The Baroda Diaries - Day 4

Match at Motibaug cricket grounds which forms part of the palace estate. In fact it is right next to the Fateh Singh Rao Gaekwad Museum which was at one time the private school of the royal Princes and princesses. 

Off to Motibaug ground

Motibaug environs

The match with the Palace spire in the background

A beautiful structure on the ground - wonder what it is

Right in front of the museum is the replica of the 'Flying Scotsman' - the train from London to Edinburgh - which had a few carriages so that it could carry 30 children - the train would make its way from the palace to the school via the orchards etc. Apparently they have shifted the train tracks to the Sayaji Baug park where hundreds of kids now savour the toy train experience. The original train engine is now retired and stands outside the museum.

Khanderao market

Moin and I walked around the beautiful ground with tall trees, a mango orchard to one side, cricket nets to another, an old monument right next to the dressing rooms, bougainvilleas, the rising tower of the palace behind us, the Peacock playschool to one side etc. The game got over at 4, we recorded a convincing victory over Vidarbha and Moin and I hired Safi Shaikh who was hanging around to go to Khanderao market. 

Inside Khanderao market building

Rajwada chai

It was a market place built in the times of Maharaja Sayaji Rao - a beautiful, old world market with a place for fruit and vegetable sellers in the centre and many shops that sold provisions inside. We took some pics, bought some dry fruits, drank some Rajwada chai and headed back to the hotel where I dropped Moin off. He prefers rest to these exertions.

I went off with Safi to the Maharaja Sayaji University (popularly known as MS University) which is close  to the Railway station. 

Maharaja Sayaji Rao University

The University building

Its a beautiful campus with high domes that remind one of Gol Gumbaz from Bijapur, especially the Arts side. 

Arts  buildings

The science departments seem to be have been built later which is obvious from its construction. But the entire university had a lovely feel, an experimental school to one side next to the department of education and psychology. 

Swami Vivekananda

The Experimental School

I wandered about for a while taking pics, wondering why there were so many students hanging around the campus at 5 in the evening. There is a nala flowing through the campus!

Department of Education and Psychology

MS University is where Mohan studied his Masters in Fine Arts and I remember one crazy incident when I was travelling from Mumbai to Ahmedabad on some work in the early 90s and had told Mohan I would be passing through Baroda on that particular day and in that particular train. Come that day and time and I find Mohan searching from me frantically in all compartments until he found me. After a couple of minutes of pleasantries he told me he needed a hundreds bucks - hostel life - and I was happy to give it to him. Trust Mohan to spice up our life like this. 

Clock Tower

Back to the hotel from the day's exertions and chilled.