So you've moved to Vadodara, or you're about to. Welcome! You've picked a city with a royal palace, a love for art and music, some of the best garba nights in the world, and a relaxed pace that many people prefer to Gujarat's bigger cities.
This guide covers the everyday things nobody tells you before you land: getting around, eating out, working in an Indian office, getting along with your neighbours, and the festivals you'll see through the year. We've also added a few Gujarati phrases to most sections, because a couple of words in the local language make daily life here a lot smoother, and a lot more fun.
Vadodara at a glance
The many sides of Vadodara
Vadodara, still often called by its old name Baroda, sits in central Gujarat on the banks of the Vishwamitri river (which is home to a fair number of crocodiles). The old city around Mandvi and Raopura is full of busy markets and old buildings, while areas like Alkapuri, Akota, Gotri and Sayajigunj are home to many offices, apartments, cafes and malls.
The weather
Summer (March to June) gets properly hot, often crossing 40°C, the monsoon brings rain from around late June to September, and winter (November to February) is pleasant, with cool mornings and evenings. One tip: carry plenty of water in summer, and plan outdoor errands for the morning or evening.
The city
Vadodara was the capital of the Gaekwad rulers of Baroda, and their legacy is everywhere. Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, who ruled from the late 1800s, built schools, libraries, parks and a university, and gave the city its reputation as Gujarat's cultural capital, or Sanskārī Nagarī. Don't miss the Laxmi Vilas Palace, one of the largest private homes ever built, the Sayaji Baug gardens and museum, and the Maharaja Sayajirao University, famous for its fine arts faculty. A short drive away, you'll find the Champaner-Pavagadh UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Statue of Unity.
Two practical things to know
- Gujarat is a dry state: Alcohol is only available with a permit, and visitors from outside Gujarat can apply for one.
- Vegetarian food is common: Many Gujarati families are vegetarian, and Jain families also avoid onion and garlic. You'll find non-vegetarian food in the city too, but it's good to know before you visit someone's home.
What languages are spoken in Vadodara?
Gujarati is the main local language. Vadodara also has a large Marathi-speaking community, a legacy of its Marathi-speaking Gaekwad rulers, so you'll hear plenty of Marathi too. Hindi is understood almost everywhere, and English is widely used in offices, colleges and the city's industries.
English will get you through most of your work. Gujarati is what gets you the smile, the fair auto fare and the extra helping of sev usaḷ.
Getting around Vadodara
Autos
Auto rickshaws are the go-to ride for short trips. You can book one on an app like Uber, Ola or Rapido, or flag one down on the street. If you flag one down, tell the driver where you're going first, and agree on the fare or ask him to put the meter on. Things go a lot more smoothly when you can say a few words in Gujarati.
A little tip: start with Bhāi (brother) when talking to any driver. "Bhāi, Alkapuri āvsho?" sounds friendly, polite and very local.
Buses
City buses connect most parts of Vadodara and cost very little, but many route boards are in Gujarati, so they take a bit of getting used to.
Cabs and bike taxis
These work through the usual ride apps. You'll share an OTP with the driver at pickup, so it helps to know how to say the numbers.
The traffic
Vadodara is calmer than Ahmedabad or Surat, but the old city and the main roads still get busy at peak hours. Distances are short, though, so most trips across the city don't take long.
Gujarati for autos, cabs and public transport
- [Location] āvsho? - Will you come to [location]?
- Meter chālu karo - Please put the meter on
- Ketlā thashe? - How much will it cost?
- Left lo / Right lo - Take a left / Take a right
- Sīdhā jāo - Go straight ahead
- Ahīn ūbhī rākho - Stop here, please
- OTP kaho - Tell me the OTP
Eating out in Vadodara
Vadodara loves its snacks, and it has a few specialities you won't find done quite the same way anywhere else.
Sev usaḷ
Vadodara's signature dish: a spicy curry of white peas, topped with a heap of crunchy sev, onions and lemon, and eaten with pav. It's the city's favourite breakfast, lunch and evening snack.
Bhākharvaḍī and lilo chevḍo
Bhākharvaḍī is a crunchy, sweet and spicy spiral snack, and lilo chevḍo is a green, potato-based chevdo. Both are classic Vadodara farsāṇ, and they make perfect gifts to take home.
The Gujarati thali
A traditional thali comes with dāḷ, kaḍhī, vegetables, rotlī, rice, farsāṇ and a sweet, refilled until you tell the server to stop. It's usually unlimited, so pace yourself.
Pedā
Vadodara is famous for its pedā, soft milk sweets that locals happily drive across the city for.
A sweeter style of cooking
Gujarati home cooking often adds a little jaggery or sugar to dāḷ and shāk. Say ochhu tīkhu if you'd like your food less spicy.
Eating with your hands
It's completely normal here, and honestly the best way to eat a lot of the food. The correct etiquette is to only use your right hand.
Gujarati you'll need at the dining table
- Ek chā āpo - One chai, please
- Joie chhe / Nathī joītu - I want / I don't want
- Thoḍī vadhāre chaṭṇī āpo - More chutney, please
- Thoḍu - A little
- Bas - Enough
- Ochhu tīkhu - Less spicy
- Parcel karī āpo - Please pack it to go
- Bill āpo - The bill, please
Shopping and markets in Vadodara
Malls and supermarkets have fixed prices, and most of your groceries will probably show up on an app within the hour. But to see the real Vadodara, head to the markets.
- Mangal Bazaar: A crowded, colourful market for clothes, bangles, household goods and a real old city feel
- Raopura and Mandvi: For everyday shopping in the old city
- Alkapuri: For big brands, cafes and more upscale shopping
Haggling is expected in markets and small shops, and it's meant to be friendly. Ask the price, smile, offer a bit less and meet somewhere in the middle. Just go easy at the small vegetable carts, where prices are already low.
Worth taking home: a box of bhākharvaḍī, some bandhaṇī (tie-dye) fabric and a box of Vadodara's pedā.
Gujarati for shopping and bargaining
- Ketlā? - How much?
- Chhello bhāv? - What's your final price?
- Bahu vadhāre chhe - That's too much
- Thoḍu ochhu karo - Please reduce it a little
- Ā joie chhe - I want this one
- Nā, ābhār - No thanks
A quick "Ketlā?" instead of "How much?" often gets you a better price than any amount of bargaining in English.
Want more words like these? Our free list of the 500 most common Gujarati words comes with audio, so you can hear exactly how each word is said.
Working in Vadodara: office culture and jargon
Vadodara is a big centre for petrochemicals, pharma, engineering and power equipment, and it's home to several large Indian and international companies. Most offices use English, so you'll be fine at work, but you'll hear plenty of Gujarati in the corridors.
Indian English phrases you'll hear at work
- Do the needful: Please take care of it
- Prepone: Move a meeting earlier (the opposite of postpone)
- Revert: Reply
- Out of station: Out of town
- Kindly adjust: Please manage with this
- I'll be there in five minutes: I've just left (probably)
- Timepass: Something you do to kill time
Office etiquette
- Names: Sir and Ma'am are common for seniors, clients and older colleagues. In Gujarati workplaces you'll also hear -bhāi or -ben added after a name, like "Rameshbhāi" or "Jamesbhāi", as a mark of respect.
- The polite "no": "I'll try" or "Let me see" can sometimes mean no. A friendly follow-up question usually gets you the real answer.
- The head wobble: That gentle side-to-side tilt can mean "Okay", "I'm listening" or "Sure, I'll do it".
- Tea breaks and team lunches: This is where friendships are made, so say yes as often as you can.
- Festivals at work: Around Diwali, expect boxes of sweets and dry fruits on every desk.
Gujlish you'll hear around the office
- Bhāi / Ben: Brother / Sister, used for almost any colleague
- Kem chho? / Majāmā: How are you? / I'm good
- Jordār: Awesome
- Chālshe: It'll do, that's fine
- Jaldī karo: Hurry up
- Thoḍu adjust karo: Please make a little room, or manage a little
- Jamyā? - Have you eaten?
Neighbours, homes and household help
Shoes off
Take your shoes off before entering someone's home, and always before entering a temple.
Bhāi, Ben, Kākā and Kākī
People here rarely call strangers by their names. Bhāi (brother) and Ben (sister) work for anyone around your age. Older neighbours are usually Uncle and Aunty, or Kākā and Kākī.
Jai Shri Krishna
In many Gujarati homes, especially with older people, Jai Shri Krishna is the everyday greeting, the way you'd say hello. Say it back with a smile and you'll fit right in.
Visiting someone's home
You'll almost always be offered chā and a nāsto (snacks). It's polite to accept something, even if it's just a little. If your neighbours are vegetarian or Jain, avoid bringing meat or eggs as a gift.
Gujarati to speak to your house help
- Āvo - Please come in
- Thoḍī vār wait karo - Please wait a moment
- Ā sāf karo - Please clean this
- Kāle āvjo - Please come tomorrow
- Kāle vahelā āvjo - Please come early tomorrow
- Kāle na āvsho - Please don't come tomorrow
- Jamyā? - Have you eaten? (a friendly hello)
- Bahu saras banāvyu chhe - You've made it really well
Festivals and local culture in Vadodara
- Uttarāyaṇ (14 January): The city heads to the rooftops to fly kites from dawn to dusk, with plenty of undhiyu and jalebī.
- Holī and Dhuleṭī (March): Bonfires on Holi night, then colours the next day.
- Ganesh Chaturthī (August or September): Thanks to its strong Marathi heritage, Vadodara celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi in a big way, with huge pandals and lively processions.
- Navrātrī (September or October): Vadodara's biggest event of the year. The city is famous for its massive garba grounds, where tens of thousands of people dance together every night. Get yourself a kediyu or a chaniyā choḷī and join in.
- Dussehra (September or October): The day good wins over evil, celebrated with plenty of fāfḍā and jalebī.
- Diwali and Bestu Varas (October or November): Lamps, sweets and fireworks, followed the next day by the Gujarati New Year, when everyone says "Sāl mubārak!".
Want to greet people on a festival day? Just say the festival's name followed by ni shubhechchhā (best wishes). "Navrātrī ni shubhechchhā!"
Vadodara etiquette: quick checklist
- Take your shoes off at homes and temples
- Use your right hand to eat, and to give or take things
- Dress modestly when visiting temples, mosques and Jain derāsars
- Check before bringing meat, eggs or alcohol into someone's home
- Say yes to a cup of chā when it's offered
- Try a few words of Gujarati, even if you get them wrong
Do you need Gujarati to live in Vadodara?
Vadodara is an easy city to settle into with English and a bit of Hindi, so you can get by without knowing much Gujarati. But picking up some Gujarati makes life here a lot richer. It's the language of the city's markets, sev usaḷ stalls and garba nights, and of the neighbours who'll gladly tell you which shop makes the best pedā. And people here absolutely love it when you try.
Welcome to Vadodara. Or as we say here - Vaḍodarāmā tamāru svāgat chhe!
If you want to progress from phrases and words to having real conversations in Gujarati, a bit of structure makes a big difference. Start with Bhashafy's Complete Gujarati Course for Beginners and see how far a little consistency can take you.
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Thank you, or as we say in Gujarati - Ābhār!
