The history of Malharrao Gaekwad and his seven-storey palace in Kadi is a significant chapter of Gujarat’s regional heritage, blending royal ambition with deep religious devotion. Known locally as the Fort Palace or simply the palace of Malharrao, this structure was a marvel of its time, famously constructed using stones allegedly reclaimed from local stepwells or ancient “vavs”. Malharrao, a staunch devotee of the goddess Meldi Mata, established a temple dedicated to her on the seventh floor of this palace. This unusual placement served a symbolic purpose: as the guardian deity of his reign and territory, the goddess was positioned at the highest point of the seat of power to oversee and protect the region.
According to regional folklore, Malharrao’s deep bond with the deity is often referred to as “Raja Malharni Meldi” began with a divine command where the goddess “accompanied” him to Kadi to ensure justice and protection for his land. While the grand seven-storey palace eventually fell into ruin following Malharrao’s deposition in 1875, the spiritual legacy endured. In 1987, the present-day Shri Meldi Mataji Mandir was rebuilt on the original site in the Kasba/Jasalpur area of Kadi, continuing the tradition of the goddess as the “Kot-vali” (protector of the fort) for the local community.
Shri Yavteshwar Mahadev Temple at Kadi
Shri Yavteshwar Mahadev Temple located in the Manipur Mohalla of Kadi in Mehsana district is an ancient and holy place deeply connected with the Gaekwad state. According to local history, the temple got its name because the Shivling was found buried inside a field of Yav, which means barley. The temple gained great importance during the rule of Maharaja Khanderao Gaekwad who ruled Baroda State from 1856 to 1870. The Maharaja was a great devotee of Lord Shiva and he received a divine vision in his dream about this sacred Shivling. After this, the Gaekwad administration gave royal support, expanded the structure, and arranged for regular daily prayers.
While the original roots of this place are very old, the proper construction and royal recognition happened during the mid-nineteenth century around the 1850s and 1860s, making the current building more than 150 years old. In historical records, this is sometimes confused with another Yavteshwar Mahadev temple built by Diwan Raoji Appaji near the Vishwamitri river in Vadodara, but the Kadi temple is a completely separate historical place tied to the Mehsana region. In terms of architecture, the temple shows the traditional Maratha and Gujarati styles of the Gaekwad era with a strong stone Garbhagriha for the Shivling, a main hall, and beautiful old carvings.
Today, the Yavteshwar Mahadev Temple is a major center of faith located near the Kadi Bus Station. It is managed by the local Sevak Mandal and devotee trusts who take care of the daily management. The temple sees a huge rush of devotees during the holy month of Shravan and on Mahashivratri, when thousands of people from Kadi and nearby villages come to pray. Over the years, the trust has done necessary renovations like stone flooring and building community halls to help the devotees while keeping the old Gaekwad era heritage safe.
Images in this post may have been AI-enhanced for clarity and color.
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