Somnath Temple:

Somnath Temple – Lord Shiva Temple Known As Jyotirling Built By Moon God. Somnath Is One Of Among 12 Jyotirling. The Temple Of Somnath Itself Is Believed To Have Appeared First In Gold, At The Request Of The Sun God, Next In Silver, Created By The Moon God, A Third Time In Wood At The Command Of Lord Krishna & Finally In Stone Built By Bhimdeva. The Temple To The Tenth Century When It Became Rich From Follower Donations, Such Wealth Become To The Attention Of The Mahmud Of Ghazni Who Destroyed The Place Of Pilgrimage & Carried Its Wealth Off To Afghanistan. The Current Temple Was Built To Traditional Designs On The Original Costal Site. Walkin G Distance From The Temple Is The Prabhas Patan Museum Housing Architectural Fragments Of The Original Temple Of The Somnath Before They Were Destroyed By Invaders. Photography Is Prohibited.

Dwarka:

Dwarka Is One Of The Four Dhams Of Hinduism; Sri Krishna Renounced War In Mathura For The Greater Good Of The People Living In The Region (And Was Hence Known By The Name Ranchodrai’) And Founded The City Of Dwarka. Dwarka Was A Planned City, On The Banks Of Gomti River. For The Safety Of The People, Krishna And The Yadavas Decided To Move The Capital From Mathura To Dwarka. Sightseeing In Dwarka Is Dwarkadhish Temple, Rukhmani Temple, Gopi Talav (Pond), Nageshwara Jyotirling, Bet Dwarka.

Dwarkadhish Temple:

The Main Temple At Dwarka, Situated On Gomti Ravine, Is Known As Jagat Mandir. The Temple Has A Five Storey Tower Supported By 72 Pillars Which Was Built By Krishna’s Grandson, Vajranabha, Who Is The Grandson Of Lord Sri Krishna. The Temple Is Made Of Limestone And Sand. There Is A Flag Hoisted In The Temple Tower Four Times Each Day, Which Waves In The Air Beautifully Welcoming The Pilgrims. The Structure Of The Temple Is Quite Complicated. There Are Two Gateways: Swarga Dwar, Where Pilgrims Enter, And Moksha Dwar, Where Pilgrims Exit.

Nageshwar Jyotirling:

It Is Located On The Route Between Dwarka And The Bet Dwarka Island, On The Coast Of Saurashtra In Gujarat. This Temple Enshrines One Of The 12 Jyotirling In India. This Powerful Jyotirling Symbolizes Protection From All Poisons. It Is Said That Those Who Pray To The Nageshwar Ling Become Free Of Poison. According To Shiv Puran, A Shiva Devotee By Name Supriya Was Attacked By A Demon Daruka While In A Boat. The Demon Imprisoned Him Along With Several Others At His Capital Daruka Forest (Jungle) Where He Resided With His Wife Daruki. Supriya Advised All Prisoners To Recite The Mantra ‘Om Namah Shivaya’. When Daruka Came To Know About This He Ran To Kill Supriya. Instantly Lord Shiva Appeared In The Form Of A Jyotirling. One Of The Nageshwar’s Attractions Is The 26 M Statue Of A Sitting Shiva Outside.

Rukhmani Temple:

Rukhmani Temple Is Located 2 Kms Away From Dwarka There Is A Myth Associated With It Once Krishna And Rukhmani Went To ‘Durvasha Rushi’ To Invite Him At Dwarka. He Was Agreed On The Condition That They (Krishna & Rukhmani) Have To Carry The Cart Instead Of Any Animal. Krishna & Rukhmani Happily Agreed To Do So. While Driving The Cart, Rukhmani Became Thirsty. Then Krishna Stopped The Cart And Made Water From Holy River Ganga By Pressing Leg Thumb At Land. ‘Durvasha’ Upset By The Action And Nuisance Rukhmani To Stay Away From Shree Krishna Hence Rukhmani Temple Is Located 2 Kms. Away From Dwarka‘S Jagat Mandir.

Modhera – Sun Temple:

Modhera Sun Temple Is Finest Example Of Hindu Architecture In Gujarat. The Sun Temple At Modhera Dates Back To Early 11th Century Ce And Was Built By King Bhimdev I In 1026 Ce. The Sanctum Was Designed To Allow The Sunlight To Illuminate The Main Statue, No Longer In The Temple. The Quality & Quantity Of Carvings Along Its Walls Describing God, Other Figures & Erotic Positions Are Exceptional. In Front Of The Temple Is A Colossal Tank, Which Was Once Known As Surya Kund Or Rama Kund. The Tank Has A Series Of Carved Steps Leading To The Bottom. Several Miniature Shrines Adorn The Steps Of The Tank – Which Is An Art Gallery In Itself.

Akshardham Temple (Monday Close):

Akshardham Temple Is Located In The Gandhinagar; Its Distance From Ahmedabad Is 30KMS. Spread Over Nine Hectors It Includes A Huge Temple Built In Pink Stone & White Marble. Akshardham Complex, A Delicate And Beautiful Architectural Masterpiece – The Akshardham Monument – Enshrines The Golden Murti (Idol) Of Lord Swaminarayan, The Founder Of The Swaminarayan Faith. There Are Some Exhibitions Will Be There. From The Exhibition Ideals Of Indian Culture Are Brought To Life Through The Most Modern Exhibition Technology. Shows, Walk-Through Dioramas, Audio-Visuals, Light And Sound Programs, And Surround Experiences Within The 45,000 Sq. Ft. Of Exhibition Space, Educate And Enthrall Visitors. The Sahajanand Hall Depicts The Life Of Lord Swaminarayan.

Iskon Temple:

Iskcon Is The Abbreviation For International Society For Krishna Consciousness. This Temple Depicts Lord Krishna With His Beloved Lover Radha, Who Is Regarded As The Epitome Of True Love. Three 50-Ft Diameter Stone Shikhars (Domes) Hand-Carved With Depictions Of Krishna’s Pastimes, Rise More Than 100 Ft. Above The 25,000-Sq-Ft Temple. The Building, Blending Gujarat Sompura, And Rajasthani Khamira Architectural Styles, Sits On Four Acres And Features One Of The Largest Temple Rooms In India. The 12,000-Sq-Ft Hall Can Accommodate 4,000 People And Is Home To The Deities Of Radha-Govinda, Gaura-Nitai, Sita-Rama-Laksman-Hamuman, And Sri Nathji, As Well As Murti Forms Of Srila Prabhupada And Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati. Decorations Include Ornate Stone-Clad Pillars, Marble Flooring Engraved With Colored Granite Designs, Windows Intricately Carved In Rajastani Mewas Style, And Khemira And Araish Decorated Ceilings.

Hate Singh Jain Temple:

It Was Built By Seth Hate Singh In 1850. It Is Easily Distinguished By Its High Carved Column, Visible From Road. Built Entirely Of White Marble Embossed With Smooth Carvings Of Dancers, Musicians, Animals & Flowers, This Serene Temple Is Dedicated To Dharamnath, Who’s Statue Stand In The Main Temple. It Has A Paved Courtyard Surrounded By An Imposing Row Of Cloisters Containing 52 Shrines, Each With An Image Of A Tirthankara, Profusely Decorated With Rich Carvings, One Containing The Marble Image Of The 15th Tirthankara. The Temple Is A Two-Storied Structure With Elaborate Porches On Three Sides And Front Porch Crowned By A Large Dome.

Bala Hanuman Temple:

Bala Hanuman Temple, Is Famous For Its Continuous Chanting Of The “Sri Ram, Jai Ram, Jai Jai Ram” Since August 1st, 1964, For Which It Is Even Listed In The Guinness Book Of World Records. Early Evening Is Particularly Good Time To Visit As It’s Fairly Animated Then. In Fact This Whole Area On The South-Eastern Edge Of The Lake Becomes Very Lively Around Sunset, When People Come To Public Walk.

Bahucharaji Bahucharaji Temlpe:

Shri Bahucharaji Mataji’s Temple Is One Of The Shakti Pith Where Daksha’s Daughter Ma Bhagwati Sati’s Hands Had Fallen. This Place Is A Sidha Shakti Pith. In This Complex Of Religious Importance, Ther Are Three Main Temples Viz. Adhya Sthan, Madhya Sthan And Main Temple. In The Main Temple, Gold Studded Bala Yantra Made Of Crystal Is Being Worshipped. Among The Ten Main Goddesses In The Whole Universe, Sh. Balatripur Sundari Shri Bahucharma Is A Sidh Shakti. Here Many Devotees Come For Darshan. From Religious Point This Place Has The Same Importance As Other Religious Places Like Ambaji, Pavagadh, Dwarka, Somnath, Palitana, Girnar And Dakor.

Sh. Bahucharaji Mata Rides Cock. During Solanki Dynasty Period In Gujarat, Cock Was A Symbol On The State’s Flag. There Are Many Miracles And Legend Associated With The Mataji’s Cock. Devotees Of Mataji Consider Cock Sacred And Worship It.Gujarati Spread Across The World When They Come To India They Do Visit This Scared Temple Of Mataji. Parents Desirous Of Children And Parents Of New Born Children Having Physical Disability Or For Their Well Being Offer Various Offerings To Mataji With Devotion.

Palitana Jain Temple:

Palitana Is One Of The India’s Most Pilgrim Centers. The 600-Metre Climb To Shatrunjaya Is Usually On Foot. Lift Chairs (Dolly’s) Are Also Available. Mount Shatrunjaya Hardly A Kilometer Away From The Town, Which On Both Sides By Minor Temples, Include Museums. The Mountain Is Associated With Rishabhdev, The First Tirthankar, Also Known As Adinath. Palitana Site Is Scared To Jains Who Believe To Lord Adinath. There Are Superb Views In All Directions. The Temple Was Built In Different Periods But Most Of Them Follow A Similar Architectural Style Of Shikhara Or Towers On The Rooftop And Shrines Open On Four Side. Temples Are The Adishvara Which Is Said To Have Been Built In The 12th Century But Renovated Twice Since With A Tall Shikhara Made Up Of Many Small Towers. The Three Storey Vimala Sah Temple Built In The 14th Century With The Statue Towering Over All Three Floors And The Motisah Temple Of The 19th Century. On Shatrunjaya Hill Around 3500 Steps Are There. A Photography Permit Is Available In Front Of The Main Entrance. The Museum Located 400 Meter Before The Start Of The Steps At The Bottom Of The Hill, Displays A Collection Of Jain Arte Facts.

Virpur – Shri Jalaram Bapa’s Temple:

The “Samadhi” Of Shri Jalaram Bapa Is On The Feet Of God Shri Ram Chandra. This Is By The Enterance, Just On The Left Side Of The Big Gate Of The “Dela”. The “Jholi-Danda” Is Kept In The Transparent Cup-Board And Shri Hanumanji’s Idol Is Also Placed Near The “Samadhi”. Due To The “Jholi-Danda” Only, It Is Possible To Provide Two Times Free Prasad And Tea To The Thousands Of Visitor Who Come For The Darshan Of Shri Jalaram Bapa. Here In The “Darbar Of God” Everyone “Crorepati” Or “Roadpati” Is Consider Same And They Are Offered “Prasad” And They All Sit In A Same Row. The “Prasad” Consist Of “Ganthia”,”Bundi” And “Sabji” In Morning And “Khichadi-Kadhi” And “Deshi Ghee” In Evening In A Traditional Dish Of Leaves. All Visitors Take This Prasad Happily.

Porbandar:

Porbandar Is Situated On The Western Coast Of Saurashtra, Gujarat, Lays The Harbour City Of Porbandar, Better Known As The Birth-Place Of Gandhi – The Father Of The Nation. Extremely Poor but Self-Respected Sudama and Krishna’s Friendship Brings Tears Of Joy, When Remembered. The Jethwa Rajputs Named It Their Capital And Ruled From It For 1200 Years.

Kirti Temple:

The Major Attraction For The Most Visitors To This City Is The Three Story House Where Gandhi Was Born In 1869. The Kirti Mandir Memorial Built Next To Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthplace Lies In The Old Walled Township Of Porbandar Between The Gates And The Manek Chowk. The Place Where His Mother Gave Birth Is Marked With A Swastika. Closest to the Many Years Old Residence Is the 24 M (79 Feet) High Kirti Mandir With 79 Lamps On Its Peak – One For Each Year Of Gandhi’s Life. Here We Can See The Photographs, Study Room Of Gandhi, Library, Prayer Hall Etc.

Sudama Temple:

It Is Associated With A Popular Story Of Krishna And His Dear Friend Sudama. The Shrine Marks Where Sudama’s Hut Once Stood and Is the Only Temple Dedicated to Him in India.

Sandipani (Shri Hari Mandir):

On The Grounds Of The Sandipani Vidyaniketan, Stands The Monumental And Breathtaking Structure Of The Shri Hari Mandir. Measuring 105 Ft, Held Up By 66 Pillars, Capped By Beautifully Carved Domes, It Is The Hallmark Of Sandipani. The Temple Is Incomparable In Its Exquisitely Designed Architecture And Aesthetic Precision. While The Structure Is A Visual Delight, The Deities Residing Within Are The Personification Of Pujya Bhaishri’s Faith And Ardent Devotion. In Accordance With Pujya Bhaishri’s Vision The Mandir Has Been Built To Provide Rishikul Students Practical Training In Performing Rituals And For The Mandir To Become An Epicentre Of Culture And Spirituality. The Shri Hari Mandir Was Completed In 2006 And A Grand Event, ‘Sandipani Mandir Mahotsav’, Marked The Opening Of The Mandir.

The Shri Hari Mandir Has The Deities Of Shri Lakshmi Narayan Bhagavan, Shri Radha Krishna Bhagavan, Shri Janki Vallabh Bhagavan, Shri Karunamayi Maa, Shri Chandramauleshwar Bhagavan, Shri Hanumanji, Shri Ganeshji And Shri Veda Bhagavan.