Vadodara is the cultural capital of Gujarat. Known as Sanskari Nagri, the city has upheld cultural values & tradition as the heritage of the Gujarat state. The city is steeped in art and culture and one can see many cultural icons around the city symbolic of art as well as the symbol of respect. The city of Vadodara has many remarkable statues in and around the city and they all have interesting stories behind it. Hotel Casa takes you on a guided tour of wonderful statues in Vadodara.The most well-known statue in Vadodara is that of Lord Shiva in the middle of Sursagar Lake in the heart of the city. The 120 feet tall statue of Sarveshwar Mahadev in standing posture built by Vadodara Mahanagar Seva Sadan (VMSS) was installed in 2002. Sursagar Lake, formerly known as Chandan Talao, is looked for boating purposes and looks extremely beautiful particularly on moonlit nights. The statue of Sarveshwar Mahadev is decorated with lights on Mahashivratri, Ganesh Utsav & many other festivals.
There might not be any city in Gujarat which would not have a statue of the Father of the Nation installed publicly. Vadodara has the statue of Gandhiji installed in front of the townhall named after him. Mahatma Gandhinagar Gruh was constructed in 1954 with the statue of Gandhiji standing in the compound. The statue was made by H.K Doring and gifted by Vadodara City Mahatma Gandhi Statue Committee. It was inaugurated on 16th November 1954 by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the then President of India.
The Shivaji statue in Vadodara has an interesting story behind it. There was no statue of Shivaji installed anywhere in the 1930s. Chhatrapati Raja Shahu Maharaj in 1930’s decided to give the order for the statue to the artist who completes the job fastest. Two artists had been selected by their own standing but both wanted to make the artwork in their own style so they had no other choice but to give them both a chance. Mhatre and his son Shyam Rao were from Mumbai and went about making the statue with sand casting technique which gives more finish to the work in Astadhatu metal mix, while Karmarkarji from Savane Alibaug had an original idea to cast it in a single go because he wanted to finish it fast and win the coveted prize and status of the royal artists whose creation would be installed in the heart of Pune city – the ‘capital’ of Maharashtrian culture. He won the race but the Matres’ were devastated as they had sold off whatever they had to mold the artwork with more finish than others but a bit late!
Maharaja Sayaji Rao, of Baroda state, got to know about this and immediately offered to buy the statue.His timely help elated the artists and they installed the statue inside the KAMATI BAUG, a park in the center of the city of Baroda. It became a part of the diamond jubilee celebrations of the king’s rule then.Hotel Casa Statue is a fine piece of art and appreciated for the craft till date.
The very popular Kalaghoda statue or the Equestrian statue in Vadodara is in respect of Vadodara’s erstwhile ruler Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad. The statue shows him seated on a horse’s back is situated near Sayajibaug (kamatibaug) main entrance. The statue of vigorous bronze was made by F Drewett Wood & it cost Rs. 60,000 and was raised by the subjects and admirers of Maharaja Sayajirao III in token of the loyalty and appreciation of his ever progressive rule. On 17th March 1907, Maharaja Holkar of Indore visited Vadodara (Baroda) and unveiled the statue. Hotel Casa Statue was erected by public subscription in commemoration of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad’s 50th Birthday. The Statue is known as Kala Ghoda as of Black Horse. The horse’s 2 legs are in the air, one on the left side at Front and another one at right side at Rear.
Gujarat is in the limelight for it’s much talked about Statue of Unity. The Statue of Unity is an iconic 182-meter tall landmark statue dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a visionary leader and statesman hailed as the Iron Man of India, due to his pivotal role in the country’s struggle for independence and subsequent integration. Post completion in 2018, the Statue of Unity will be the world’s tallest statue. For this project, Modi had a launched a nationwide farm tool collection drive symbolic of “unifying the country.”Additionally, a viewing gallery at around 500 feet will provide visitors a spectacular view of the Sardar Sarovar dam and its environs. A special purpose vehicle established by the government of Gujarat for the construction of the statue, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Rashtriya Ekta Trust (SVPRET), is developing the Statue of Unity project in the area surrounding the Sardar Sarovar Dam in the Narmada district of Gujarat. Through this project, the government intends to promote inclusive and equitable socio-economic growth in the region with tourism development as the key tool. This involves the development of multiple tourist attractions in the region coupled with infrastructure creation for the promotion of education, research, health, rural and tribal development.
And there are many other statues in the city like Bhagat Singh’s statue opposite Lal Court, a statue of Khanderao Gaekwad at Khanderao market, a statue of Maharana Pratap Singh at Pratapgunj circle, many statues in the Laxmi Vilas Palace premises and many others in Sayajibaug. And all these statues in Vadodara can be witnessed when you come & stay in Vadodara. While you are here, there is a budget hotel with three-star property facilities that can be a very good recommendation for a stay. The low budget Hotel Casa in Fatehgunj area, very near to many statues, offers all amenities & facilities of a luxury hotel but at pocket-friendly rates. The affordable rates make it the preferred choice for many businessmen. The Privilege Membership program at Hotel Casa has many takers while the proximity to Railway station, bus terminal & airport is the added advantage to the best budget hotel in Vadodara
