Nyay Mandir

Nyay Mandir
The Nyaya Mandir in the 1890s
Interactive map of the Nyay Mandir area
General information
Architectural style
Indo-Saracenic architecture
LocationVadodara, Gujarat, India
Coordinates22°17′48″N 73°12′05″E / 22.2966°N 73.2015°E / 22.2966; 73.2015
Opened30 November 1896
Cost₹744,000
ClientMaharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III
Technical details
MaterialBrick, mortar, stone
Design and construction
ArchitectRobert Chisholm


The Nyay Mandir, lit. 'Temple of Justice', is a court building in Vadodara in the state of Gujarat, western India.

History

"I wish to commemorate the virtues of Her Late Highness and the admiration I entertained for her-the mild, charitable, amiable woman, the devoted mother and loving wife."

— Words by Sayajirao Gaekwad III as he laid the foundation stone for ‘The Maharani Chimnabai Market’ in memory of his queen.[1]

Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, ruler of Baroda State, opened the building on 30 November 1896 and named it after his deceased wife Chimnabai I.[2] Then this vegetable market building near Sursagar Lake was named 'The Maharani Chimnabai Market'. It was later used as a town hall. The building was then converted in an imperial court named 'Maharani Chimnabai Nyay Mandir'.[3][1][4][5][6]

When Baroda State was merged with the Union of India, the last ruler Pratapsinhrao Gaekwad delivered his last public speech from the building.[2] It used to house the District Court of Vadodara city.

It was built at the cost of ₹7.44 lakh (equivalent to ₹28 crore or US$2.9 million in 2023).[7]

Architecture

South-east view of the Nyaya Mandir in the 1890s.

It is a piece of Indo-Saracenic architecture style. It was designed by Robert Chisholm, the state architect of Baroda. There was a large central hall measuring 115 feet by 86 feet with galleries on both sides and decorated with mosaic work.[8][9][10] There is a clock on front side of the building.[11]

A white marble statue of Chimnabai I is placed in the main room of the Nyay Mandir.[12][2]

References

  1. 1 2 "Nyay Mandir". History of Vadodara. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Nishant, Dave (19 June 2023). "મહારાણી ચિમણાબાઇની મૂર્તિ માટે 17 વર્ષથી રાજવી પરિવારનો સંઘર્ષ" [The royal family's struggle for 17 years for the statue of Maharani Chimnabai]. Divya Bhaskar. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  3. ↑ Gazetteer of the Baroda State: Volume II, p. 349.
  4. ↑ Souvenir. Reception Committee, All India Library Conference, the University of California. 1999. p. 16.
  5. ↑ "District Court Vadodara, Gujarat ઇતિહાસ". vadodara.dcourts.gov.in. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  6. ↑ "ન્યાયમંદિર ઐતિહાસિક ઈમારતની ૩૦મીએ ૧૨૬મી વર્ષગાંઠ". Loksatta News (in Gujarati). 28 November 2022. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  7. ↑ "Vadodara marvel gave justice for 120 years". The Times of India. 2 June 2017. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  8. ↑ Gokhale, S.A. (1987). "Public Buildings in Princely State of Baroda, 1875-1939 : A Study in Urbanization". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 48: 544–551. ISSN 2249-1937.
  9. ↑ "Architect who gave Vadodara its character". The Times of India. 17 January 2015. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  10. ↑ Jain, Jinisha (4 March 2023). "Architectural analyses of 19th century Indo-Saracenic structures designed by British Architect Robert Chisholm in Vadodara". Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering. 22 (2): 861–874. doi:10.1080/13467581.2022.2064472. ISSN 1346-7581.
  11. ↑ "Baroda's Big Bens to chime again". The Times of India. 30 May 2016. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  12. ↑ Gazetteer of the Baroda State: Volume II, p. 467.

Sources