Visit Navlakha Temple in Gujarat: The Temple with its Cost in its Name (2024)

The Navlakha Temple is in dedication to the Sun God. Experts concede that this is the oldest Sun Temple in India. The Jethwa Kings built this Temple sometime in the twelfth century. The Navlakha Temple is in Ghumli, Dwarka District, Gujarat.

Navlakha Temple Experience

The Navlakha Temple is a formidable figure and has a distinct architecture. The Navlakha Temple has two structures. One is the typical dome-like structure we see at all Hindu temples, and the other is a two-storeyed, square structure. Legend states that the name of the Temple is Nav-lakha because it translates to nine lakhs rupees, a formidable amount of money even today. Image Source

You see intricate sculptures on the pillars that depict various animals like elephants, etc. The Temple itself has lush greenery in its background, so all of it is a calming and serene experience. The elephant carvings that exist in the Temple are of specific interest as well, as you don’t see them in many other Hindu temples. You see three other sculptures, those of Brahma – Savitri, Lakshmi Narayan, and Shiva- Parvati.

The Temple is in dedication to the Sun, so there is no idol in the main sanctum sanctorum. The Navlakha Temple is on a small hill. You will rarely find devotees here, and it is a destination that you should visit if you wish to see ancient architecture. You will be able to spend about half an hour here, looking at all the sculptures and taking in the ambiance here. Also, there aren’t many devotees at the Navlakha Temple. It is a place of historical as well as religious importance today.

The Navlakha Temple is away from the city and pretty secluded, so you will need to get any snacks and beverages that you might need. Also, the best time to visit the Temple is in the morning or afternoon, so it makes sense to get yourself something to shield you against Gujarat’s famous heat – like sunglasses and a cap.

The Navlakha Temple is in the midst of greenery, so it all becomes more beautiful during the monsoon. If you are planning to visit the Navlakha Temple, try to during the monsoon season. In the vicinity, you have a Ganesh temple as well. So, the visit to the Navlakha temple is a memorable one for the religiously inclined.

Places To Visit Near Navlakha Temple

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Navlakha Temple is in the Dwarka district. So, if you have a weekend on you, you can visit the other places of cultural, religious and tourist interest all through the weekend. Just near the Navlakha Temple, but on an ascent is the Ashapura Temple. Ashapura is almost seven hundred steps, so this might not be the best option for senior citizens and those who are not comfortable climbing steps.

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The other temples that are in the vicinity of the Navlakha Temple are the Vindyavasini Temple, the TrikamjiBapu Mandir. So, you can plan to visit these Temples while you are in Dwarka. Therefore, the Navlakha Temple becomes an important destination when it comes to religious tourism in Gujarat and India.

The Navlakha Temple is about forty-five kilometers from Porbandar, and you will find several hotels that offer accommodation for all budgets. If you are booking online, make sure that you read the terms and conditions of the booking.

There are chances that the services and amenities that you are looking for might not be available. For example, some hotels do not allow singles to book the same room.

Other hotels might not have the cuisine that you wish. Yet others might not allow pets. So, make sure that you read the fine print before you book the hotels. You might also face issues with the kind of cuisine that’s available, as not all hotels provide the mainstream cuisine that’s available in the cities.

How to Reach Navlakha Temple?

You can travel to Navlakhatemple from Dwarka or Porbundar. If you plan to visit Navlakha from Dwarka, you have all three options. Dwarka has an airport, and there are several connecting flights. Dwarka is a railway stop for all the major trains running on the Ahmedabad route. Also, you can reach Dwarka by bus, as several buses ply on routes that connect Dwarka to the other cities of India, like Mumba, Pune, Delhi, etc. Dwarka is about 115 km and an hour away.

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You can also travel to Navlakhatemple from Porbundar, which is about an hour away. Reaching Porbandar is easy, as it connects well with several other cities in India, like Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, etc. You can travel to Porbandar either by train, bus or air. There’s an airport in Porbandar as well, so the flight connectivity to Porbandar is good.

Porbandar is on the route of most of the buses that ply to Ahmedabad, so you have good connectivity by road as well.