Gujarat's Temple Trail in 5 Days: Dwarka, Somnath, Palitana and Chotila
5 DAYS11 placesby WaTrips
Dwarkadhish, Rukmini and Nageshwar, Sudama temple, Somnath and Tulsishyam, Takhteshwar, Palitana, Salangpur, Chotila and Tarnetar.
This route follows Saurashtra's great temples. Day one is Dwarka, Krishna's city, with the Dwarkadhish and Rukmini temples and Nageshwar Jyotirlinga. Day two stops at the Sudama temple in Porbandar and reaches Somnath, the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas, for the evening aarti by the sea. Day three visits Tulsishyam in the Gir hills and Takhteshwar above Bhavnagar. Day four climbs to the Jain temples of Palitana and stops at Salangpur Hanuman. Day five ends at Chamunda Mata on Chotila hill and the Trinetreshwar temple at Tarnetar, famous for its fair. It is a long ride; October to March is best.
The Dwarkadhish temple, also called Jagat Mandir, is dedicated to Krishna as King of Dwarka and is one of the four Char Dham pilgrimage sites. The five-storey shrine rests on 72 pillars and its spire carries a large flag that is changed several times a day. The main structure dates largely from the 15th and 16th centuries. Pilgrims enter by the Swarga Dwar after bathing at the Gomti ghat below.
The Rukmini Devi temple stands a little outside Dwarka and is dedicated to Krishna's chief queen. The present structure is thought to date from around the 12th century, and its exterior is covered in carvings of deities, elephants and human figures. A legend tells that Rukmini was separated from Krishna by the curse of the sage Durvasa, which is why her temple lies apart from his.
Nageshwar, between Dwarka and Bet Dwarka, is revered as one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Shiva. The modern temple complex is marked by a seated Shiva statue about 25 metres high, visible from far across the flat coastal landscape. Pilgrims usually include it on the round of sacred sites around Dwarka. The shrine is busiest during Shravan and on Mahashivratri.
The Sudama temple in Porbandar is dedicated to Sudama, the childhood friend of Krishna, whose birthplace the town is traditionally said to be. The present temple was built in the early 20th century and has a pillared marble hall under a carved shikhara. A small maze marked on the ground in the garden is walked by pilgrims. It stands in the centre of town, not far from Kirti Mandir.
Somnath, on the Arabian Sea coast near Veraval, is revered as the first of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. The temple was destroyed and rebuilt many times over the centuries; the present building in the Chaulukya style was completed in 1951. Its tall shikhara rises above the shore, and an evening sound and light show tells its history. Phones and cameras are not allowed inside.
Tulsishyam is a Krishna temple deep in the Gir forest, built beside natural hot sulphur springs. Pilgrims bathe in the stepped kunds before visiting the shrine, which houses an old black stone image of Shyam. The approach road passes through forest, where deer and peafowl are often seen and where travel is restricted after dark. A nearby stretch of road is known locally for an optical illusion of vehicles rolling uphill.
Takhteshwar is a white marble Shiva temple on a small hill in the middle of Bhavnagar. It was built in 1893 by Maharaja Takhtsinhji, after whom it is named. The pillared pavilion and its shikhara are reached by a flight of steps, and the terrace gives a panoramic view over the city towards the Gulf of Khambhat. It is a popular spot at sunrise and sunset.
The Palitana temples cover the summit of Shatrunjaya hill and form one of the holiest pilgrimage sites of Jainism. Hundreds of marble shrines, built and rebuilt over many centuries, are grouped in walled enclosures called tuks, with the main temple dedicated to Adinath. Pilgrims climb more than 3,000 steps to reach them. No one stays on the hill overnight, and the climb is best started at dawn.
The Kashtabhanjan Dev temple at Salangpur is one of the most prominent Hanuman shrines in the Swaminarayan tradition. The image was installed in the 19th century by Gopalanand Swami, a senior disciple of Swaminarayan. Devotees believe the deity relieves troubles and afflictions, and Saturdays draw especially large crowds. The temple has an ornate carved gateway and large facilities for pilgrims.
The Chamunda Mata temple stands on top of Chotila hill, the highest point in this part of Saurashtra, beside the Rajkot-Ahmedabad highway. Pilgrims climb several hundred steps to reach the shrine of the goddess, who is the family deity of many communities in the region. The summit gives wide views over the surrounding plains. The climb is busiest during Navratri and on Sundays.
The Trinetreshwar Mahadev temple at Tarnetar is dedicated to the three-eyed form of Shiva and stands beside a stepped tank. The present temple was rebuilt in the early 20th century in the older Solanki style. It is famous for the Tarnetar fair, held each year after the monsoon, where local communities gather in embroidered dress with decorated umbrellas, folk dances and music.
Best weather: Nov – Mar
Seasons from 20 years of NASA POWER climate data.
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