Gujarat Temples

Akshardham Temple Gandhinagar is one of the most prominent places of worship in Gujarat and dedicated to Swaminarayan. It is a specimen of traditional stone work, ancient wisdom and the best of contemporary technology that speaks volumes about the cultural heritage of India. It is a magnificent shrine that is located in the heart of Gandhinagar in Gujarat.

This beautiful temple is dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan and inspired by HDH Pramukh Swami Maharaj. The Akshardham shrine is actually a miracle created by the sacrifice of thousands of artists and volunteers. In fact, there are more than 2 million visitors who visit this shrine every year. In fact, most of the people who travel to Gujarat make it a point to pay a visit to this famous place of worship. And when you visit this temple, you are not just a tourist or a traveler but you will be an artist who will discover the art of sculpting oneself from within.

Akshardham Temple Gandhinagar History

• The internationally famous Swaminarayan Akshardham temple was established on 2^nd November 1992. The credit for laying the foundation of this place of worship goes to the Bochasanwasi Akshar-Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS).
• Akshardham temple describes the concept of Man-making. The devotee’s belief that only an individual can shape his own life and become sensible in the true sense. To project this belief, architecture along with literature, music and hi-tech equipment have been used with extreme care and passion to make it distinct. The success of the shrine lies in the fact that it turns an individual into a Man.
• The monument symbolizes tremendous human effort that has gone into its formation. Another aspect being that the leader has inspired many devotees through his teachings. Pramukh Swami Maharaj has created a rare mixture that comprises of the monument and the selflessness of the Guru and the disciples which draw people from every corner of the world.
• The creation of this incredible Akshardham temple is a remarkable event in the history of India.

Significance of the Akshardham Temple Gandhinagar

• The inauguration ritual of the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple coincided with the centenary celebrations of Yogiji Maharaj and was conducted by Pramukh Swami Maharaj only.
• Akshardham Temple at Gandhinagar is minutely carved coupled with a striking monument of 6000 tons of pink sandstone soaked with religious stillness.
• This whole structure was built without using steel in order to increase the maximum longevity of the architecture.
• There is a 7 feet gold leafed idol of Lord Swaminarayan and his holy ruins. In addition, there are three exhibitions on Indian culture with light and sound shows.
• Akshardham temple is built at a height of 108 feet and is 240 feet in length, 131 feet in breadth. In addition, the porch around the monument measures 1751 feet (534 meters) in length alone.
• It is only after investing 13 laborious years that the architecture of this beautiful temple was completed. In addition, it is the skilled artisans of Bansipahadpur who had done the minute carvings of the auspicious shrine.
• One of the significant factors about this shrine is that it has its own research centre known as, Akshardham Center for Applied Research in Social Harmony (AARSH). This center aims at using knowledge of the past, concentrating on the present pattern and masterminding conceivable answers for the future.
• The research facility is equipped with an extensive library, study stations, and archives. However, it is only open to enlisted scholars who receive the benefits.
• The first floor of the temple comprises of a museum, which has a collection and a gallery of over 500 ‘parahansas’. Some other items which are displayed here are the letter to the guru of Swaminarayan Ramanand, an art object from an old tree from Chapaya, the shawl used by Swaminarayan and an image of the Lord seated on a horse.
• The galleries present on the external side serve as the venue for the artistic exhibition and also paves a way for Chez Intervasion shows, audio-visuals, multi-media and the works of Lord Swaminarayan from the Hindu epics.
• The temple has three permanent exhibition halls inside the complex, which was started with the aim of educating masses on issues regarding religion and BAPS movement.
• The garden surrounding the sanctum sanctorum is known as Sahajanand Van or the first hall and represents a unique intermingling of reflective garden and children’s park.
• The second hall or the Sat-Chit-Anand of this place of worship holds the exhibition in a 14-screen multimedia representation. Besides it also contains the ‘Tunnel of Mirrors’ that stands for a glass mosaic and a dancing musical fountain.
• The third hall of this holy place has many fiberglass models that represent various memos from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Upanishads. An audio-animatronics show portraying various messages from Mahabharata and an exhibition of ‘Harmony of world religions’ are some of the major attractions of this exhibition.
• Photography and making videos are strictly prohibited in this temple.
• It was on September 24, 2002, that two armed terrorists attacked this temple killing 33 people and around 70 individuals were injured. The Indian National Security Guard killed both the terrorists and the temple opened after 14 days of the attack.

Akshardham Temple Gandhinagar Timings

• Akshardham Temple Gandhinagar remains open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 A.M. to 7:30 P.M.
• Mondays remain closed.
• The night lighting shows take place on Saturdays and Sundays.
• Exhibitions start at 10 A.M. and end at 6:00 P.M.

Akshardham Temple Gandhinagar Food Timings

• Visitors are not allowed to carry any food inside the temple premises.
• Premvati Refreshments at Sahajanand Van provides fresh vegetarian food and snacks to tourists. A tourist can relish the unique taste of the traditional Gujarati dishes here and one can also book meals in advance.
• The restaurant is open from 10 A.M. to 8 P.M.

Festivals celebrated at Akshardham Temple

• Annakut Utsav is celebrated with great pomp in this temple. It is observed soon after Diwali and Annakut which refers to a huge amount of food comprising fruits, salads, pulses and juices are offered to the Lord. Around 2550 food items are offered to the deity. This food is later distributed among the pilgrims.
• Diwali or the festival of lights is another festival that fetches pilgrims from across the nation. The temple is illuminated with lights which pave the way for a spectacular sight.

Poojas and Rituals at Akshardham Temple Gandhinagar

• The Aarti takes place twice daily especially during the morning and the evening.
• The deity is bathed with holy water and is offered food thereafter.
• There are special poojas that are organized during special occasions like the birthday of Lord Swaminarayan, Annakut Utsav etc.

How to Reach: Road, Rail, and Air

• By Air– For people looking to travel to flight, the nearest airport to reach this temple is situated in Ahmedabad. This is well connected to every major city in India and in order to reach the temple, you need to hire a taxi from the Ahmedabad airport.
• By Train– A devotee can reach this temple by train as well. This auspicious place of worship is located at a distance of 2 km from Gandhinagar railway station and 31 km from Ahmedabad railway station.
• By Road– Akshardham is located at the heart of one of the greenest cities in the world –Gandhinagar that is situated on National Highway 8c. Hence, Akshardham is easily accessible from every location like 25 km from Ahmedabad, 150 km from Vadodara, 230 km from Udaipur, 190 km from Mt Abu and 604 km from Jaipur. There are many special buses and cars that are provided by the tourism department, government authorities and private services.

Hotels in Gujarat: Where to stay

Gujarat welcomes people of all religions and cultures with equal warmth and hospitality. No matter what your budget is, you can be rest assured to find a suitable room in Gujarat with equal ease and comfort. While individuals traveling alone can opt for dormitories, pilgrims visiting this auspicious shrine can look for hotels.

And if you are ready to splurge on luxury, then choose to spend your nights with five-star accommodations. These high-end hotels also offer complimentary breakfast as well. And some of the hotels also have their own private restaurants for their dwellers. These hotels are equipped with all the modern facilities to meet the needs of a contemporary traveler. Also, one can enjoy good discounts coupled with an attractive price if you book a room in advance.

Where to eat

Gujarati food is loved and cherished by people from all parts of India. A typical Gujarati Thali comprises of rice, chapatti, dal, vegetables, pickle, curd and papad. The food in this style is prepared by following a proper hygiene and fewer spices. Some of the special snacks that are exclusive to Gujarat include dhokla, khandvi; and sweets like basundi which are famous for its taste.

A traveler can either opt to try the local cuisine from various food joints that are spread around the city or can look for fine dining options. The food is moderately priced and is mostly vegetarian in nature. However, there are few nonvegetarian eateries as well that offers international flavors too.

Nearby Temples

• The Adalaj Trimandir – This temple has been built with an area of 40, 175 sq ft with the temple podium being 20,895 sq ft. There is a beautiful fountain at the center of the lush green field. The Satsang Hall is of 31,861 sq ft and the shrine is equipped with an informative museum and mini-theatre on Gnani Purush Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan, around whom the Trimandir is built. Idols from Jainism, Shaivism, and Vaishnavism are present within this temple. The center of the temple houses idol of Lord Shree Simandhar Swami, which measures 155 inches, and is made entirely of marble.
• The Mahudi Jain Temple – Mahudi Tirth is a famous Jain temple and the place was earlier called as Madhumanti or Madhupuri. The main idol of Bhagwan Pradaprabhu was established in 1974 by Acharya Dev Sri Buddisagarsurisvar. He had also installed the idol of Sri Ghantakarna Mahavir on 1980 Vikram era. The Prasad is also known as ‘Sukhadi’ and consists of jaggery, wheat flour, and pure ghee. The pilgrims need to eat the Prasad within the temple premises and are prohibited from carrying it outside. It is open from 5.A.M. to 9 P.M.
• The Vaishno Devi Temple – Being modeled on the Vaishno Devi temple located at Srinagar, this holy place is situated on the Sarkhej-Gandhinagar highway in Gujarat. Thousands of devotees visit this place during Navaratri and offer fruits, rice, coconut, and clothes to the deity.
• The Vardayni Mata Temple – This is another popular temple that is located in Rupal village of Gandhinagar district in Gujarat. The temple is located in the middle of the village. The Ghee Festival of Palli is very famous and stands at 28 spots in the village. Every stand has tons of Pure Ghee or Clarified Butter kept ready to pour on the “Palli” (Ratha). This ghee is donated by pilgrims who visit this holy place throughout the year.
• Sri Kotyark Khadayata Temple – Khadayata refers to the business community among the Hindus and this temple sees countless pilgrims visiting the shrine all around the year. It is another destination that tourists can visit with joy and delight.

Jalaram Bapa Mandir is a renowned temple which is located at Virpur in Gujarat. This place has become famous owing to the birth of Sri Jalaram Bapa, a much-revered saint. There have been many events that had happened in this saint’s life at Virpur and people from all over come to visit this holy shrine.

Jalaram Bapa Mandir Temple Facts-

Deity	Shree Jalaram Bapa
Location	Virpur, Rajkot in Gujarat
Significance	The temple has original danda and Jholi which Jalaram Bapa was using
Built-In	19th century
Best time to Visit	October to March
Darshan timings	7:00 AM to 12:00 PM || 4.00 PM to 8:30 PM
Architecture	Hindu Temple Style
Entry Fees	No Entry fee
Aarti Timing	7:30 AM to 7:30 PM
Photography	Not allowed inside the temple, allowed outside the temple
Visit Duration	1 hour
Festivals	Jalaram Jayanti
Main Attraction	The portrait of Jalaram Bapa and original photo of Jalaram Bapa
Official Website	Jalaram Bapa Mandir

Jalaram Bapa Mandir Temple Darshan Timings

Here are Jalaram Bapa Mandir Temple Darshan timings –

Timings	From	To
Morning Darshan	07:00 AM	12:00 PM
Temple Closing Noon	12:00 PM	04:00 PM
Evening Darshan	04:00 PM	08:30 PM
Temple Closing Night	08:30 PM	07:00 AM

Poojas and Rituals at Jalaram Bapa Mandir

Rituals	Timings
Mangla Aarti	07:30 AM
Shangar Aarti	09:00 AM
Sandhya Aarti	7:30 PM
Sundar Kand from Ramayana	04:00 PM to 05:30 PM Every Sunday
Sri Satyanarayan Bhagwan’s Katha	08:00 PM only on Purnima

• Aarti and Bhajan are regularly held in this temple airing both morning and evening.
• A pilgrim can contribute Rs 251 and host the arrangement of Sri Satyanarayan Bhagwan’s Katha on every Purnima or full moon day.
• One can hear bhajans that are held after Aarti every month.
• There are many eminent saints and Kathakars who talk about spiritual lectures and preaching’s during festivals that are commemorated by people in this temple.

Jalaram Bapa Mandir Prasadam Timings

• This famous pilgrimage destination is popular for charity and feeding the poor and needy people. Food is offered to people after 12 P.M. and around 8 P.M.
• This temple has seen no visitor returning home without food. Devotees are provided with Prasad twice a day without any cost.
• Every person in this ‘Darbar of God’ irrespective of him being rich or poor is treated as equal. They are also offered the same Prasad when they sit in the same row.
• The Prasad comprises ‘Ganthiya’, ‘Bundi’ and ‘Sabji’ in the morning and ‘Khichadi-Kadi’ and ‘Deshi Ghee’ in the evening.
• The food is served in a traditional dish of leaves.

The symbolism of the deity in Jalaram Bapa Mandir

• The idol of Jalaram Bapa is shown as a smiling man holding a stick.
• His idol adorns a white Paghadi and white dhoti-kurta.
• The idols of his patron deities Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman are also mostly found along with his idol.

Significance of Jalaram Bapa Mandir

• In 1978, the Jalaram Bapa Temple on the Dharmaj-Tarapur highway was built.
• The auspicious Sri Jalaram Bapa shrine comprises of the actual house complex where this great saint lived during his lifetime.
• There are many belongings of Jalaram Bapa, most important being the deities of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman that were worshiped by him.
• The main attraction of this place of worship is the portrait of Jalaram Bapa. Pilgrims can see a black and white picture of Bapa that has been taken one year before his death.
• The idol of Jalaram Bapa is displayed as a smiling man holding a dandaand wearing often a white turban and a white dhoti-kurta.
• One of the most distinguishing factors of this temple refers to the fact that it does not accept any offerings from February 9, 2000. This is the world’s first temple to not accept any money.
• Jalaram Bapa had adopted his daughter i.e. Jamnaben’s grandson, Harirambahi to be his direct descendant. Giridhar Bapa and now his son Jaisukhram Bapa is now in charge of this popular shrine of Gujarat.
• The ‘Samadhi’ of Sri Jalaram Bapa lies at the feet of Lord Sri Ram Chandra. This had entranced just on the left side of the Big Gate of the ‘Dela’.
• The “Jholi-Danda” is duly preserved in a transparent cupboard and Sri Hanumanji’s idol is also kept near the ‘Samadhi’ as well.
• The Temple has two trusts that function on a daily basis. The ‘Jalaram Satsang Seva Mandal’ is responsible for looking out for all aspects relating to the temple like maintenance of the Mandir, Atithi Griha, and Gaushala. The ‘Shree Jalaram Janseva Trust’ on the other hand handles services relating to education, healthcare, rehabilitation, and water plant.
• Shree Dr. Rasikbhai V. Patel is the President for both the trusts.
• This temple has three giant copper pots that were given by the Goddess Ganga duly filled with the holy waters of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers. The water from these pots never dries up and there has been no instance of a person getting sick from drinking this water.
• Additionally, the King of the Dhrangdhra provided a pair of large wheels to Sri Jalaram Bapa for grinding the wheat in the temple.

History of Jalaram Bapa Mandir

• ‘Jalaram Pradhan Thakar’ or Jalaram Bapa was born in Virpur, near Rajkot in Gujarat on 14^th November 1799 to his father Pradhan Thakkar and mother Rajbai Thakkar. His mother was very fond of saints and sadhus and no saint could go from Virpur without receiving the hospitality of Rajbai.
• Saint Raghuvirdasji had told Bapa’s mother, Rajbai Thakkar that her son would become a famous person preaching the importance of duty, devotion and good actions. Being a very religious lady herself, Bapa learned to respect, patience, self-sacrifice, duty, and grace from his mother.
• When Bapa was young, a visit from a saint was recognized as from his previous life and little Jalaram was spiritually inspired and started to chant ‘Sita Ram’ rhymes and devoted his life to God.
• Jalaram married Virbhai, daughter of Thakkar Pragji Somaija at the age of sixteen. Although he was reluctant, his wife extended her support in his work for the poor. At the age of eighteen, he set out for a holy pilgrimage with his wife and had accepted Bhojalaram. Bapa’s guru had started ‘Sadavrat’ which is a place where every poor will be provided with free food. Both of them worked hard on the field to grow grains and one day when they were run out of stock for grains, Virbhai was happy to sell her wedding jewelry in order to provide food for the pilgrims.
• Haraji was a tailor who was suffering from acute stomach pain and eventually came to Bapa for a cure. The great saint prayed and cured his disease. The tailor was surprised and fell at Bapa’s feet addressing him as ‘Bapa’. It is then that people started calling him as Jalaram Bapa. Devotees irrespective of their religion became his disciples.
• Lord Rama disguised himself as an old man and appeared before Jalaram Bapa. He complained of his age and wanted someone to look after him. Bapa sent for his wife who gladly accompanied the old man on his journey. The two travelers came to a river and the old man gave a stick and a bag to Virbhai to hold. Soon, Lord Rama disappeared and Jalaram could hear a voice back home saying to him that he can fetch his wife as it was Lord Rama who wanted to test his goodness. This stick and the bag are still on display in the Jalarambapa Ashram in Virpur.
• Devotee’s belief that the food given by Bapa to the pilgrims reaches the doors of heaven. In fact, until today, there are thousands of visitors who are provided free food in this temple and it never runs out of stock.

Festivals celebrated at the Jalaram Bapa Mandir

1. Jalaram Jayanti: is the most important festival that is observed in this temple. On the 7^th day Shukla Paksha of the Hindu month of Kartika, this celebration is enjoyed by the pilgrims. This festival is celebrated here on the 7^th day after Diwali. A huge fair is organized to mark this occasion.
2. Makar Sankranti: is another huge festival that is celebrated in this temple on 14^th January every year.
3. Pilgrims also gather to pray in this temple on a yearly basis to mark the death anniversary of Sri Jalaram Bapa who died on 23^rd February 1881.
4. Some other festivals that are observed here with much pomp and enthusiasm consist of Ram Navami, Hanuman Jayanti, Janmashtami, Diwali, and Maha Shivaratri.

How to Reach Jalaram Bapa Mandir: Road, Rail, and Air

• By Air– Rajkot is the nearest airport that connects Virpur with all the leading cities in India. There are many direct flights available and pilgrims can take an auto-rickshaw from the airport to reach the famous shrine.
• By Train– The Rajkot Junction is well connected with different towns of Gujarat and cities in India. It is almost 6 km away from the Teen Batti triple gateway and is a junction on the Western Railway Ahmedabad-Hapa broad gauge line. There are many express trains that are available from this station.
• By Road– It has good transportation system with all the neighboring states. There are many State buses from Rajkot to different parts of Gujarat. The ST bus stand is 2 km, west of Bedi Gate on the other side of Ranmal Lake.

Where to stay near Jalaram Bapa Mandir in Virpur

• Temple trust provides a nice arrangement for devotees to get free food and free accommodation called ‘Dharamshala’ without any cost.
• Hotel Madhav is basically located in Virpur close to the temple and is the best choice for rooms that are cheap and at affordable prices.

Where to eat near Jalaram Bapa Mandir in Virpur

• Virpur offers a lot of options to explore when it comes to fulfilling your appetite. The traditional food is vegetarian in nature and is rich in nutrition. Mostly, the Gujarati Thali comprises rice, roti, dal, sabzi, and sweets.
• There are many famous restaurants in the city that offer fine dining options at a competitive price range. The local eating joints also offer fantastic delicacies at lesser costs.
• Some of the must-have dishes that a traveler needs to taste refer to Khaman, Dhokla, Puran Poli, Shrikhand, Farsi Falafel, Khakra, Muthia, and Meethi Kadhi. However, alcohol is banned here and is not served at restaurants.
• Also, the Morning Tea, Lunch & Dinner are provided free for the Yatris in the Dharmshala run by the temple trust where free food is provided for the devotees staying there.

Nearby Temples in Jalaram Bapa Mandir Virpur

Apart from the famous Jalaram Bapa Mandir, there are some religious places in Virpur that tourists can pay a visit to. These consist of:

• Virpara Nath Mandir– Every tourist who visits Jalaram Bapa definitely pays a visit to this shrine too. Sadhus sing Hymes during the evening in this temple premises.
• Samadhi of Jalaram Bapa– It is a sacred place of worship as devotees come to pay their respect to Jalaram Bapa here. After Bapa passed away, he was laid to rest here.
• Samadhi of Jetha Bapa– This is another famous shrine that stands close to the Jalaram Bapa Mandir. There are many pilgrims who visit the samadhi and seek blessings from Jetha Bapa.
• Virbhai Maa Mandir at Triveni Sangam– It is a temple that is dedicated to Virbhai and celebrates the commitment and sacrifice provided by Virbhai.
• Khodiyar Mandir at Mavatar Vridhdharshram-  Being located in Mavatar Vridhdharshram, this mandir is highly popular and considered sacred among the natives.
• Gala vada Hanuman– It is dedicated to Lord Hanuman and worships his strength and commitment to Lord Ram.

Frequently Asked Questions about Jalaram Bapa Mandir –