Religious/ Spiritual

Anjar which is famous for the Shrine of Jesal and Toral, the folklore duo where in the tough out law Jesal was chastised by Toral, a Kachchhi Woman is also a centre of fairs.

The temple of Somnath, 5 kms from Veraval is one of the twelve sacred Shiva shrines in India. According to the legend, Somnath was built by Som, the moon God and contains one of the twelve Jyotirlingas in India. Constantl washed by the Arabian Sea, the temples of Somnath were destroyed seve times but were rebuilt each time. The present temple Maha Meru Prasad was recently rebuilt on the exact location of the original shrine. Adjacent to this temple is the temple built by Ahalyabai Holkar of Indore.

Image Credit:

This is one of the four Mathas established by Jagatguru Shankaracharya, all of which survive to this day. The Matha runs an educational society, an arts college and a Sanskrit Academy, which prepares scholars for doctorates in Sanskrit and Indology.

There is a popular temple dedicated to Rukmini, Lord Krishna's wife, who is considered an incarnation of Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth and beauty. There are also temples dedicated to Mirabai and Narsinh Mehta, which are visited by those who go to Dwarka on a pilgrimage.

Dwarka is famous for the temple of Dwarkadish, the 'Lord of Dwarka', also known as Jagat Mandir or temple of the world. Constructed over 1400 years ago, the temple houses the image of Lord Krishna and draws pilgrims from allover India and abroad. Magnificently built on traditional lines, the temple has five floors and is profusely carved from base to pinnacle. The festival of Lord Krishna's birth is celebrated there every year in the auspicious month of Shravan with great splendour. The festival of Navratri too is celebrated with great rejoicing.

Akshardham Temple is one of the main attractions of the city. It was built by the Swaminarayan Sect, one of the richest sects in the world. The temple is made up of pink sandstone and adorned with intricate carvings. It has a huge complex covered with sprawling gardens and admirable fountains.

This temple belongs to the Swaminarayan sect of Gujarat. It has been built in the modern era but is yet an example of a fine and artistic carved temple in pink marble. Surrounded by beautiful gardens it is indeed a place to visit.

This small temple, 1.5km north of town, is an architectural masterpiece. Rukmini is the most important of Krishna's 16,108 wives. The temple walls are decorated with beautiful paintings depicting her pastimes with Krishna. This temple is said to date back to the 12th century.

Gomati, the descended Ganges, meets the sea at Chakra-tirtha Ghat. To take bath where the Gomati meets the ocean is said to offer liberation. If you go out the back entrance of the Dwarkadish Temple, you can see the Gomati River. The temple is located almost at the spot where the Gomati meets the ocean.

A marvelous and spectacular shrine on the western part of the city, the Gita Mandir tries to project the values of the sacred book Bhagavad Gita. This marble structure is a marvel in terms of artistic expressions and at the same time it imparts a saintly feeling to all those delve in to its holy premises.