Faculty of Technology and Engineering – MSU (Kalabhavan)

Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara-Baroda By HoVB 1 Comment

The Faculty of Technology and Engineering – MSU actually started it’s journey from the Senapati Bhavan as the “Kala Bhavan Technical Institute” in the year 1890. It was only in the year 1949, that it was established as the Faculty of Technology and Engineering and assimilated in the Maharaja Sayajirao University.

A palatial home for the Institute :

After being run from the Senapati Bhavan for a short period of time, the institute was gifted with a majestic palatial building by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III in the year 1892. This building was actually a palace, whose constructed started in the year 1884, just opposite to the Lukshmi Villas Palace. In Year 1891, the Palace was ready. But after residing in the palace for a short period of time, in year 1892, it was given to institute on the request of Prof. T. K. Gajjar, the principal of the Kala Bhavan Technical Institute (KBTI).

The Building :

Spread over an area of 2200 square meter, the original “E” shaped palace is now only a portion of the current building (extentions were made to the palace over the years). With A.H. Coyle as the principal architect, it is said that architects Charles Mant and R.F. Chisholm were also involved in the project.

Built in the Indo – Saracenic style, the double storeyed building’s entrance is marked by an elaborate “porte cochere” and a tower-like struture. The main features of the Indo-Saracenic style are reflected in the several big and small onion domes capping the “chattris” and the central tower. The domes are further embellished with indigenous elements such as finials and the row of petal-like elements defining the base of the dome.

The element used expansively in the structure, giving it the regional flavor is the cusped arch that dot the passageways of the building. Apart from this, motifs of elements such as the lotus, elephants, flowers and crowns embellish the building defining the style of the building even further more.

Thus, the institute that just started off from a small building with the modest but novel objective of producing skilled artisans, now educates hundreds of students in all the major professions.