Shahibaug 4.92

Shahibaug is a locality of the city of Ahmedabad.HistoryShahibaug, or the Royal Garden palace, was built in 1622 by Shah Jahan then (1616-1622) Viceroy of Ahmedabad, to give work to the poor during a season of scarcity. The palace is now known as Moti Shahi Mahal. The Shahibaug gardens were in the seventeenth century famous, the resort of the whole city, and one of its chief ornaments. A century and a half later (1781), though the well was in ruins and the fountains and water-courses broken, the gardens could still boast of some noble cypresses, cedars, palms, sandals, and cassias, with mango, tamarind, and other spreading fruit trees. Besides the Shahi Baug gardens, there was, a little beyond, an older garden called the Andhari Badi, or dark garden, with large ruins. The palace, always kept in good repair, is thus described by Forbes in 1781: To the original centre saloon, two large wings and several rooms and terraces were, about 1835, added by Mr. Williams, of the Civil Service. At a little distance from the royal mansion, on the bank of the Sabarmati river, with separate gardens, baths and fountains, was the zanana or ladies' palace. The apartments for the officers and attendants of the court were still further detached. In the great flood of 1875 the strong stone wall, which prevents the river from passing south towards the city, was slightly injured, and sand was washed over it covering and destroying the garden beds. Since this flood, along the wall the water is much deeper and tho curront much stronger than it was before. In 1638 the Shahi Baug was very large, shut in by a great wall with ditches full of water, aboautiful house, and very rich rooms. In 1666 Thevenot found the King's garden full of all kinds of trees. The road lay through an avenue like those in Paris. The garden was very large or rather there were several gardens rising like an amphithoatro. There were four wonderful walks fringed, on either side right across the garden, by a terrace full of flowers and meeting in the form of a cross, where was a great building with a roof covered with green tiles.