Vadodara Circuit 

The Vadodara circuit is home to the city of Vadodara the de-facto cultural capital of Gujarat. The Vadodara circuit is a must-see for culture lovers. You will love visiting the museums and palaces in the wonderful city of Vadodara. You can also visit Anand for a glimpse of successful co-operative farming. 

Champaner and Pavagadh are home to exquisite ancient temples and spiritualism. These destinations can be easily accessed from the city of Baroda.

Bharuch

Bharuch is situated, 70 kms from Vadodara, on the north bank of the Narmada, the greatest of Gujarat's rivers. It is also sometimes referred to as Kanam Pradesh (Black Soil Land) because of the distinctive colour of its soil, which is ideal for cotton cultivation. Bharuch is home to an ancient Shiva temple, the Jama Masjid and the Madresa mosque considered by many as one of the oldest mosques founded by Mohammad. 

The Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary is situated close by.
Bharuch, as it was formerly called, was according to local legend, founded by the sage Bhrigu and so was called Bhrigupur or Bhrigu's city.

The first textile mill in India was established in Bharuch primarily because its black soil is most conducive for cotton cultivation.

Vadodara

Vadodara is a graceful city of palaces, parks, temples and museums and considered by many as the de-facto cultural capital of Gujarat. Once the capital of the Gaekwads, the former rulers of Vadodara, it is also known as Baroda and rises from the banks of River Vishwamitri. Vadodara is also the industrial capital of Gujarat. 

Archaeological findings indicate that human habitations existed here since prehistoric times. Vadodara passed through the hands of, the Guptas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakubas, Solankis, the Sultans of Delhi and the Mughals before passing on to the Marathas. It owes its present day grandeur to Maharaja Sayajirao, a great patron of art, architecture and music.

Champaner

Situated 47 kms. from Vadodara, the town of Champaner was founded by Vanraj Chhavda and named after his friend Champa Vanik. Mahmud Shah Beghada, the Muslim ruler of Gujarat razed it to the ground after a 20-month siege against the Hindu Rajput ruler, Patai Rawal. Thereafter, Champaner came under the Muslim rule of Beghada only to be abandoned later.

Today one can only find the ruins of the gardens, palaces and grand Islamic monuments that once adorned the city of Mahmud Beghada amidst a dense forest.

Pavagadh

Pavagadh is a famous place of pilgrimage situated in the Halol Taluka, 49 kms. from Vadodara.

According to popular legend, in a bygone age, there existed a valley where the Pavagadh Hill now stands.

On the elevated ground overlooking the valley, lived the famous Rishi Vishvamitra. He owned a cow, Kamdhenu, gifted with speech and an inexhaustible source of milk.

Grazing on the brink of the hollow, Kamdhenu one day slipped and being unable to climb the steep sides, she filled the valley with her milk and swam home. Learning what had happened, Rishi Vishvamitra, to prevent another mishap, prayed that the valley be filled up. His prayers were granted, the gods sending so large a hill that three quarters of it filled up the hollow and the rest standing out of the plains was called Pavagadh, the quarter-hill.

In old inscriptions, the name of the hill also appears as 'Pavagadh' or 'Fire-Hill'. It covers about 42 kms. in circumference.

The distance from the foot of the hill to Kalika Mata's Temple on its highest peak is about 5 kms.

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