A Lockdown Escape

 

  We stood in front of the Kevada Masjid , silhoutted against the backdrop of the afternoon sun. The vast expanse in front of the mosque was deserted , there were no other tourists except for the three of us and the guards at the fairly well maintained ASI site. Another one of the hidden gems at the Champaner-Pavgadh UNESCO world heritage site, apart from being another brilliant example of Indo Islamic architecture , the mosque is also famous for it's Roman styled cenotaph. The three of us were up in glee , the excursion from the main route to find this hidden mosque was proving to be worth it. Champaner is a treasure trove, especially if you love history and the sheer wonder of discovering stories of the forgotten past waiting to be unlocked at these offbeat architectural wonders.

Kevada Masjid was a detour from the main road where we had visited the Jami Masjid earlier. Dating back to the 15th century , the Jami Masjid is a gigantic structure with two imposing minars on either side of the central entrance to the prayer hall. Built by Sultan Begada in 1509 , it is a beautiful example of Hindu , Jain and Islamic workmanship and architecture.

We climbed up the steps to the mosque to the entrance , the erstwhile dome destroyed in the earthquake opens up the sky above. We sat there for sometime breathing in the unique latticework and the serenity of the place.

The shadows through the hallways hide stories of a bygone era. It is said that Champaner was founded in the eight century by King Vanraj Chavda. According to historians, along with neighbouring Pavagadh, it formed an important buffer between Gujarat and Mandu in Malwa (now Madhya Pradesh). The Chauhan Rajputs, who conquered the area around 1300 AD, ruled here for nearly two centuries. Although several Gujarat Sultans tried to capture Pavagadh, it was finally Mahmud Begda who managed to capture it, made it his capital and patronised a spate of constructions. Conquered by the Mughals , the region slowly lost it’s importance and faded away.  Jami Masjid is said to have served as a model for later mosque architecture in India and serves as the perfect blend of Hindu , Jain and Islamic architecture as seen across Champaner which also earned this site it’s World Heritage Status. 

Our first stop at Champaner was the Shahi Masjid which was a private mosque for the royal family. The outer walls feature stone jharokhas with perforated latticework. The sprawling garden laid out by Persian landscapists outside the mosque is now in ruins but the remnants of water channels can still be seen.

Our plan to visit Vadodara over the weekend was quite impulsive like most good weekend trips. The fatigue of staying locked up in our homes needed a release and after the ebbing of the second wave , late November post Diwali was a good time to travel. After going through all weekend options, (we had struck off  MH and Kerala from our list) , M and I settled for Vadodara. Neither of us had been to Gujarat ,  the morning 1 hour flight from Bangalore was conveniently timed and I had a hotel voucher waiting to expire at year end. Between the most renowned Lakshmi Vilas Palace in Vadodara , a few other destinations in the city and Champaner-Pavgadh which was an hour drive away, it was perfectly placed to explore over a  three day weekend.  The night before our flight , M’s hubby, S, started experiencing travel pangs and sheepishly asked to be included in our girls’ trip. We agreed to take him along on the condition of carrying extra baggage for our shopping excursions from Vadodara.

M and I decided to explore some of the lesser known destinations in the city the day we landed. S was reaching the day after and would join us directly at Champaner-Pavgadh. We kept the Lakshmi Vilas in Palace in our itinerary for the last day as our flight was in the evening and the morning would leave us enough time to explore what is still the abode of the royal Gaekwad family of Vadodara and one of the most magnificent palaces in India.

The Maharaj Sayaji Rao ( MS Rao) university at Vadodara is an unlikely stop for a tourist but the historical building which houses the faculty of arts is a unique confluence of Indian and Byzantine architectural styles. The university built upon 275 acres of land has a sprawling campus and it took us few rounds of autorickshaw rides to locate the main building which is also a heritage site. Unfortunately for us , the building was under going renovation and we could only do a brief tour from outside. Photography was also not being allowed ( for renovation purposes ?) but I managed to get a few clicks before one of the guards asked me to put my camera away.

Our other stop that day was the Hazira Maqbara which houses the tomb of Qutubuddin Muhammad Khan the tutor of Emperor Akbar's son; and his own son Naurang Khan- an influential administrator of Emperor Akbar's dynasty. Displaying typical Mughal architecture styles with ostentatious arches and octagonal platforms, the real graves are inside an underground chamber while the replicas are in the tomb. Located inside a planned Persian Garden , the tomb is a monumental octagonal structure. Quietly tucked away in a corner of the city , sitting around in the tomb is a serene experience.  I could imagine early mornings in the tomb would be a divine experience with the sunlight filtering in through the jalis which adorn the arched openings.

Vaodadara’s most renowned attraction is the Lakshmi Vilas Palace (LVP) which is still the residence of the royal Gaekwad family. The largest private residence built till date , LVP is four times the size of Buckingham Palace. Built in the Indo Saracenic architectural style, it’s elaborate interiors boast well maintained mosaics , chandeliers ,artworks and a highly impressive collection of weaponry and art. Paintings by the famous artist , Raja Ravi Verma who was specially commissioned by the then Maharaja of Baroda adorn the palace. The palace also houses an expansive golf course which is now open to the public. Another notable building in the premises is the Maharaja Fateh Singh museum which was earlier a school constructed for the royal family and now houses a large number of artworks by Raja Ravi Verma as well as other renowned European artists. The audio assisted guide almost transports one across time as you walk through the hallways of the palace and listen to the tales of an era gone by.

After spending a relaxed few hours touring the Palace , we grabbed some amazing misal pav for lunch (our other Gujrati food experience was a sumptuous Thali the night before). It was time to head back home but the trip was our first quick glimpse into Gujarat’s rich heritage . Maybe we would come back sometime to discover more of it’s known or lesser known facets armed with more time to carry back our memories! (also a bigger shopping bag , the beautiful Ajrakh and Gujrati handicrafts left us spellbound and was dumped on poor S to lug back home :-)).