Ambaji Temple Travel Guide : The Temple Lord Rama Visited (2024)

Ambaji Temple is in the Banaskantha District in Ambaji, a census town in Gujarat. The location is a tourist location, is of cultural interest, and has a connection with mythology.

According to mythology, when Sati immolated herself, her heart fell here. That isn’t the only connection with the mythology that the temple has. Mythology states that this is the location that Lord Rama had visited the temple as a Mata Shakti devotee. Experts claim that the temple is more than twelve hundred years old. Like this temple, there are several Shakti Peethas all over the world. It is one of the fifty-one ancient Shakti Peethas in India. The Ambaji Temple is a unique temple, not just in India but in the world as well. Wondering why, read this article.

The Ambaji Temple Experience

The Ambaji temple in the Banaskantha District in Ambaji, Gujarat is a formidable sight. It is one of the most beautifully decorated temples in the region. It’s a complete marble structure, and the dome of the temple is more than a hundred feet high. The dome has about 300 golden water vessels. The general color coordination you see here is white and gold. This temple is not to be confused with another Ambaji temple that’s about three kilometers away, on the Gabbar Hill.

You see beautiful carvings all along the walls and even the dome of the temple. The reason that the temple is unique is that there’s no idol of the Devi Ambaji in the sanctum sanctorum. There’s a cave-like structure that’s similar to the original Yantras of Nepal and Ujjain Shakti Peeths, known as the Visa Shree Yantra.

Image Source

Photography is restricted here. The pillars of the temple are a sight to see and have a unique design that connects two pillars with an arch.

The Ambaji Temple is a hub for the devotees, and you see them visit the location all through the year, but the place is most crowded during the Bhavar-Badi Poornima. You can even spend some time in the temple, just taking in the way the other devotees show their devotion and spend time in the temple.

Image Source
The visit to the Ambaji Temple is a hassle-free experience and gives you a calming and serene outlook. You can spend around half an hour at this temple, taking in everything that it has to offer. After your Ambaji Temple visit, you have a handful of places that you can visit in the vicinity, so try to make it a weekend trip.

Places to Visit Near Ambaji Temple

Image Source

The first nearby location that you can visit is the Ambaji temple that’s on Gabbar Hill, about three kilometers away from the main Ambaji temple. You can visit the Ambaji temple on the top of the Gabbar Hill via a ropeway. You can pay your respects in the temple and get a bird’s eye view of the entire area. The Ambaji Temple is open from 7 AM to 7 PM. The entry ticket to the Ambaji Temple starts from 95 rupees, and there are different tickets for students, a monthly pass, and an annual pass as well as a Premium ticket and a Complementary ticket.

Image Source
Then, you have the Kamakshi Mandir, which is about a kilometer away from the Ambaji Temple. Around two kilometers away from the Ambaji temple is the Kailash Tekari, a place that gives you a perfect view of the sunset.

One another place of historic and tourist importance is the Mansarovar, said to be almost 200 years old.

Image Source
Another two kilometers away from the Ambaji temple, you will be able to see the Shri Neminatha Bhagwan Jain Temple.

Image Source
The Koteshwar Temple, which is around eight kilometers away has its connection to Indian History, as experts claim that this was the hermitage of Rishi Valmiki.

The Ambaji temple is a place of religious importance. You will meet people from all walks of life. Therefore, it makes sense to dress conservatively and keep an eye out for any rules and regulations that might not be common and very visible. For example, photography isn’t allowed in the Ambaji temple.

There are several hotels around the Ambaji area, as it is a tourist location that caters to all budgets. Look at the terms and conditions of the hotel if you are booking online. Some hotels don’t allow singles to share a room, and yet others don’t allow drinking and smoking within the hotel premises. In some cases, you will need to check the kind of cuisine that the hotel serves. There are chances you might need to make your food arrangements elsewhere if you need specific dishes.

How to Reach Ambaji Temple?

Ambaji Temple is well connected and is about 440 KM away from Surat, 65 KM away from Palanpur, 20 KM away from Abu Road, and 184 KM away from Ahmedabad. Surat is well connected by road and rail to places like Mumbai and Pune, and so is Ahmedabad. The closest airport to Ambaji is the Ahmedabad airport.