Harshad Mataji Tample |
About Harshad Mataji Tample: |
The entire area of Saurashtra in the Gujarat State of India is full of holy temples. Most of the people have a strong and deep faith on such holy temples even in present scientific scenario. This faith provides them with the strength to face the challenges of life and surpass them successfully. One such holy place of pilgrimage is the ancient temple of Harshad Mata, situated at around twenty five miles away from the city of Porbandar in Gujarat State. This temple attracts thousands of tourists every year from all the remote corners of India and even from abroad. Harshad Mata temple can be reached easily from either Porbandar or Dwarka. It is located almost in the middle of these two cities of Gujarat. It is very well connected by road from all the major cities of Gujarat State. There are also regular daily trains from Mumbai for Porbandar that leaves Ahmedabad at around 7 pm in the evening and reaches Porbandar by around 7 am in the next morning. However, we visited this holy temple in a hired car from city of Vadodara, which happens to be my native place . This minalpur was a main port and trading used to be done with foriegn shores.Once during the holy festival of Navratri, the 7 wives of Prabhatsen were playing garba. So Jagdamba Mataji from the Koyal hill, also doned ornaments and fine clothes and took the appearance of a beutiful lady, came down to play the Raas.King Prabhatsen who was watching the festivities from the palace got attracted to this fine lady and the flames of evil passion got ignited in him, so in the late night, when Mataji started going back to the hill, he started to follow her. Looking at this she got angry and cursed him and told him to come every night to the temple to be eaten alive. So every night, the King had to go to the temple to be roasted alive in the fire pit and to be eaten. The next day she would make him alive and send him back to his palace. This daily curse had taken its toll on King Prabhatsens health and he became very weak and thin.During that time, the maternal cousin of prabhatsen, the Great King, Vir Vikramaditya came on the pilgrimage of Dwarka and became his guest. On seeing the condition of his cousin, King Vir Vikramaditya asked for the reason and he was told this tale of tourture. So the great king vikram decided and took the appearance of Prabhatsen and went for fullfilling the curse of his cousin. Seeing show of love and courage pleased Mataji, so she granted a wish to him. King Vikram asked for 2 wishes. 1. to relieve his cousin of the curse and 2. to become his guest at the capital city Ujjain of his kingdomof Malvan. She granted his wishes.But about accepting his wish about her visit to Ujjain, she kept the condition that she would follow the his caravan on foot and she forbade him to look back and check whether she was coming or not which he agreed and he looked then Mataji will stop at that point only. On reaching the outskirts of his capital city of ujjain on the banks of river Shipra, King Vir Vikramaditya out of curosity looked back and thus Harshidhi Mataji stopped there itself.Even today the Temple of Harshidhi Mataji is still there and It is said that since then, Mataji goes daily there for night stay and comes back to Koyla hill during the day. |
Location info: |
Address:Harshad Maata,Gujrat,India |
District: Porbandar |
Nearest City: Porbandar |
Best time to visit: November to March. |
Climate/Weather: |
Summer temperature often rises to 40º Celsius. Winter temperature often rises to 5.0º Celsius. |
History of Harshad Mataji Tample: |
The ancient temple on top of the Koyla hill, has the same construction styles of the Navlakha Temple of the Chalukya Dynasty in Ghumli, where as the temple in the bottom of the hill is quite modern.On the northern side of the temple is the fire pit, where Harshad Mata used to roast and eat the King of Minalpur Prabhatsen.Roast & eat??? Yes, the story goes like this, that before about 2000 years, the capital of the Chavda Kingdom was Minalpur, there the king was Prabhat sen Chavda |
Interesting things to do Harshad Mataji Tample: |
Worship: The entire area of Saurashtra in the Gujarat State of India is full of holy temples. Most of the people have a strong and deep faith on such holy temples even in present scientific scenario. This faith provides them with the strength to face the challenges of life and surpass them successfully. |
Interesting things to Visit Harshad Mataji Tample: |
Medhakrik Dam: Kirti Mandir: Tara Mandir (Planetarium): Chowpatty: Bharat Mandir: Sudama Mandir: Darbargadh: Sartanji Choro: Huzoor Palace: |
Mobile range info: |
How to reach Harshad Mataji Tample? |
Nearest Railway Station:Porbandar railway station |
Nearest Airport:Porbandar airport connect to mumbai |
Road Transport:State Transport Buses connect Porbandar to nay area in Gujrat |
Nearest Visiting places from Harshad Mataji Tample: |
Madhavpura: Dwarkadheesh Temple (Jagat Mandir): Rukmini Temple: Dunny Point: Nageshwar Mandir: Bet Dwarka: |
Nearest Petrol Pump nearby Harshad Mataji Tample: |
Dasani petrol pump:Near garbichawk,Porbandar,Gujrat,India
Madhav Petrol Pump:Near garbichawk,Porbandar,Gujrat,India |
Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation nearby Harshad Mataji Tample: |
Hotel President:Opp.Congress Karyalay,Porbandar,Gujarat,India
The New Oceanic Hotel:Chowpati,Porbandar,Gujarat,India |
Things to carry: |
Tips & Suggestions for Harshad Mataji Tample: |
Help Line/Phone Number: |
Police Station:100 |
Nearest Hospital: Shreya Hospital & ICU:Uganda Road Porbandar,Gujarat,India Bhavsinghji Government Hospital:Porbandar,Gujarat,India |
Society/Community Phone Number: |
Links: |
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Porbandar Beach |
Porbandar is between Veraval and Dwarka the beautiful Porbandar beach is located on the Southeast coast of Gujarat, West India. An ancient seaport adds to the glory of the lovely Porbandar beach. Porbandar's claim to fame lies in the fact that Mahatma Gandhi was born in this part of Gujarat, India.The enchanting scene of the vast sea washing the sandy shores and leaving behind colorful shells and other live marine life has attracted many tourists to this beautiful beach of Porbandar. A leisurely stroll on Porbandar beach has the capacity to relax and refresh the mind, body and soul of a person. One can also watch the flamingos and other shore birds or can gaze at the vast landscape from the hills located nearby. Here one can also find the locals busy with fish drying and dhow making.....more |
Barda Wildlife Sanctuary |
Barda Wildlife Sanctuary is located at about 15 km from Porbandar, which faces Arabian Sea. Barda was a private forest of the ex princely State of Ranavav Porbandar and Jamnagar and, therefore, it is still popularly known as Rana Barda and Jam Barda. Entire area is the reserve forest and had been notified as Sanctuary in the year 1979. The settlement of the area has been completed, but final notification is yet to be issued. The Sanctuary is distributed in two districts Porbandar and Jamnagar. The hilly terrain with patches of flat plains at places, the crisscrossing of numerous rivulets and streams and existing dams impart a divine look to the forest. One may hardly abstain from thinking that here is the place, where the saints in ancient times must have attained moksha the ultimate liberation. The Sanctuary area is a green oasis, surrounded by agriculture fields, wastelands and forest.....more |