Vodadara

               If you seek the stillness of earth before the human empire, then imagine prehistoric times when the humans here on the banks of the river Vishwamitri, were outnumbered by vad, or banyan trees, from which the place derived its name. If you are an industrialist, then revel in the booming production center that is Vadodara or Baroda (as it is also known).
             If you are not, and you wish to escape the industrial fumes, then take a breather in Sayaji Baug, the expansive garden in the center of the city, next to the river, before you explore the rest of the city, still pleasant and relaxing.
            If you want to be amused by the ostentation of rulers of the past, visit the Lakshmi Vilas Palace, or the now derelict but once lavish Nazarbaugh Palace.
If you are an artist, art historian, or archaeologist, then go see the extensive collection, from ancient to modern, at the Vodadara Museum and the Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum, the painted walls of the Tambekar Wada haveli, and the Nandlal Bose murals of the Bhagvad Gita in the old Kirti Mandir mousoleum. And to meet artists and students and dip into India's evolving art scene, visit the Maharaja Sayaji University and the Picture Gallery.
          If you come during Navratri, the nine night festival of dance in worship of the Mother Goddess, then consider yourself the envy of the rest of Gujarat, for you are in the most sought-after location for the event.