Pushpakoot, once home to Vijay Hazare, demolished

On Friday, as bulldozers and vehicles belonging to Surat-based contractor Pearl Buildcon remained parked beside the debris of the structure that was once known for its landscaped gardens, hence called Pushpakoot – one among the four boutique row bungalows, located across the Polo ground – it signified the Vadodara’s loss of a heritage, yet again.

Yogesh Malviya of Pearl Buildcon said the design of the proposed structure that will now come up in place of Pushpakoot has been prepared by the R&B department.

In 2014, Vadodara had lost the snow-white Nazarbaug palace in Mandvi, which has been replaced by a namesake commercial shopping complex. The city is on the brink of losing Bhadra Kacheri in Panigate, which has been in the possession of the state government, as well as inner structure of Tambekarwada, which is under the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), while its facade is protected by the Archeaological Survey of India.

VMC is also yet to begin work on restoring the iconic Nyaymandir, which stands closed since 2018 when the district court shifted to its new premises in Diwalipura.

A petition filed by Heritage Trust of Baroda before the Gujarat High Court last month, seeking a stay on Pushpakoot’s demolition, has been dismissed.

Sameer Khera, president of the Heritage Trust said, “It (the demolition) is unfortunate… We continue to engage with the relevant authorities to institutionalise mechanism as per 2014 HC order regarding formation of Heritage Conservation Committee and listing of heritage structures thereof. ”

The Heritage Trust of Baroda has also urged the Baroda Cricket Association to step in and convert the bungalow into a memorial of India’s legendary icon.

Hazare’s family was the last occupant of the bungalow until the Gaekwad royal family sold it to the government in a “distress sale” in 1976 under the Urban Land Ceiling Act that was passed the same year to “bring about an equitable distribution of land in urban agglomerations for common good”.
The Trust had identified Pushpakoot among the 700 heritage buildings that need conservation in Vadodara. However, VMC is yet to form the Heritage Conservation Cell and grade structures as per their current condition.

Jeetendrasinh Gaekwad, great-grandnephew of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III told The Indian Express, “The four bungalows were the first experiment in boutique colonial heritage bungalows with landscaped gardens in Vadodara. The Maharaja had entrusted the task to Knox-Hill, an architect and engineer of the state, to build the Bagikhana as well as four residential bungalows, heavily influenced by European architecture… The work on the bungalows began in 1899 and was completed in 1902 at a cost of Rs 11,000 for all four bungalows, including the land price. They were named so for their landscaped gardens that were a visual treat at that time.”

Hazare moved into the bungalow in 1940. He served as aide de camp to Maharaja Pratapsinhrao Gaekwad and was the chief cricketing mentor to Prince Fatesinhrao II Gaekwad and continued to live there until 1976.