27 Best Pilgrimage Sites in Gujarat

At a distance of 40 km from Porbandar and 65 km from Dwarka, Harsiddhi Mata Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located atop Koylo Dungar hill at Gandhvi village near Porbandar, Gujarat. En route to Dwarka from Porbandar, it is one of the oldest temples in Gujarat, and among the popular places of sightseeing in Porbandar.

Also known as Harshal Mata Temple, the temple is dedicated to Goddess Harsiddhi, the Happy Mother. The goddess is considered one of the aspects of Amba and Kalika, the Hindu Devi. She is also known by the names like Harshal, Harshad, Harshat Shikotar, Sikotar Momai, and Vahanvati Mata. The original temple atop the hill is said to have been built by Krishna himself. Krishna wanted to defeat the demon Jarasandha, so he prayed to Amba Mata for more powers. With the blessings of the goddess, Krishna was able to defeat the Asuras. After his success in war Lord Krishna built this temple and celebrated the victory with his Yadav community, since then Yadav community worship Harsiddhi Mata as their Kuldevi. Also, she is worshiped as Kuldevi by many Kshatriya, Brahmin, Rajput, and Vaishya communities.

At present no puja is performed in the original temple while the puja is performed in a temple built in the market by a Jain merchant Jagdu Shah around 1300 AD. According to the legend, the temple of the goddess was on the hill overlooking ...

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At a distance of 30 km from Porbandar, Bileshwar Mahadev Temple is a Hindu temple located at Bileshwar village near Porbandar in the state of Gujarat. Situated on the banks of Bileshwar River, it is one of the oldest temples in the region and among the prominent temples to visit near Porbandar.

Also known as Bilnath Mahadev Temple, Bileshwar temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Rabaris of the neighboring states and villages have much faith in this Mahadev and many vows are made to the shrine, several lamps of ghee are constantly burning here; one of these was kept up at the cost of the Rana of Porbandar. According to folklore, once the army of Aurangzeb captured the village and attempted to break the shivling, but Nandi, the celestial vehicle of Lord Shiva stopped them from demolishing it.

As per mythology, the first pooja was done here by Lord Krishna. The lingam inside the sanctum sanctorum is known as 'swayambhu'. Represents the Gujarati style of architecture, this multi-storeyed temple is built in pyramid shape rather than a spire. Apart from the Shivling, the temple also has idols of goddess Parvati, Devi Ganga, and Nandi. This temple is protected place under the Gujarat ancient monuments & archeological sites & remains act 1965.

The place gets a heavy footfall on the night of Shivratri and during the fair held on Amavasya of Shravana month.

Timings: 6 AM - 7 PM

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At a distance of 46 km from Great Rann of Kutch, 48 km from Dhordo and 89 km from Bhuj, Kalo Dungar or Kala Dungar is a hill located near Khavda town in Kutch district of Gujarat. It is one of the most famous attractions in Great Rann of Kutch that can be visited as part of Kutch Tour.

Situated at an altitude of 458 m, Kala Dungar literally means Black Hill in Gujarati language is the highest point of Kutch and offers jaw dropping view of the entire region, especially the Rann and the Indo-Pak border. The hill is also the site of a 400-year-old temple of Lord Dattatreya, the three-headed incarnation of Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva in the same body. Legend says that when Dattatreya walked on the earth, he stopped at the Black Hills and noticed many hungry jackals and offered them his body to eat. When jackals started eating Dattatreya's body, his body automatically regenerated. The practice of feeding jackals is still followed by the people. Priest of the temple prepares food and serve it to jackals each morning and evening, after the aarti.

Beyond the temple there are two viewpoints that give the spectacular view of white Rann. Being close to the Pakistan border, there is an army post at the top of the Kalo Dungar and only military personnel are allowed beyond here. Before Kalo Dungar at one location you can experience vehicle going down with high speed even with ignition off. One can also visit India Bridge which is about 18 km from Kalo Dungar. This bridge ...

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At a distance of 116 km from Great Rann of Kutch and 160 km from Bhuj, Narayan Sarovar or Narayansar is a village in Lakhpat taluk of Kutch district in Gujarat. Situated near Koteshwar Mahadev Temple, it is considered as one of the places of pilgrimage for Hindus in India and among the must visit places in Kutch.

The village got its name from the holy Narayan Sarovar Lake. Narayan Sarovar Lake is one of the 5 holy lakes of Hinduism, along with Mansarovar in Tibet, Pampa in Karnataka, Bindu Sarovar in Gujarat and Pushkar in Rajasthan. According to the Hindu mythology, the lake is associated with a time of drought in the Puranic area, when Lord Vishnu appeared in response to the avid prayers of sages and touched the land with his toe, creating the lake, now revered as holy to bathe in.

There are seven stone temples surrounded by the lake namely Sri Trikamraiji, Lakshminarayan, Govardhannathji, Dwarkanath, Adinarayan, Ranchodraiji and Laxmiji, built by the wife of Maharao Desalji. Accordingly, in 1734, she first built the temples of Lakshminarayan and Trikamray in the same style as the Dwarka temples while the other five temples built by Vagheli Mahakunvar form, along with the more lately built temple of Kalyanray. Collectively called as Narayan Sarovar Temples, these temples are surrounded by a fortified wall and are approached from the lake by flights of stone steps. The lake attracts huge crowds during the annual fair held in November or December. One can also visit ...

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At a distance of 77 km from Rann of Kutch and 101 km from Bhuj, Desh Devi Maa Ashapura is a popular Hindu temple located in Mata no Madh town of Kutch district in Gujarat. It is one of the significant temples in Kutch region and among the popular places to visit as part of Kutch Packages.

Mata no Madh temple is dedicated to Maa Ashapura, the household deity of former Jadeja rulers of Cutch State and she is also considered the patron deity of Kutch. The goddess is also referred to as Desh Devi, meaning the Goddess of the people. The temple was built in the 14th century by two Karad Vanias, Ajo and Anagor, the ministers of the father of Lakho Phulani. The temple was damaged by the earthquake in 1819 and was rebuilt by Sundarji Shivji and Mehta Vallabhaji in 1823. The temple was damaged again by the earthquake in 2001 but was repaired again.

Mata no Madh is a good illustration of traditional Indian architecture with elaborate and intricate carvings. The image of Ashapura Mata in the shrine is a red-painted stone, about six feet high and six feet broad at the base, narrowing to a point in a shape, with some rough likeness to a human form. The unique thing about the idol of Ashapura Mata is that it has 7 pairs of eyes. As the name indicates, she is the Goddess who fulfills the wish & desires of all those who trust and believe her. One can also see a huge bell presented by Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro of Sindh along with deepmala weighing 2 kg silver offered by Jamadar Fateh ...

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At a distance of 33 km from Gandhidham, 64 km from Bhuj, 66 km from Mandvi and 138 km from Gateway of Rann, Bhadreshwar Temple is a Jain temple situated at Bhadreshwar village in Kutch district of Gujarat. Also known as Vasai Jain Temple, it is one of the important Jain pilgrimage centers in Gujarat and among the famous places to visit in Bhuj.

Bhadreshwar Temple is believed to be one of the oldest Jain temples in India. According to legend, the foundation stone of this temple was laid down by a Jain layman named Devchandra, centuries ago, about 45 years after the death of Lord Mahavir, but there is no evidence to either support that claim. Although the temple have been renovated many times. The temple is said to be first renovated by King Sidhsen of Bhadrawati in 449 BC and then, the temple have been renovated and rehabilitated many times. The temple have been destroyed many times due to earthquakes of 1819, 1844, 1875, and 2001 but the chronicles of Mistris of Kutch renovated it every time.

Built in the line of Dilwara Temples, the temple complex has 53 shrines, a major central temple and 52 minor shrines around it, one of which reputedly holds the original Parshwanath idol from 500 BC. The main temple, facing east, is strikingly beautiful, in all white marble with majestic pillars. In the shrine are three white marble images. The central image of Lord Ajitnath, the second of the Tirthankars, is flanked by Lord Parshwanath with the snake hood in the right and Lord ...

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At a distance of 46 km from Junagadh and 60 km from Rajkot, Jalaram Bapa Mandir is a Hindu temple located in Virpur near Rajkot, Gujarat. Situated near Kodhaldham Temple, it is one of the popular places of pilgrimage in Gujarat and among the best places to visit in Rajkot.

Jalaram Bapa popularly known as Bapa was a Hindu saint born in 1799 to Pradhan Thakkar and Rajbai Thakkar in the village of Virpur, Gujarat. His mother Rajbai Thakkar was very fond of saints and sadhus and no saint could go from Virpur without receiving the hospitality of Rajbai. He was a devotee of the Hindu god Rama. At the age of 18, Jalaram Bapa became a disciple of Shri Bhojalram of Fatehpur. With blessings of his guru, he started 'Sadavrat', a feeding center for sadhus and saints as well as the needy. This tradition of feeding people continues to this day in Virpur.

The temple is an actual resident house of Jalaram Bapa where he lived till his last breath. The main attraction in the temple is the portrait picture of Jalaram Bapa and original photo of Bapa which has been taken before one year of his death. The idol of Bapa is in standing posture wearing a white turban and a dhoti- kurta and holding a stick in the left hand.

Jalaram Bapa's birthday is celebrated at the temple with great pomp every year on 7th day Shukla paksha of the Hindu month of Kartika. A huge fair is conducted at Virpur on the occasion and millions of devotees visit Virpur to pay their respect to the saint and have ...

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At a distance of 7 km from Virpur, 47 km from Junagadh and 67 km from Rajkot, Shree Kodhaldham Temple is a holy temple situated near Kavgad in Gujarat. Located on Virpur-Jetpur road, it is one of the popular religious places in Gujarat and among the must visit temples as part of Rajkot Packages.

Dedicated to Maa Khodiyar, the foundation stone for the temple was laid in the year 2012 and was opened for the public in 2017. Built by Shri Kodhaldham Trust of Leuva Patel community, Shree Khodaldham Temple is one of the largest comprehensive Hindu Temples, measures 299 feet long and 135 feet high. The temple houses the idols of Maa Khodiyar along with Maa Amba, Maa Bahuchar, Maa Verai, Maa Mahakali, Annapurna, Gaurtal, Randal, Butbhavani, Momai, Chamunda and Shihori.

Khodaldham has a distinctive architecture that displays the tradition of Leuva Patel community. Its unique architecture and spiritual aura make this temple a must visit for the devotees as well as tourists. Besides Khodaldham, one can also visit the temples of Shri Mahadeva, Shri Ram Darbar, Shri Radhakrishna, Shri Shrinathaji, Shri Ganesha and Shri Hanuman in Khodaldham temple complex. There is a big garden beside the temple maintained by the forest department, housed with many plants both medicinal, and flowering. The temple authorities also provide battery operated vehicles for senior citizens. Besides, refreshment stalls outside the temple provide snacks and local food items.

Timings: 6 AM - 9 ...

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At a distance of 62 km from Vadodara, Nilkanthdham Swaminarayan Temple is a beautiful Hindu temple located at Poicha Village in Gujarat. Situated on the banks of the Narmada River, it is one of the amazing temples in Gujarat and among the popular places to visit near Vadodara.

Dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan, the temple was built in 2013 by Shri Vadtal Swaminarayan Temple. Built mainly out of sandstone, the main temple is encircled by an artificial pond with a Shivling and a beautiful fountain. The shivling in the artificial pond can be accessed via a peacock shaped boat. The temple walls are exquisitely carved with figures from Hindu mythological scriptures. Every mandap has its own flag that waves in the breeze and the stark blue water juxtaposed with the sand coloured stone come together in perfect harmony to offer a visual treat.

Also known as Poicha Temple, the area is so clean and well maintained. In the main temple there are idols of God Vishnu with Sheshnag, Lord Ganesha, Hanumanji, 108 gaumukh, Saptarishi and 12 Vishnu Avatars. One can also visit Sahjanand Universe situated just opposite to the main temple of Swaminarayan. Spread over an area of 24 acres, the place consists of a big Idol of Lord Swaminarayan with height of 151 feet, more than 1100 idols related to Indian culture and Hindu pilgrimage, science city, amusement park, Water Park, boat riding, bhul bhulaiya, horror house, yampuri darshan, lights and sound shows in 3D and theaters.

The evening ...

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At a distance of 75 km from Vadodara and 160 km from Ahmedabad, Stambeshwar Mahadev Temple is a 150 years old Hindu temple located in the town of Kavi Kamboi near Vadodara in Gujarat. Situated between Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Cambay, it is one of the incredible places to visit in Gujarat and among the prime tourist places near Vadodara.

Stambeshwar Mahadev Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The architecture of the temple is very simple and is built on pillars, but it is still a very unusual must visit religious sites of India. The temple is mainly supported on pillars, hence called 'Stambeshwar Mahadev.' Popularly known as the Disappearing Shiva Temple, the temple is unique because the temple submerges every day during high tide and as the tide starts to get low it again starts emerging out of the sea, unveiling the 4 feet high Shiva Linga.

According to the mythology, this Shiva Linga was installed by Lord Kartikeya himself. Legend says that, Lord Kartikeya feels guilty after killing the demon Tarakasura. On the advice of Lord Vishnu, Kartikeya installed Shiva Lingas at three places and offered his prayers in order to absolve his sin of killing a great devotee of Lord Shiva. And, Stambeshwar Shiva Linga is one among them.

Sea traverses through the area twice a day every morning and evening to do the jalabhishek of Lord Shiva. Due to this unique phenomenon, the place attracts millions of tourists from throughout the year to see this extravaganza of nature. ...

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At a distance of 29 km from Una, 66 km from Sasan Gir, and 76 km from Amreli, Tulsi Shyam Temple is a Hindu temple situated at Tulsishyam in Gujarat. It is one of the revered temples in this region of Gujarat and among the must-visit places as part of Gir packages.

Dedicated to Lord Krishna, Tulsi Shyam Temple is a well-known temple located inside the Gir National Park. Legend says that Lord Krishna eliminated the demon called Tul and so the place is associated with his name along with that of Krishna as Shyam as Tulsishyam. The idol of Lord Tulsishyam is said to be 3000 years old made out of black stone. Visitors need to climb 100 steep steps to reach the temple from the parking. There is also a temple dedicated to Goddess Rukmini Devi on a small hillock near the main temple.

There are three hot sulphur springs that are believed to have healing powers. Of these, the 1st one is filled with hot water, the second one is filled with more hot water and the third water spring is having hot boiling water. Another attraction that draws people to this temple is the stretch of road near the temple famed for its Gravity Hill phenomenon. At the temple one will find boarding facilities at a nominal cost and food is provided by the trust at free of cost.

There are two approach routes to this place - one from Una is in a good state while the second one from Amreli is a bit longer and has a lot of potholes and ...

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At a distance of 10 km from Junagadh Junction, Girnar Hill is a sacred mountain situated in Junagadh, Gujarat. It is one of the popular Jain places of pilgrimage in Gujarat, and among the must-visit places as part of Junagadh Tour.

Spread over an area of about 70 miles, Mount Girnar is older than the Himalayas and the Jain temples upon it are amongst the most ancient in the country. It has five principal peaks Ambaji, Gorakhnath, Guru Dattatreya, Oghad Ansuya and Kalika. Out of these, Gorakhnath is situated at an altitude of 3672 feet and is the highest point in Gujarat. For centuries, Mount Girnar has been one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Gujarat and indeed in all of Western India, with 866 Hindu and Jain temples spread over its 5 summits. For Jains, this place is considered holy as this is the Nirvana Kshetra of 22nd Tirthankara Neminath and for Hindus, this place is considered holy as Dattatreya stayed here.

One will have to climb 10000 steps to reach the final summit. Trek to Girnar Hill starts from Girnar Talati, which is about 6 km from Junagadh Junction. While ascending the stone path that connects the temples along the 5 summits, one will pass temples of many different sects of Hinduism. Among the must-visit sightseeing places in Junagadh, the Bhavnath temple dedicated ...

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At a distance of 8 km from Junagadh Junction, Datar Hill is holy site in Junagadh city of Gujarat. Situated opposite to Girnar Hills, it is one of the popular places of pilgrimage in Gujarat and amongst the most visited sites in Junagadh.

Situated at an altitude of 2,779 feet, Datar Hill is one of the five principle peaks of Mount Girnar. Also known as Guru Dattatray or Dattatri, it is a popular religious place in Saurashtra region as it houses the shrine of Jamiyal Shah Datar. The dargah at the bottom of the hill is the tomb of a Muslim saint Jamal Shah Datar. It is ornately carved and crowned with a large onion dome and small minarets in a style similar to maqbara, the mausoleums of Nawabs of Junagadh. The shrine is visited by sufferers of leprosy in hope of a cure.

There is also a small shrine on the summit of the hill associated with the saint. One has to climb 3,000 steps to reach the shrine from Wellington Dam, which was built over the Kalwa River by the British. The place is truly scenic during monsoon as tiny waterfalls cascade down the hills. Visitor can also visit Koyala Vajir Temple and Digambar Jain Bhagwan Neminath Temple while on their way to the summit. From summit, one can have a spectacular view of the town below.

Also known as Upla Datar, the shrine is popular for its 5 days Urs festival celebrated here every year with great pomp and show. At least 3 lakh devotees of both Muslim and Hindus visit the Datar shrine during these five days, ...

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At a distance of 27 km from Patan and 36 km from Mehsana, Bindu Sarovar is a sacred pond located in Siddhpur town near Patan, Gujarat. Situated on the banks of Saraswati River, it is one of the holy places in Gujarat and among the most visited places near Patan.

Bindu Sarovar simply means a lake of drops. It is believed that Lord Mahavishnu's tears have fallen in this lake. Also known as Matru Gaya Kshetra, Bindu Sarovar is one among the five sacred theerthas of Hindu religion - Pancha Sarovar. The other four are Manas Sarovar in Tibet, Pushkar Sarovar in Rajasthan, Narayana Sarovar in Gujarat and Pampa Sarovar in Karnataka. Hindus normally go to Gaya in Bihar to offer pinda to their male ancestors but Bindu Sarovar is the only place in India where Matru Shradh is being carried out. It is also known as the Sri-sthal or a 'pious place' and finds a reference in the ancient Vedic text the Rig-Veda.

According to legend, Bindu Sarovar is the place where Sage Kardhama did severe penance for 10000 divine years and had the darshan of Lord Vishnu. It was on the banks of River Saraswati at this Bindu Sarovar, Sage Kapila had preached Moksha Gnana to his Mother Devhuti and performed the Matru Shradh of his mother salvation. It is said that at Bindu Sarovar Lord Parshuram also performed 'Matru Shradh' and his temple is also created here for darshan. Hence, Bindu Sarovar is considered as holy as Triveni Sangam at Allahabad.

Along the shore of the Bindu Sarovar, one can ...

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At a distance of 60 km from Patan Railway Station, Shankeshwar Jain Temple is an ancient Jain temple located in Shankeshwar town in Gujarat. It is one of the important Jain pilgrimage sies near Ahmedabad, and among the best places to visit as part of Patan sightseeing packages.

Built in the year 1098 CE by Sajjan Shah on the banks of the Rupen River, the temple is dedicated to Lord Parshwanath. Later, Vastupal Tejpal renovated this temple under the instructions of Vardhamansuri in the year 1229 CE. The temple was destroyed by Alauddin Khalji in the 14th century and later in the 16th century CE, a new temple with 52 idols was built under the inspiration of Vijaysensuri. But, the current temple was built in 1811 CE.

The Shankeshwar birth ranks next only to those on Shatrunjaya Hill in Palitana, in terms of importance to the Swetambara Jains, and among the most prominent places to visit in Patan. Besides the original sanctuary, the temple has an open square, a decorated square, a vast square, and two assembly halls. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple houses nearly 182 cm high white-colored idol of Bhagwan Shankeshwar Parshva in Padmasana posture. The sanctum of the presiding deity is flanked by two smaller sanctums dedicated to Lord Bhidbhanjan Parshwanath and Lord Ajitanatha. ...

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At a distance of 25 km from Palitana, Hastagiri Jain Tirth is a famous Jain temple located near Palitana in Gujarat. Situated on a hill on the bank of the Shetrunjaya River, it is one of the popular Jain pilgrimage places in Gujarat and among the must-visit places in Palitana.

Hastagiri Jain Tirth is dedicated to Bhagwan Rishabhdev or Shri Adishwar Bhagwan. This hilly land is also known as Hastisengiri. According to the history of the temple, the place is regarded as a sacred place of the times of Bhagawan Adishwar. The sacred place was established by Bharat Chakravartin, the eldest son of Bhagawan Adishwar. Even today one can see the foot images of Bhagawan in a small temple on the very ancient hill. Bharat Chakravartin had attained salvation here. He had observed fast unto death and attained moksha here. The elephant of the King also followed him, thus the teerth is called as Shri Hastagiri Tirth.

Now, there is a large and massive temple on this mount, which was built and consecrated in 1979. Spread over an area of 9 acres, the Hastagiri Jain Tirth is an octagonal shaped Jain temple, and among the major places to visit as part of Palitana tour. The main sanctum of the temple houses four idols of Vrishabhdev facing to four cardinal directions. The dome near the sanctum sanctorum has intricate carvings, similar to the carved domes of ...

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At a distance of 35 km from Palitana and 55 km from Bhavnagar, Talaja is a historical town situated near Palitana in Bhavnagar district of Gujarat. Located on the banks of Shatrunjaya River, it is one of the popular places to visit in Gujarat and among the must include places in Palitana Tour Packages.

Talaja is better known as the birthplace of the famous poet Narsinh Mehta. Also, it is home to some important sites for Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism. The main attraction here is the ancient Buddhist Rockcut Caves on Talaja hill. The rock-cut cave group includes 30 caves among which 15 are water tanks. The Ebhala Mandapa, a large hall with four octagonal pillars is the most impressive structure of all. These caves are adorned with fine carving of Boddhisatva. The caves are around 2000 years old and require about a 15-20 minutes walk up the hill to reach them. They are of the 4th stage of Buddhist cave architecture, noticeably earlier than the famous Buddhist caves of Maharashtra.

There is a Jain temple along with a Hindu temple of Khodiar Mata atop the hill near the Buddhist Caves. This Jain temple was established by King Kumarpala during the 12th century CE. This is a holy place of the Shri Shatrunjay Panchteerthi and is part of the Shatrunjay hills. The temple was last renovated in 1815 and belongs to Shwetambar sect. of Jainism. The sanctum of the temple house 79 cm tall black colored idol of Sacha Sumatinatha Bhagwan in padmasana posture. Besides this temple, ...

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