Visit Rukmini Devi Temple: Dedicated to Lord Krishna’s Queen (2024)

The Rukmini Devi Temple is near Dwarka, Gujarat. It has religious and tourist interest, as it is a temple in dedication to Rukmini, the Queen of Lord Krishna. According to legend, it is one of the oldest temples in India, with experts saying that the origins of the temple are about 2500 years old. There’s some mythology connected with this temple, so read on to know about all that and more.

The Rukmini Temple is about 2 kilometers away from Dwarka City. The road leading to the temple is empty most of the time and is a long winding one, making for a great road trip. The Rukmini temple is also near the Dwarka temple, and there’s a fantastic story related to that. It is a unique one because it is solely dedicated to Rukmini, the first wife of Lord Krishna.

The Rukmini Devi Temple Experience

The Rukmini Devi temple is a bit small compared to the other Hindu temples that you see in Gujarat. The temple has many intricate carvings and sculptures on the walls and the pillars. The sculptures and the carvings are beautiful and something that people interested in ancient architecture must experience. The authorities have maintained the temple well. There’s a sheltered area to walk towards the Rukmini temple. According to experts, the Rukmini temple dates back to almost 2500 years.

The sculptures and carvings depict beautiful women. The base of the Rukmini Devi temple has an inverted lotus carving and the images of Lord Vishnu. Next to the temple is a water body. There’s an Ambamata Mandir and a Hanuman Mandir as you enter the premises.

There are, of course, endless tales of Rukmini and Krishna, and most of them connect them to Dwarka and the places nearby, including this temple. If you hire a tourist guide, they will tell you all the fascinating tales about Rukmini, who devotees consider is an incarnation of the Goddess Mahalaxmi.

Looking at how the temple is deeply rooted in mythology, the architectural beauty, and the ease to access it, the Rukmini Devi temple becomes a must-visit temple in India when it comes to religious tourism India.

You can spend around half an hour at this temple, looking at everything that it has to offer. The visit to the Rukmini Devi temple is a calming, spiritual experience. You will also see locals visit the temple, so you get an idea of their lifestyle and way of living, which is a surreal experience in itself.

There’s not much vendor activity at the temple, so it makes sense to pack drinking water and some snacks if you plan to spend a while at the Rukmini Devi temple.

The two temples, the Dwarkadish and the Rukmini Devi Temple play a part in the Lord Krishna lore. According to legend, Rukmini Devi was supposed to someone else, but she wrote a letter to Lord Krishna, requesting him to kidnap her during the wedding proceedings. Lord Krishna did so. The two got married, once in a Village in Porbandar and again at the Dwarkadish temple. Even today, the wedding procession takes place from the Dwarkadish to the Rukmini temple.

The Rukmini Devi Temple is a religious location, so it would make sense to dress conservatively, not only to follow tradition but also so that you don’t stand out among the crowd as a tourist. This goes for both men and women. Recently, a village has announced that even men wearing half – trousers to the temples wouldn’t be allowed into the temple premises, so make sure that you dress for the occasion

The Rukmini Devi Temple Legend

The myth connected to the temple is that the Sage Durvasa wanted to visit Krishna and Rukmini’s house for dinner. Durvasa said that he would be pleased to visit them, provided that no animal pulls his chariot. For this, Lord Krishna and Rukmini pulled the chariot themselves.

Some believe that the first wife of Krishna, Rukmini, is also Radha, the legendary consort of Krishna, making her one of the many female deities who have multiple forms consecutively. The character is a fascinating

However, because Rukmini had no experience in pulling chariots, she felt thirsty, and Lord Krishna brought the Ganga to the spot to quench her thirst. Sage Durvasa was enraged because both didn’t have the courtesy to ask him for water. Therefore, Durvasa cursed Rukmini, that she and her husband would separate for twelve years.

Rukmini Temple is near Dwarka, one of the most popular places among tourists. So, you will see several hotels that offer you accommodation for all budgets. The hotels available offer you rooms between 1000 rupees and 7000 rupees, depending on the amenities, services, and comfort level. If you are booking the hotel rooms online, make sure to check the rules and regulations and the fine print. Some hotels don’t allow unmarried couples to share a room. Others don’t allow a group of boys to stay in their hotel. Yet others won’t allow a particular type of cuisine, and others don’t welcome pets.

Places Near Rukmini Devi Temple

If you are in Dwarka for a while, you can check out the other places of religious and tourist interest. Dwarka was Lord Krishna’s kingdom, so there are several places to see and visit, like the Dwarkadhish temple, the Nageshwar Jyotirlinga, the Bet Dwarka, and the Dwarka Beach. There’s also the Dwarka lighthouse, where you can spend some time taking in the views of the sea and experiencing the calmness that it provides. The Bhadkeshwar Mahadevi Temple is nearby, a temple that experts claim has been around for 5000 years.

How To Reach Rukmini Devi Temple?

Visiting Rukmini temple is simple, as it is near Dwarka and Dwarka is well connected. The nearest airport is Jamnagar, which is about 137 km away. Dwarka is connected well with cities like Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, etc., by railways. If you plan to travel by road, Dwarka connects well via road as well, to most of the cities in India.