Gujarat High Court stays demolition of Nazarbaug palace

Ahmedabad, 30 May, 2014

The Gujarat High Court has today stayed the demolition of Vadodara’s Nazarbaug palace till next hearing(3 June) following a PIL filed by Gujarat chapters of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage(INTACH) and Indian Institute of Architects(IIA). Justice RD Kothari issued notices to the respondents concerned, including the Chief Secretary of the State Government, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation, the Archaeological Survey of India and Sangramsinh’s son, Pratapsinh Gaekwad.

The 1.75 lakh sq feet property was built in 1721. It is owned by the family of Sangramsinh Gaekwad. Sangramsinh had begun demolition of the Nazarbaug reportedly with a plan to construct a commercial cum residential complex.

Sanjeev Joshi, co-convenor, INTACH, Gujarat and IIA told the High Court that the palace is “deemed heritage” structure, pending a list of heritage monuments in the city of Vadodara. He cited Article 49 of the Constitution of India that states that heritage buildings have to be protected.

About the palace:

The Nazarbaug palace was created after the villas of Riviera with Greco-Roman architecture white alabaster and was floored with Italian marbles. It had corners of granite imported from Alhambra in Spain, interspersed with the world-famous Baroda green marbles and decorated with wall-fresco and ceiling-frescos from the B.C. era design of the Greco-Roman architecture.

The palace, which was adorned by lush gardens, fountains, baradaris, canopies and gazebos, was built in 1850 by Maharajas Khanderao Gaekwad and Malharrao Gaekwad to entertain guests. It later also became the Baroda state treasury. It was called the Nazarbaug palace because its beauty was said to satiate everyone watching it.