Baroda

The document provides a history of the city of Vadodara (also called Baroda) in India from ancient times to the present. It traces the city's origins to around 800 AD and discusses how it was ruled by various Hindu and Muslim dynasties over the centuries. A key period of development began in the 18th century when the Maratha leader Pilaji Gaekwad conquered the region and established his rule. The greatest growth occurred during the late 19th century under the rule of Maharaja Sayajirao III, who modernized infrastructure and established educational and industrial institutions. The city remained part of the former Baroda State princely state until India's independence in 1947.