Nyay Mandir

Building in Gujarat, India
22°17′48″N 73°12′05″E / 22.2966°N 73.2015°E / 22.2966; 73.2015Opened30 November 1896Cost₹744,000ClientMaharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad IIITechnical detailsMaterialBrick, mortar, stoneDesign and constructionArchitect(s)Robert Chisholm


The Nyay Mandir, lit. 'Temple of Justice', is a court building in Vadodara in the state of Gujarat, western India.

History

"I wish to commemorate the virtues of Her Late Highness and the admiration I entertained for her-the mild, charitable, amiable woman, the devoted mother and loving wife."

—Words by Sayajirao Gaekwad III as he laid the foundation stone for ‘The Maharani Chimnabai Market’ in memory of his queen.[1]

Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, ruler of Baroda State, opened the building on 30 November 1896 and named it after his deceased wife Chimnabai I.[2] Then this vegetable market building near Sursagar Lake was named 'The Maharani Chimnabai Market'. It was later used as a town hall. The building was then converted in an imperial court named 'Maharani Chimnabai Nyay Mandir'.[3][1][4][5][6]

When Baroda State was merged with the Union of India, the last ruler Pratapsinhrao Gaekwad delivered his last public speech from the building.[2] It houses the District Court of Vadodara city.

It was built at the cost of ₹7.44 lakh (equivalent to ₹28 crore or US$3.5 million in 2023).[7]

Architecture

South-east view of the Nyaya Mandir in the 1890s.

It is a piece of Indo-Saracenic architecture style. It was designed by Robert Chisholm, the state architect of Baroda. There was a large central hall measuring 115 feet by 86 feet with galleries on both sides and decorated with mosaic work.[8][9][10] There is a clock on front side of the building.[11]

A white marble statue of Chimnabai I is placed in the main room of the Nyay Mandir.[12][2]

References

  1. ^ a b "Nyay Mandir". History of Vadodara. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Nishant, Dave (19 June 2023). "મહારાણી ચિમણાબાઇની મૂર્તિ માટે 17 વર્ષથી રાજવી પરિવારનો સંઘર્ષ" [The royal family's struggle for 17 years for the statue of Maharani Chimnabai]. Divya Bhaskar. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  3. ^ Gazetteer of the Baroda State: Volume II, p. 349.
  4. ^ Souvenir. Reception Committee, All India Library Conference, the University of California. 1999. p. 16.
  5. ^ "District Court Vadodara, Gujarat ઇતિહાસ". vadodara.dcourts.gov.in. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  6. ^ "ન્યાયમંદિર ઐતિહાસિક ઈમારતની ૩૦મીએ ૧૨૬મી વર્ષગાંઠ". Loksatta News (in Gujarati). 28 November 2022. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  7. ^ "Vadodara marvel gave justice for 120 years". The Times of India. 2 June 2017. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  8. ^ Gokhale, S.A. (1987). "Public Buildings in Princely State of Baroda, 1875-1939 : A Study in Urbanization". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 48: 544–551. ISSN 2249-1937.
  9. ^ "Architect who gave Vadodara its character". The Times of India. 17 January 2015. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  10. ^ Jain, Jinisha (4 March 2023). "Architectural analyses of 19th century Indo-Saracenic structures designed by British Architect Robert Chisholm in Vadodara". Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering. 22 (2): 861–874. doi:10.1080/13467581.2022.2064472. ISSN 1346-7581.
  11. ^ "Baroda's Big Bens to chime again". The Times of India. 30 May 2016. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  12. ^ Gazetteer of the Baroda State: Volume II, p. 467.

Sources

  • Gazetteer of the Baroda State: Volume II, Administration. Baroda: G. H. Desai. 1923. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
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