At around 1 pm in the afternoon we finally started our journey to one of the four Dhams in India that is Dwarka, Also known to be the capital of Lord Krishna’s Kingdom.
Making our way out from Kutch district (please refer earlier blog), we were literraly dragging ourselves out and wanted to extend another day to explore some other places around and spend another day in Bongos, but yes there was more in the list of our trip so just kept moving ahead. We took a stop at Bhirandariya village again to pack some Mawa to take home.
We checked the tyre pressure of our car and moved ahead rapidly as we didnt book our stay in Dwarka and I had an assumption that it will be mostly a rural area. Maps read that without break we will be reaching the destination by 10:30 pm and I didnt wanted to delay anymore. But hardly after one hour drive my stomach started crying and this time I was seriously way too hungry. We couldnt find any good restaurants and I started getting irritated a bit. (Hunger got the anger in me).
Some how around 2:45 pm we got a dhaba. Had normal Gujrathi Thalis over here, food was average but a funnier incident happened. While making payment I just made a comment to the cashier (who was eating a kulfi) . He was so kind enough to give us Kulfi’s for free :). Good gesture impresses some times 😀
Got into the car and enjoyed Kulfi over drive. We reached the Highway and roads werent that interesting. Plain and had become boring, but I had to pickup the speed to reach as early as we could.
Finally around 6 pm we reached Jamnagar and over here we decided to take washroom break and tea (its a default in all my blogs :P). Jamnagar seemed to be a developed city, it gave vibes of a posh city .Took break for tea and checked for hotel availablility but mobile was almost dead, so decided to take a risk to book on the spot or backup was car for our rescue.
As we left the City area of Jamnagar as usual expected dark horryfying roads but just thirty minutes later witnessed bright street lights all around and roads giving vibe as if you are driving outside India, only to notice the big board of Reliance over there. And for next few miles it was just Reliance manufacture plant and refineries (By looking at the acres and acres of land of just business owned by one company, Reliance have really given employement to a lot of people).
As moved a bit further had glimse of Nayara Refinery as well. Once crossed that the roads were good with colourful blinking radium lights on the streets and with very few vehicles imlplies very few beaming headlights. We could catchup a good speed.
We managed to reach Dwarka City around 10:30 pm. And just when I stationed the car near the road, a guy came to us saying will help us provide hotel for better price. New place and sister with my company, I couldn’t trust that guy and before he called few more people to help us. I just put my step on the accelerator and moved ahead couple of miles and made a stop to quickly check any stays available online. There were hardly any options online (most of the hotels here have boycotted online hotel booking system).
Somehow I found one, I booked it and set the destination on maps to Hotel location only to find that the place was very shady and also the hotel was not operational. By now it was 11 pm, so decided just to go to the city after circling around 15 minutes only to find out that the place where I stationed the car for the first time is the only place where most of the hotels are available and temple Dwarkadish was just in its vicinity.
Just moved ahead and with fingers crossed just enquired at the first hotel, and luckily he said rooms are available. From here we could hear the Hindu rituals reciting from the Temple. Without wasting much time we got fresh and the receptionist of the hotel was very kind enough to help us to order food even though most of the restaurants had been closed. We ordered Daal Rice and Fried Rice. The Receptionist also gave us all the information about how we can explore all the places. It was past midnight and I was really tired, and after having some adventureous drive I bet everyone gets the best sleep :).
Morning waking up early had become a habit by now. Next day got up around 7 am and got fresh (water was still a bit salty). Got ready and since had very short time to cover a lot of things just rushed out to explore.
We first made ourselves towards one of the the twelve Jyotirling temple : Nagesvar temple. Enroute it was completely rural area and we for a second even felt “Are we really in Gujurat?”. It gave a vibe as if we were in Uttar Pradesh.
Before the maps could say reached your destination, we could spot the temple by virtue of big statue of Lord Shiva which was delight to see from long range. We thought there would be long queues to take blessing of lord ( assumed based on other Jyotirling temple ), but there was hardly any crowd. We took the blessings and had Prasad ladoo(some to take at home and some to make up for skipped breakfast 😛 ). Walked along the vicinity of the temple. The shades from the trees surrounding the temple were relief to otherwise harsh climate outside (even though it was 8:30 am in the morning).
And now I took risk to explore the westmost tip (and literraly messed up the further plan). So made ourselves to Okha fort, just quickly Googled the information about this place and it seems there is a temple, “Beyt Dwarka” and you can reach this temple by ferries plying from this port.
Roads weren’t good for last few miles ( also lost one of the screw of front number plate of car which was hanging on one side ). The place was average. (For a guy like me born and brought up in coastal area it didnt mesmerize much)
We clicked some pictures from the port which were loaded with trawlers and ferries docked. The water had a shade of green colour to it.
The climate was way to harsh for us to take a ferry and go to temple so decided to come back to witness the main Dwarkadish Temple, and also by 11 am we had to check out from Hotel.
We reached our hotel at around 11:30 am and I was rushing up to check out and get luggage, that while entering a Kind old guy (who was a truck driver) came to me and even though he knew only his local language and communication was an issue but still he managed to explain me that the number plate of my car is hanging and told if I lose it its a big problem (the way he explained made me listen it 🙂 and act like I wasnt aware of it at all). He tightened the screw on one side and by sharing a good rapport smiles both went ahead with our businness :).
loaded car with bags but since had skipped our breakfast, decided to have our brunch itself. So entered a decent restaunrant and ordered some Aloo Paranthas and tea. We got to know from the waiters that everyone working in that restaurant had come from Nepal including the owner :). The temple was just at the corner of this resto, but it was now around 12 :15 pm and the waiters told us that temple closes at 1 pm and than remains closed till 5 pm in the evening.
Now this close time I wasnt at all aware about and was worried if its way too crowded how could we get to witness and get blessings of deity. But without loosing hopes went ahead. Parked our car and entered the the temple area. Took some prasad (was like a chakra : weapon used by Lord Krishna) and went inside. It was crowded but there you will be entertained by lot many priests . Priests were wearing a very different kind of costume (seems Lord Krishna’s Kingdom used to wear such type).
One priest took the prasad we carried, did some rituals and gave us back, also he showed us way from where we could witness the beautiful statue of deity inside. When I had first look of it, one word to explain it all “impressive”, loaded with gold and precious stones. Some how in the crowd we took the blessings.
After taking blessings. roamed around to see the architecture of the temple. It was really beautiful.(Photos weren’t allowed from inside so clicked a few from outside.). It was like an ancient Sun temple with very fine carvings and artistic look. Also we can climb till some floors of this temple (Didnt get a chance as temple got closed at 1 pm sharp).
And as we were going towards our car there were lot of street vendors selling dresses and various artifacts for really reasonabale prices, that my sister couldnt resist exploring. Only to know later we were out of cash. (It literraly took us 1 hour to get to ATM and get some cash, we almost roamed around the entire market area). Once cash in hand it was her time to start her shopping and me at back of mind planning further about how to reach next destinations , But thought why rush, came out to explore lets not rush and dropped plan to visit Somnath Temple (Pushed it to next day).
Street Shops selling Traditional Dresses. 
Sudama Setu
Most of the shops had closed by 2 pm but there were still enough to explore. After done with shopping at around 4 pm we decided to bid Bye to this place and one to keep in memories. But how could we leave Dwarka only by meeting Lord Krishna and not Goddess Rukhamani . So we didnt waste time to visit Rukhamani Temple.
At 4:45 pm after blessings finally stepped foot on the accelerator for our next destination , but how can I move ahead without tea :P. So had some tea with chips right infront of the Dwarkadish temple Entrance gate (photo shared at start of blog). And now it was finally time to leave this place.
Our next destination was something special and full of adventure and fun but to reach that destination we had to go via Porbandar so planned to take a mini stop at this place. I was a bit tired but as we moved ahead and views of big windmills and fields just took away the tiredness from my eyes. We even took a stop to click photo of a peacock which was roaming along the road.
We reached Porbander at sharp 6:30 pm and once in Porbandar how can one not think of exploring the place where the great Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi was born. Making ourselves through small lanes we reached Kirti Mandir (Mahatma Gandhiji’s house name , even I didnt knew untill that time) and I think this day we had some luck going on our side as it seems it was about to get closed by 7 pm. We quickly explored the places along with timeline photos. There is a musuem dedicated to great leader with various photos and belongings of him.
Entrance Door 
Place where Great leader was born 
Mahatma Gandhiji’s Parents 
Museum 
Full Moon Day 
Mahatma Gandhi with Wife Kasturba Gandhi 
City Market
I had earlier assumed that this place will be somewhere in the outskirt but nothing awaits to prove me wrong. The market area was very big with multiple lanes . We just walked to get vibe of this place. Had two cups of tea each :).
And by now it was 7:30 pm and what was awaiting us was more 150 kilometers and that too had to travel through one of the dense forest of the country. (Read next blog for details)
Singing off Untill next destination. Please do like and follow if you liked reading blog 🙂
Travel Diary 