modern fort of Vadodara also called as Kila-e-Daulatabad. Kila-e-Daulatabad was surrounded by walls during 16th century which is not extinct, but the four direction gates still remain standing to this date. The gates include Lehripura gate - West, Champaner gate - North, Gendi Gate - South and Pani Gate - East.
The exact center of the old walled city is the Mandvi Gate which is believed to have been used for collection of toll from merchants and traders and also used to make announcements for the city. This structure was updated in later rules under Maratha Period.
The main fort of Kila-e-Daulatabad or the old walled city is believed to the Bhadra Kacheri located in the area near Pani Gate, which is in ruins. This fort was also the first residence of the Gaekwads in the later period.
Under Mughal Empire (1573 AD - 1734 AD)
Under the Mughal rule, Baroda was ruled by the Bibi Nawabs as the Governer of the state. The Nawab family were the distant decendents of the Holy Prophet. Qauzi Sayed Nuruddin Husain-Khan was the founder of the Nawab family of Baroda. The area Pratapgunj, besides the Maharaja Sayajirao University has a specially constructed cemetery for Nawabs.
Under Maratha Period (1734 AD - 1947 AD)
The Gaekwad rule of Baroda began when the Maratha general Pilaji Rao Gaekwad conquered the city from the Mughal Empire in 1721. The Gaekwad were granted the city as a Jagir by Chhatrapati Sahu I.
Maharaja Sayaji Rao III, who took the throne in 1875 modernized Baroda, establishing compulsory primary education, library system and Maharaja Sayajirao University. He is well known for offering B.R.Ambedkar a scholarship to study at Columbia University. Upon India attaining its independence Baroda was merged into Bombay State.
Under Bombay Presidency (1947 AD - 1960 AD)
Bombay State was dissolved with the formation of Maharashtra and Gujarat states on 1st May 1960. This eventually moved Baroda from Bombay state to present day Gujarat state.
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