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.

Porbandar, on the Saurashtra coast, is remembered in popular tradition as Sudamapuri, the town of Sudama, Shri Krishna's childhood friend. The Shrimad Bhagavatam tells his story with great tenderness. Though desperately poor, Sudama lived with contentment and devotion. At his wife's urging he set out for Dwarka to meet his old friend, carrying as a gift only a small bundle of flattened rice (poha). The Lord of Dwarka ran to embrace him, washed his feet with his own hands and accepted that humble gift with immense love. Sudama asked for nothing, yet when he returned home he found a mansion full of plenty where his hut had stood.

In memory of this friendship the Sudama temple stands in the heart of the city, one of the very few temples in India dedicated to Sudama. In its courtyard is a small maze-like path that people call "Lakh Chorasi"; pilgrims walk through it with the prayer of being freed from the round of eighty-four lakh births. Devotees leave carrying the lesson of true friendship, selfless love and contentment.

Porbandar is also the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, who was born here on 2 October 1869. The Kirti Mandir, built beside his ancestral home, preserves his memory. Gandhiji came from a Vaishnav family, his mother Putlibai was deeply religious, and Narsinh Mehta's bhajan "Vaishnav Jan To" was among his most beloved hymns.

Practical note: Porbandar is connected by rail, road and air. It lies on the coastal route between Dwarka and Somnath, so pilgrims often combine Dwarka, Porbandar, Madhavpur and Somnath in one journey.

District

Porbandar