Platefuls of Heritage

A royal palace-turned-homestay in Vadodara serves authentic dishes that were eaten by erstwhile rulers of the Maratha dynasty
Dinesh Shukla/Clockwise: Indrayani Devi and Shivraj Gaekwad; Sunthi; Narali Bhat and Tamatar Bhat
Dinesh Shukla/Clockwise: Indrayani Devi and Shivraj Gaekwad; Sunthi; Narali Bhat and Tamatar Bhat

A growing number of homestays are offering travellers an opportunity to try cuisines that are usually not served in restaurants. In the city of Vadodara, Gujarat, which was once the headquarters of the Maratha princely state of Baroda, Indrayani Devi and Shivraj Gaekwad take pride in serving dishes that were eaten by former Maratha rulers. “The Maratha empire dominated many portions of the subcontinent in the 18th century. Even after the rise of the British, these dynasties thrived in Baroda, Gwalior, Indore, Kolhapur, Dewas, and so forth,” explains Indrayani Devi, who serves traditional Marathi cuisine at her homestay, Madhav Bagh.

The palatial building was originally built by Shivraj Gaekwad’s grandfather, Shrimant Madhavrao Gaekwad, in the 1890s. It presents an impressive elevation with European, Islamic and Hindu features, and a garden out front dominated by an attractive British fountain. “The property was rented out to government offices, and began to show signs of neglect. After getting it back into our possession, we started restoring it,” says Shivraj. The rooms face a courtyard that has a jhoola (swing) and a fountain. The dining room is attractive with period furniture, Italian flooring and porcelain artifacts. 

Indrayani says she has learnt Maratha dishes from her own family in Kolhapur, her mother-in-law Harshalaraje Gaekwad, her aunts and other relatives. “Marathas, who held sway over the Thanjavur region between the 17th and 19th centuries, developed many dishes in parts of Tamil Nadu. Some of these are documented in the manuscripts at the Sarasvathi Mahal library of Thanjavur.

Sunti is one of the famous Thanjavuri Maratha dishes that involves an intricate process of making the meat balls and tying the delicate minced or shredded meat using banana fibre. In Vadodara, it is not easy to get banana fibre so I tie the balls with string,” she explains.  Bakar Komdi or Bharli Komdi is chicken stuffed with a filling of onions, coconut and spices.

Mutton Parsandi is another dish that was widely prevalent in Maratha palaces. It comprises mutton or minced meat that is topped with eggs before baking. Raj Vilasi Rassa is a rich meat dish and Methi Maas has mutton cooked with fenugreek. “Kolhapur also has many pickles such as Mutton loncha with goat meat, Batatach loncha with potatoes, Wangach loncha with brinjal, and chutneys. A thin red gravy called Tamda Rassa and a white gravy called Padhara Rassa comprise typical Kolhapuri meals. Narali Bhat, a coconut rice, and tomato rice is also served by us at Madhav Bagh,” adds Indrayani.   

Even though Madhav Bagh opened in February this year, it is receiving a tremendous response because of the culinary heritage it serves on guests’ platters. “The unusual and tasty food, together with the setting of the garden and the heritage building, is making this a popular place locally for food. We want to promote this as a royal homestay, which doubles as a culinary destination,” concludes Shivraj. 

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