Krishna in Gujarat

From Dwarka to Dakor, Shamlaji and Madhavpur — the Krishna devotion, shrines, saints and traditions of Gujarat.

• Shri Krishna and Gujarat – From Dwarka to Dakor, from Narsinh Mehta to the Pushtimarg havelis, the land and life of Gujarat are woven with love for Bhagavan Shri Krishna.
• Bet Dwarka – The island off Okha that devotees revere as the residence of Shri Krishna, now reached by the Sudarshan Setu as well as by boat.
• Shamlaji – An ancient shrine of the dark-complexioned Gadadhar on the Meshvo river in the Aravalli hills, famous for its Kartik Purnima fair.
• Madhavpur Ghed – The seaside village near Porbandar where, by popular tradition, Shri Krishna and Rukmini were married, celebrated every Chaitra with a joyful wedding fair.
• Porbandar – Sudamapuri – Porbandar, remembered in popular tradition as the home of Krishna's friend Sudama, has a rare Sudama temple and is also the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi.
• Narsinh Mehta, the Devotee-Poet – The fifteenth-century saint of Junagadh and Adi Kavi of Gujarati, whose prabhatiyan and "Vaishnav Jan To" still live in every Gujarati heart.
• Mirabai and Dwarka – Mirabai, who gave her heart to Giridhar Gopal, spent her last years at Dwarka and, according to tradition, merged into the deity of Ranchhodrai.
• Pushtimarg in Gujarat – Shri Vallabhacharya's Pushtimarg is a way of life for Gujarati Vaishnav families, with the eight daily darshans, samagri and Ashtachhap kirtan of the havelis.
• Janmashtami in Gujarat – From Randhan Chhath and Shitala Satam to the midnight birth, Nand Utsav, matki-phod and the great fairs, Janmashtami in Gujarat is a festival of many days.
• The Rath Yatra of Ahmedabad – On Ashadhi Bij, Bhagavan Jagannath rides out from the Jagdish temple in Jamalpur in one of the largest Rath Yatras in India.
• Dwarka: The Flag, Gomti Ghat and Sharada Peeth – The flag changed several times a day on the Jagat Mandir, the fifty-six steps of Swarga Dwar down to Gomti Ghat, and the Sharada Peeth of Adi Shankaracharya.