Kirti Stambh, Memorial tower at Palace Road, Vadodara, India
Kirti Stambh is a memorial tower on Palace Road in Vadodara, built from pink Songadh stone and topped by a lion sculpture facing east. This roughly 30-meter-high structure stands at a central roundabout near the Polo Ground and displays ornate carved stone details.
The tower was built in 1935 as a memorial to the 60-year reign of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III and marks his growing interest in spiritual matters later in life.
The Sanskrit inscriptions at the base express philosophical ideas about renunciation and inner seeking. Visitors can see in the lion sculpture a symbol of this spiritual message made visible through the tower's design.
The tower stands at a recognizable roundabout on Palace Road and is surrounded by nearby buildings including Nehru Bhavan and Laxmi Vilas Palace. The site is easy to reach and view on foot, though the surrounding area can be busy during peak hours.
The lion statue was intentionally sculpted to show signs of age and weariness, reflecting the physical signs of aging in the Maharaja. The artist Krishnarao Chavan encoded the idea of aging into the sculpture itself in this way.
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