Kala Bhawan- Faculty of Engineering and Technology at Maharaja Sayaji Rao University of Vadodara. Gujarat State. India

Constructed in 1891 as a temporary residential palace for the Maharaja of Vadodara, the building was gifted by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad to the Kala Bhawan Technical Institute in 1892.

Spread over an area of 2200 square meters, the palace was conceived by architect A. H. Coyle, and construction began in 1884. The building was built in the neo-classical or Indo-Saracenic architectural style with Gothic fillings and an entrance marked by an elaborate “porte cochere” and a tower. Several big and small onion-shaped domes capped the “chattris” and the central tower. The domes are further embellished with indigenous elements like finials and a row of petal-like elements defining the base of the domes. The plan of the building resembles the English letter E. The central wing along with the linear wing are double-storeyed, while the corner wings are single-storeyed. Semi-circular arches, pedimental windows with murals, and pilasters are the classical elements of the building.

Thus, the Kala Bhawan Institute, which began its journey from this palace building with the novel objective of producing skilled artisans, is, since 1949, the Faculty of Technology and Engineering at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Vadodara.

The palace is depicted in monotone (Sepia) watercolours on 250 GSM watercolour paper.

Author: Rajiv Mistry (rjmistry22@gmail.com)