Chimnabai I
Full-length portrait as Princess Srimant Lakshmibai
Maharani of Baroda
Tenure1880–1885
SuccessorChimnabai II
BornLakshmibai Mohite
1864 (1864)
Tanjore
Died7 May 1885(1885-05-07) (aged 20–21)
Baroda
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1880)​
Issue
  • Bajubai (1881–1883)
  • Putlabai (1882–1885)
  • Fatehsingh Rao (1883–1908)
HouseGaekwad
FatherShrimant Sardar Haibat Rao Sahib Chavan Mohite
MotherNagamma Bai Sahib Mohite
ReligionHinduism

Maharani Chimnabai I (1864 – 7 May 1885) was a queen and the first wife of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III of the princely state of Baroda (now in Gujarat), British India. Several memorials were built by Sayajirao following her early death.

Biography

Chimnabai was born Lakshmibai in a Mahratta family to her parents Shrimant Sardar Haibat Rao Sahib Chavan Mohite and Nagamma Bai Sahib Mohite in 1864. Her father was Amirrao of Tanjore and known as Daji Sahib. Her mother was a daughter of Sri Abaji Rao Ghatge, Serjirao, of Tanjore. Lakshmibai, along with her two sisters, were adopted by princess Vijaya Mohana (1845–1885) who was the daughter of Sivaji, the last Maharaja of Tanjore. There is not much details about her life. She was educated at the Tanjore Fort. She had training in Sadir Attam dance and she played veena. As a dowry, a Sadir Attam dance troupe was sent with her to Baroda which introduced the dance form there.[1]

She changed her name to Chimnabai I when she married Sayajirao Gaekwad III of Baroda State on 6 January 1880.[2][1] They had two daughters and a son. Both of their daughters; Bajubai (1881–1883) and Putlabai (1882–1885); died at an early age.[3]

The foundation stone of the present royal residence of the Gaekwad family was laid by Sayajirao and Chimnabai. The palace is named Lakshmi Vilas Palace after her birth name Lakshmi.[2][4]

She died on 7 May 1885 of pregnancy related complications.[5] After the birth of Fatehsingh Rao (b.1883), she died due to pregnancy related complications.[6][2] According to Hirschfeld J., she died from tuberculosis.[1]

Memorials

"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.[7]

Sayajirao Gaekwad III built the clock tower at Raopura area of Vadodara and named it as Chimnabai Clock Tower (1896) in her memory.[8][9][10][11]

A vegetable market near Sursagar Lake was built and named 'The Maharani Chimnabai Market', which was later used as a town hall. The building was then converted in an imperial court named Maharani Chimnabai Nyay Mandir.[12][7][13][14] A white marble statue of the queen is placed in the main room of the Nyay Mandir.[15][16]

As Chimnabai had died due to pregnancy-related complications, a hospital was built in 1885 in Baroda by Sayajirao for the well-being and safe delivery of other women of the state. The hospital was named Dufferin Hospital as it was inaugurated by Lord Dufferin, the then governor of the Bombay Presidency. At present, the hospital is known as Sir Sayajirao General Hospital.[17]

A lake was constructed by Sayajirao in Kadarpur village near Kheralu[18] in memory of Chimnabai I and named Chimnabai Lake. The construction was started in 1898 and completed in 1905. It has a water storage capacity of 632 million cubic feet.[19]

The girl students who have excelled in medical education at the Baroda Medical College are honoured with the prize named after Chimnabai I.[2]

A white marble statue of Chimnabai I is placed in the Baroda Museum & Picture Gallery.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Hirschfeld, Jeetendra (27 September 2011). "Life & Times of the Tanjore Princess: Vijaya Mohana (1845–1885)". Sathir Dance Art Trust, Amsterdam-Chennai. p. 1-2, 4. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "મહારાણી લક્ષ્મીબાઈના નામે ભવ્ય લક્ષ્મી વિલાસ પેલેસનું નિર્માણ" [Construction of grand Lakshmi Vilas Palace in the name of Maharani Lakshmibai]. Gujarat Samachar. 14 February 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  3. ↑ "Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad 3". History of Vadodara. January 2005. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  4. ↑ Maholay-Jaradi, Priya (2016). Fashioning a National Art: Baroda's Royal Collection and Art Institutions (1875–1924). Oxford University Press. p. 271. ISBN 9780199466849.
  5. ↑ Taleyarkhan, Dinshah Ardeshir (1886). Selections from My Recent Notes on the Indian Empire. Times of India Steam Press. p. 395 -397.
  6. ↑ Sethi, Anirudh (4 October 2019). Royal Fakshily of Baroda: Gaekwad's. Notion Press. p. 140. ISBN 9781645879794. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  7. 1 2 "Nyay Mandir". History of Vadodara. 13 August 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  8. ↑ Gazetteer of the Baroda State: Volume II, p. 465.
  9. ↑ Rupera, Prashant (24 May 2017). "Raopura tower to start chiming again". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  10. ↑ "Chimnabai Tower, Baroda – 1895". rarebooksocietyofindia. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  11. ↑ "Clock Tower". History of Vadodara. 25 August 2009. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  12. ↑ Gazetteer of the Baroda State: Volume II, p. 349.
  13. ↑ Souvenir. Reception Committee, All India Library Conference, the University of California. 1999. p. 16.
  14. ↑ "District Court Vadodara, Gujarat ઇતિહાસ". vadodara.dcourts.gov.in. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  15. ↑ Gazetteer of the Baroda State: Volume II, p. 467.
  16. ↑ 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.
  17. ↑ "એસએસજી હોસ્પિટલમાં વિકાસના નામે હેરિટેજનો વિનાશ – ૧૦૦ વર્ષ જુની અને સયાજીરાવે બનાવેલી હેરિટેજ ઇમારતને તોડવા સામે ભારે વિરોધ" [Destruction of heritage in the name of development at SSG Hospital – Massive protest against demolition of 100-year-old heritage building built by Sayajirao]. Gujarat Samachar. 1 October 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  18. ↑ Gazetteer of the Baroda State: Volume II, p. 339.
  19. ↑ "ચીમનાબાઈ સરોવર બન્યું જળસમૃદ્ધ, ધરોઈની સપાટી ૬૨૧ ફૂટને વટાવી" [Chimnabai lake became water rich, the level of the lake exceeded 621 feet]. Sandesh. 30 August 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2023.

Sources

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