Kevda Baug

Kevda Baug, once the property of the Daibhers, high-ranking officers of the Baroda State, was a sprawling estate featuring a residential bungalow set amidst lush grounds. The name “Kevda Baug” reflects the fragrant plant called “Kevda” that once characterized the area.

The Daibhers:

Originally known as “Daibhers” and now referred to as “Dhaibhers,” this elite group were the highest-ranking officials during the Gaekwad dynasty. They owned extensive lands around Chandod, which was part of the Baroda State. As “Killedars” or guardians of the fort, they were stationed at the city gates. When the royal family relocated from the old city, the Daibhers followed suit, moving near the new royal residence.

The Building:

Built in an Italian villa style, Kevda Baug is a double-storeyed, pristine white building with a symmetrical central axis. Its austere design contrasts with the ornate architecture typical of the era. The building features large circular pillars supporting a plain entablature and a parapet with a unique pattern of small openings. The central part of the parapet is adorned with a pediment, which includes stucco work and two human figures. Each pier of the parapet and the top of the pediment are topped with finial elements.

The interior boasted spacious rooms furnished with fine furniture, along with expansive verandas both at the front and around the back courtyard. These verandas and rooms were later converted into smaller, utilitarian spaces, likely during its time as a government office. The building originally had wooden flooring and a spiral staircase leading to the upper floor, with rooms themed in colors like Green, Pink, and Red. The wooden awnings that once adorned the windows have since disappeared, along with much of the building’s former splendor.

Today, the building is maintained by the Dhaibar family. The once-vast greenery surrounding the bungalow has been replaced by rows of new houses, diminishing the grandeur that Kevda Baug enjoyed during the golden era of the Gaekwads.