Hidden behind tall walls in the Karelibaug area of the city lies the Mental Hospital, originally known as the Lunatic Asylum, which opened on June 28th, 1898.
Before its establishment, dangerous mentally ill individuals were confined and treated in the Central Jail under the Magistrate’s orders. Initially planned for just 28 patients, the facility expanded as the demand for accommodation grew. It housed criminal lunatics and those under observation.
The hospital exclusively admitted patients from the Baroda State; no foreigners were accepted unless in emergencies, with expenses covered by their respective states. Similarly, any mentally ill individuals from Baroda State were treated solely by the state.
Renamed the Mental Hospital in 1922, it continues to actively treat the mentally ill. It is popular among the citizens who make light-hearted jokes about it, saying “I will give you to the mental hospital and get my reward” to anyone who is picking their brains, as the hospital is known to reward those who bring in patients.
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