Sri Aurobindo lived at Baroda from 08.02.1893 till 03.1906. At the first year of his staying here he has a vision of the Godhead surging up from within when in danger of a carriage accident. During 1893 translated Mahabharata, 1893-4 wrote articles for Indu Prakash, at 1895 worked as a secretary of Baroda Gaekvar, 1897 - taught French at Baroda College, 1898 - taught English and French at Baroda College, 1901 - marriage with Mrinalini Bose, 1904 - first turn to Yoga, 1905 - worked as vice-principal and professor of English at Baroda College, March 1906 - left Baroda for Calcutta.

Baroda (Vadodara)

Map of Vadodara District

Map of Vadodara

House at Race Course, Baroda where Sri Aurobindo lived

House of Khasirao Jadhav, Baroda where Sri Aurobindo lived in Baroda during 1894-1906

House of Khasirao Jadhav, Baroda

A memorial tablet at the house of Khasirao Jadhav

In the house of Khasirao Jadhav

Indumati Palace of Sayajerao Gaekvar, Maharaja of Baroda, where Sri Aurobindo worked

Baroda College, where from 1895 till 1901 Sri Aurobindo worked at first as part time lecturer in French, afterwards as a regular Professor teaching English and was finally appointed Vice-Principal.

Baroda College

Baroda College

Baroda College

Room in Baroda College, that was occupying by Sri Aurobindo when he was teaching in the College

A memorial tablet by the room of Sri Aurobindo in Baroda College

Majumdars house where Sri Aurobindo got fundamental realisation of silent Brahman. He and yogi Vishnu Bhaskat Lele shut themselves away in house of Khaserao Jarvi not letting anybody know it. January 1908, Baroda

Room in Majumdars house

Baroda from www.baroda.com

Baroda is situated on the banks of the river Vishwamitri (whose name is derived from the great saint Rishi Vishwamitra). Vadodara district occupies 3,007 sq mi (7,788 sq km), extending from the Narmada River (south) to the Mahi River (north).

The earliest record of the city is in a grant or charter of AD 812 that mentions it as Vadapadraka, a hamlet attached to the town of Ankottaka. In the 10th century Vadapadraka displaced Ankottaka as the urban centre. It seems also to have been known as Chandanavati, after Raja Chandan of the Dor Rajputs, who wrested it from the Jainas. Then it was renamed as Varavati, Vatpatraka, Vadpatra because of the abundance of banyan trees on the banks of the Vishwamitri. From Vadpatra it derived its name Baroda, and, in 1971, Vadodara.

The history of Vadodara falls into a Hindu period (until 1297); a period under the Muslim Delhi sultanate (1297-c. 1401); an independent Gujarat sultanate, during which the nucleus of the present city was built (c. 1401-c. 1573); a Mughal Empire period (c. 1573-1734); and a Maratha period, during which it became the capital of the powerful Gaekwar family (1734-1947). In 1802 the British established a residency in the city to conduct relations between the East India Company and the Gaekwars; later it was also responsible for British relations with all the states of Gujarat and the Kathiawar Peninsula. 

Baroda was the capital of one of the most powerful princely state prior to independence. City, administrative headquarters of Vadodara district, east central Gujarat state, west central India, on the Vishvamitra River, southeast of Ahmadabad.

The long history of Vadodara is reflected in its many palaces, gates, parks, and avenues. It houses the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (1949) and other educational and cultural institutions, including several museums. Among the city's varied products are cotton textiles and homespun cloth, chemicals, matches, machinery, and furniture. Vadodara is a rail and highway junction and has an airfield.  Now it is a pleasant, medium sized city with some interesting museums and art galleries and a fine park etc.