I lost my heart at "Dwarka"

Last week I was in Gujarat. I made a plan early January, because i want to utilize the vacation 24,25,26.
Gujarat is my always favorite place. I like the people, language, food.
I planed for Somnath, Dwarka, Amdabad and Akshardham.

I had a wish to make a darshan at Akhsardham, because the follower of Swaminarayan believe Akhsardham as holy place and must visit. All though i am not a true disciple of Swaminarayan, but to a sum extent i follow them. The laws of the sampraday are very good. Although i think they are the Hindu counter part of Jains, if you see the rules you can come to know.

The time is not going well, because of recession, so to keep my mind cool i made the visit.
(The great loss during this visit that i missed to attain IITB Tech fest 2009)

One of my friend Arnab stays in Rajkot, so i made this my base point.

Started journey on 23.01.09 from Mumbai. There are lots of bus service available for Rajkot, even today bus ticket can be booked through net. Non AC Semi Sleeper is 500/-. Took the bus around 10:30 p.m. and reached at around 12 noon at Rajkot.
I stay in Rajkot and visited Ramakrishna Mission in Rajkor, attained the prayer over there, i wished to visit the Swaminarayan Temple but i could not because of time.

Next day Arnab and i went for Somnath Darshan.
City ST Bus stand-catch bus for Veraval (Rs. 80-90 in Govt. ST bus), it took around 5 hours to reach to Veraval. The journey was good, in between the way we got few places like Junagadh, it is the capital of Junagadh dist. Near Junagad there is GIR Sanctuary-lion sanctuary. We found few Swaminarayan Temple on the way. If some body wishes to visit Palital (the most sacred temple of Jain) then he can take rest in Junagadh and make a plan to Palitana. Palitana is one my target palace to visit.
We went in Somnath temple around 1-30 p.m. From ST bus stand there is plenty of riskaws for Somnath temple.
Somnath Temple: It is said the major Jotirlinga out of 12 Jotirlinga of bagavan Siva. The temple was attacked by Md. Gazani 17 times, and destroyed. But with the help of Sardar Ballavbhai patel others it was given a new shape which we enjoyed. "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somnath"
This is the end of India, because it is situated on the beach of Arabian Ses.

We came back from there after passing 1 hour, and coming back to Rajkot again. we tried to go to Porbandar and stay a night there and if get time then will see the birth place of Mahatma Gandhi. But we did not get any bus to go Porbandar so come back to Rajkot.



Dwarka: Next day I had to travel alone, because Arnad was scheduled to busy some another job. From Rajkot there is very few buses which directly go to Dwarka, better 1st go to Jamnagar, and then Dwarka if you do not get any direct bus. So try to go early in the morning. Better, plan to stay at Dwarka for 1 day.
The Bus fare from Rajkot to Jamnagar is Rs. 55. Time taken 2.30 hrs. Took breakfast in Jamnagar. Gathiya, papri, Khaman, Puri Sak, Sev tomato are the most fast food in all over Saurastra. The language is called Gathiyawari, but understandable.
While going to Dwarka I had a view of Relience Jamnagar Refinery, in night it looks like a big city like Mumbai, even Esser is also big.
From jamnagar to Dwarka it took around 3 hrs. to reach there. Bus fair Rs 85.

Dwarka was extra ordinary. while "Arati" was going on i relay felt that i lost my heart at there. I can not write the feelings i had.
There is another dwarka called Vet Dwarka. It is 30 K.M. away from Dwarka to wards Okha. which is the last point of India, even the aerial distance of Pakistan is not so fer from that place.
It is an i-land, and there are lunches for go to that place. I enjoyed the journey to Vet Dwarka, but the exciting moment was, while crossing the sea by the boot we got plenty of sea birds fly with us and took food like biscuit, snacks, bread from our hand. This was relay wonderful.
On the way you get Tata Chemicals where they manufacture Tata Salt, the name of the place is Mithapur.
I first visited Vet Dwarka, then Dwarka and then come back to Rajkot.
There is an another place called Kaleshwar Shiva, which is also a Jotilinga situated 21 k.m. away from Dwarka, but due to short time i did not make it.
There are few buses from Dwarka for returning to Rajkot or Amdabad.
7.30 p.m. for Amdabad and 9.30 p.m. for Rajkot. Please remember after that there will be no buses for returning to the Rajkot, because the last ST bus is for Jamnagar around 5.00 p.m and for Rajkot it is 4.30 p.m. During this visit I meet one DVC engineer.
After darshan of Srinath Ji, I came back to Rajkot around 2.30 a.m.