Visit The Famous Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Bhuj (2024)

The Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Gujarat is in Bhuj, Gujarat, and one of the most popular places of religious importance in Gujarat and all over India, as well. Keep in mind that there are several Swaminarayan Temples in Gujarat. This particular article is about the Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Bhuj.

The Shree Swaminarayan temple inauguration took place in 2010 and is a replication of the original Swami Narayan temple, destroyed in the 2001 earthquake. The original Swaminarayan temple originated in the 1800s. If you plan to visit the temple premises, read this article to know what to expect.

The Swami Narayan Temple Experience

The new Shree Swaminarayan Temple Temple is of marble and gold. All around, from the pillars to the walls and the domes, you will see intricate carvings and sculptures. While other temples in Gujarat and Maharashtra have intricate carvings on the pillars and the walls, the ones in the Swaminarayan Mandir seem more detailed and crafted better. For example, the Sabhamandap has a ceiling that has several layers of an intricately carved roof. The temple also has a rare depiction of Lord Hanunama, wearing a crown that’s markedly different than the designs that we have seen earlier. In the vicinity, there’s also a lifesize statue of Lord Krishna vanquishing the serpent Kaliya. All this makes it the most expensive temple in Gujarat, and the total cost of the construction was 100 crores in 2010. You will see splendid carvings of Lord Ganesha, the Dancing Shiva, Lord Vithhala, and even some depictions of the Hindu scriptures. 

To reach the main Shree Swaminarayan Temple premises, you will need to climb a couple of steps. The Swaminarayan temple premises have banisters to support the old and the infirm, so that’s not much of an issue. The Shree Swaminarayan temple is not just an important religious place, it is the pride of Gujarat. Made at a whopping cost, the ethereal beauty makes you feel proud and will make you spend as much time as possible at the Shree Swaminarayan Temple.

The visit is a mesmerizing and unforgettable experience, and you spend time in the gardens that surround the temple as well. A visit to the Shree Swaminarayan temple is an excellent experience for those who like to spend time in the greenery and among plants.

You will spend more than an hour at the Shree Swaminarayan temple, exploring all the intricate carvings and sculptures. There aren’t any specific rules and regulations for photography and videography, but make sure that you do not disturb the surroundings and others if you are capturing photographs.

Also, there’s not a lot of commerce activity around the Shree Swaminarayan temple, so you might need to carry along drinking water and some snacks. Also, the weather in Gujarat is rather harsh. The best time to visit the Shree Swaminarayan temple is early in the morning until late afternoon, and these are the times when the sun is at its peak. So, make sure that you carry sunglasses, hats, and anything else that’d you would require to combat the sun, including sun-screen. One pro-tip to tourists is always cover your head with a cap when on a morning or afternoon tour. We are not accustomed to the harsh heat or even the general heat of the outside sun. Even if we do not feel the heat during the day, we might end up with a migraine when we are back in the hotel room – and we will be none the wiser why if we expose ourselves to the sun.

Also, since this is a place of religious importance, it makes sense to dress conservatively while visiting, and this goes for both men and women. Recently, a village has taken objection to even men wearing 3/4 trousers, so make sure that you carry something sensible while visiting any place of religious importance.

The Shree Swaminarayan Temple is in Bhuj, and there are several hotels in the area that offer accommodation at economic rates. At Bhuj, the various hotels are the Click Hotel in Bhuj, the Shiv Hotel, the Orchard Palace and the Hotel KBN and some others. One popular concept that’s been around since a few years are the dormitories.

These are halls with beds and a place to store your belongings. You have airconditioned halls and non-airconditioned halls. While these are very economical – some of them even offer cots at about 300 rupees – you might have some restrictions like not having food arrangements and a curfew time to return to the dorm in the evening. Also, there’s no comforts and amenities like a television and a private bath or washroom.

Places To Visit Near Shree Swaminarayan Temple

The Shree Swaminarayan temple is in Bhuj, which is a place of religious and tourism importance. That’s because there are several places in Bhuj that you can visit. If you check online, you will see several tourist companies offering you tour packages that take you through all the places of religious and tourist importance in Bhuj. The destinations that you can visit are the White Desert of Kutch, the Mandvi Beach, the Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary, the Aina Mahal, the Hamirsar Lake, and then some others. You can also make your itinerary and visit the places that interest you the most, as you will find several tourist services like taxis on hire, etc., in Bhuj.

Ahmedabad and Bhuj are tourist spots, so you will see a lot of hotels that offer you accommodation at budget prices all along.

How To Reach Shree Swaminarayan Temple?

The nearest airport to Bhuj is the Ahmedabad airport, and the distance between Bhuj and Ahmedabad is about six hours. The Bhuj railway station connects to several rail routes as well, so traveling to Bhuj is a hassle-free experience. Bhuj also connects via buses, and you will see several private buses as well as State-run buses running on routes that connect Bhuj. The distance from Bhuj railway station to the Shree Swaminarayan temple is about three kilometers.