| Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Gadhada | |
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The temple at Gadhada |
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| Location | |
| Country: | India |
| State: | Gujarat |
| Location: | Gadhada |
| Architecture and culture | |
| Primary deity: | Gopinathji Maharaj, HariKrishna Maharaj |
| History | |
| Date built: (Current structure) |
October 9, 1828 |
| Creator: | Bhagwan Swaminarayan |
Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Gadhada (Devnagari: श्री स्वमिनरयन मन्दिर, घडडा) is a Hindu temple in Gadhada. This Mandir was built by Swaminarayan himself.[1]
Contents |
The land for constructing this temple in Gadhada, was donated by the court of Dada Khachar in Gadhada. Dada Khachar and his family were devotees of Swaminarayan. The temple was made in the courtyard of his own residence.[2] The temple work was planned and executed directly under the consultation and guidance of Swaminarayan. Swaminarayan over viewed the construction in and also helped with the manual service in the construction of the temple, by lifting stones and mortar. This shrine has two stories and three domes. It is adorned with carvings. The temple is placed on a high plinth is a spacious square and has an assembly hall with large dharamshalas and kitchens for ascetics and pilgrims.[1]
Swaminarayan had installed the idols in this temple on the October 9, 1828 . Gopinath and Hari krishna in the middle, Dharma and Bhakti and Vasudeva on the western side and Revti-Baldevji, Shri Krishna and Suryanarayan in the eastern temple.
Besides the idols installed by Swaminarayan himself, the temple is a place of many memories of Swaminarayan. On the path of the worship circuit of the inner temple, there is the idol of Ghanshyam facing northward. This prasadi temple has prasadi items of Swaminarayan displayed in a museum at the temple.
On the southern side of the temple, there is a big neem tree and the chamber of Vasudeva. Swaminarayan gave several discourses at that place. The court of Dada Khachar has been preserved in its original form.
On the backside, there is the Akshar Oradi temple and Gangajalio well. Lakshmi wadi (place of cremation of Swaminarayan) is situated a little away from the town. At Lakshmi wadi, a single dome temple has been constructed at the place of the funeral rituals of Swaminarayan's mortal remains. A little ahead, there is one canopy where Swaminarayan used to sit and deliver the discourses, and just a little ahead, there is the room of Nishkulanand Swami, where he placed the palanquin prepared by him for Swaminarayan's last journey. A neem tree faces this place, and on its western side, there is one more canopy where Swaminarayan celebrated ‘Sharadotsava’.
Swaminarayan and his saints used to take a bath in the River Ghelo.[1] This river flows in the south side of the temple. There are prasadi river-beds - Narayan Dharo and Sahasra Dharo which Swaminarayan visited frequently.[1] There are small temples of Neelkanth and Hanuman on the bank of the river.
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