Balasinor the Land of Dinosaurs 2009

Entrance to the Garden Palace Hotel

Balasinor is a town in the Kheda district of Gujarat, about 2 hours from Vadodara, Gujarat.. The Garden Palace Heritage Hotel at Balasinor is the private residence of the Royal family of Balasinor & set amidst lush green fields and gardens. It was built in 1883 by HH Nawab Mohammad Munnawar Khanji Babi, the Nawab of Balasinor. It is currently being run by Princess Aliya Sultana Babi, the daughter of the present ruler. There is also a garden restaurant adjoining the hotel which is run by Princess Aliya's brother Nawabzada Saheb Sultan Salauddin Khan Babi, which serves only vegetarian food, including pizzas which can appeal to the younger kids. There are a couple of rooms in the main builing, and about 15 deluxe tents with ensuite bathrooms. It was a pleasant change to stay in the tents.

Inside of tent

The Palace

 Tents

The dining room houses priceless antiques, and silverware and both vegetarian and non vegarian food is served. It was a treat to eat the fresh farm produce, of the Hotel. The drawing room is furnished in Louis XVstyle French chairs, sofas, antiques, hunting trophies etc. where quests can relax.

Things to do around Balasinor.

Within walking distance from the Garden Palace are the royal mausoleums. One can take a stroll around the lake and visit the nearby temples.

Take a half day excursion to the nearby Fossil park at village Raiholi. This is the 2nd largest site in the world where remains of dinosaur eggs and fossils can be seen. Unfortunately, though there are plans to build a tourist information centre it is still just that - a plan. Even the area where the fossils have been found is unprotected, leaving it to the mercies of unscrupulous people. Both Princess Aliya and her brother Salauddin have had a tough time explaining to the villagers about the importance of protecting the site. The skeleton of a dinosaur found here has been named Rajasaurus Narmadensis. Luckily both have taken a keen interest in protecting & promoting the site to tourists. They have also built a small museum in the hotel which has some fossils and eggs, with one egg being "rescued" from a villager who was using it as a motar with pestle!!

dinosaur bones

			Dinosaur bone Fossils of the Dinosaur museum

Visit the nearby Wanakbori Dam, Timba Tuva in Panchmahals is another place of great interest. It has natural hot water sulphur springs believed to have miraculous medicinal value and a cure for arthritis and rheumatism. There is an ancient folklore associated with this place too, saying that the Pandavas from Mahabharat spent part of their exile in this region and Bhim is supposed to have married Hadimba in this place and one can view the wedding'manddap'made out of stone at Timba Tuva and also the foot prints of Bhim!

Note : Tarriff for tents as per 2009/- Rs.5,000/- all inclusive