Diverse faiths find a warm welcome in Gujarat’s rich cultural tradition

A stone carving in Udvada (image courtesy: Gujarat Tourism)
” data-image-caption=”

A stone carving in Udvada (image courtesy: Gujarat Tourism)

” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/indiacurrents.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Udvada-pix-credit-Gujarat-Tourism.jpg?fit=300%2C169&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/indiacurrents.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Udvada-pix-credit-Gujarat-Tourism.jpg?fit=780%2C439&ssl=1″ />

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

The Divine Trail

Gujarat has for long attracted visitors from distant lands in search of trade, empire, or refuge. Together with their trade, migrants and colonizers brought with them their cultural influences and religious beliefs, so that Gujarat today has a diversity of places of worship.

Whether it is Jainism, Hinduism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity or Buddhism, all faiths have thrived in Gujarat from ancient times.

For Hindus, the Krishna temple of Dwarka, the Jyotirlingam of Somnath, the Shaktipith of Ambaji, and the holy lake of Narayan Sarovar are among the most important pilgrimage sites. Buddhism thrived in Gujarat between the 3rd century BC and 8th century AD, when many rock-cut caves and stupas were constructed in the state. Among these, Devni Mori at Shamlaji has special importance because a Buddha relic casket was unearthed here. The 12th-century Solanki Rajput rulers were patrons of Jain temples that cover the sacred summits of Shatrunjaya Hill and Girnar Peak, important pilgrimage destinations for Jain devotees.

Christianity grew in Gujarat during the British colonial period. Interestingly, though Jews are a micro-minority in Gujarat, there is a synagogue in Ahmedabad where prayer services and feasts are held on Jewish holy days.

Dwarka—An Abode of Krishna

Dwarka is a place that fascinates every Krishna devotee. The heritage of beachside temples is a unique feature of the state, located alongside the Arabian Sea on the western tip of Gujarat. It is said that it was Lord Krishna’s kingdom. The towering Dwarkadish temple is the focal point of pilgrimage in Dwarka. The Adi Sankracharya Math, the lingam at Nageshwar, the Gomti Talav Tirth, and the island of Bet Dwarka are other attractions for religious visitors to Dwarka. The 12th-century Rukmini Temple, with its delectable carvings and unusual shikhara, is Dwarka’s architectural gem.

‘Dwar’ means door, and ‘Ka’ means Brahma, meaning gateway to salvation. That is the reason the main entrance, which faces north, is called Moksha Dwara. To reach there, one has to cross the narrow lanes lined up with small shops that sell all things related to offerings. The market is too crowded to walk easily, but the first glimpse of the temple forces you to hasten your speed. The intricately carved, tall, conical-shaped spire of the main temple towers over the nearby temple domes. Unlike the façade, the inside view of the temple is very simple.

The temple of Dwarka from a distance (image courtesy: Suman Bajpai)

Somnath—A Jyotirlinga pilgrimage site

The Somnath Temple, or Prabhas Patan, is situated on the sea coast with a beach to the rear and is one of the most sacred places for the worship of Lord Krishna, Lord Shiva, and Shakti, the principal female deity. The seaside temple enshrines one of the most important of the 12 jyotirlingas mentioned in the Shiva Purana. According to tradition, Lord Krishna is said to have been hit on the foot by the arrow of a hunter who mistook him for a deer at Bhalka Tirth and to have left his body at Triveni Sangam. Prabhas Patan is also considered one of the Shaktipiths—it is believed that this is where the stomach of Sati’s body fell following Lord Shiva’s Tandav. The temple commands a superb view of the Arabian Sea. As per the legend, Somnath is built by the moon god, Soma.

The Somnath Temple in Gujarat (image courtesy: Suman Bajpai)

The Gujarat Tourism brochure has this to say… “Somnath carries many mysteries with its presence, and among the wonders is the place where the idol called Somnath was placed. This idol was in the middle of the temple without anything to support it from below or suspend it from above. This floating idol in the air became an amazement then.”

Palitana- An Architectural Marvel

Palitana is one of the most important sites of Jain pilgrimage. The Shatrunjaya Hill, looming up near Palitana town, is revered as a place visited by Tirthankar Adinath, whose chief disciple Pundarika is said to have attained enlightenment here. Covering the two ridges of the hill, several hundred Jain temples form a complex-like structure. These groups of temples are within enclosures called tuks. Within each tuk are lavishly carved Jain temples. Many temples signify our architectural glory in the past, as marvelously carved walls, ceilings, brackets, and balconies have an artistic touch and feel. These temples are embellished with numerous individual sculptures. It takes about two hours to reach the Palitana Jain complex atop Shatrunjaya Hill. A spectacular view of hundreds of temple silhouettes and massive domes can be seen during the climb to the summit.

The architectural marvels of Palitana and Shatrunjaya (image courtesy Gujarat Tourism)

Ambaji—Significant for Buddhists

Ambaji is one of the 51 Shaktipiths – places of worship consecrated to the mother goddess worshipped as Shakti. Millions visit the Ambaji temple town and the hilltop site called Gabbar, which is believed to be the original seat of Mata Amba. This temple town is very lively on auspicious days like Bhadarvi Poonam, the summer and autumnal Navratri festivals, and Diwali Shi Poornam. Shamlaji. Devani Mori, the site where Buddhist stupas once stood, is not far away from Shamlaji. This site holds spiritual importance for Buddhists because a casket unearthed here has an inscription suggesting it held the relics of Lord Buddha.

The Ambaji Temple in Gujarat holds special significance for Buddhists (image courtesy: Gujarat Tourism)

Udvada: A Sacred Place

The Parsees, a group of Zoroastrians fleeing their homeland of Iran about a millennium ago, settled in South Gujarat. Udvada is the most sacred place for Parsees, a word used to denote the Persian believers in the ancient Zoroastrian religion who left their native Iran to seek religious freedom. Fire has been the focus of Zoroastrian devotion and rituals from ancient times, and this band of Zoroastrian followers promised to build a fire temple as an act of thanksgiving.

Thus, the Atashbehram, or high-grade ritual fire, was lit at Sanjan in South Gujarat, where they landed. This secret fire is now at Udvada. The Zoroastrian information center at Udvada offers much information about Zoroastrian rituals and Parsi culture. The Atashbehram can only be entered by Zoroastrians, so the center depicts the interiors of this fire temple.

A stone carving in Udvada (image courtesy: Gujarat Tourism)

Swaminarayan Temple

Around 1822, the first Swaminarayan temple was built in Ahmedabad, following which more temples were built at sites like Bhuj, Vadtal, Dholera, Junagadh, Muli, Dholka, and Jetalpur, including stunning Swaminarayan temples at Sarangpur and Gondal. The Akshardham at Gandhinagar is one of the most impressive contemporary temples, with state-of-the-art shows and aesthetically appealing memorabilia displays.

The temple in Ahmedabad is richly ornamented with teak wood carvings; the three-story haveli in the temple complex is supported by octagonal and square wooden pillars engraved with carvings, with brightly painted facades – each arc and bracket shining in distinctive colors.

The Swaminarayan Mandir (image courtesy: Ahmedabad Tourism)

Jewish Synagogue

The Baghdadi Jews fleeing religious persecution in Iraq landed in Surat, from where they dispersed to Kolkata, Mumbai, and other cities. The Bene Israel Jews came to Ahmedabad and other cities of Gujarat during the mid-1800s. Built with donations from Bene Israel residents of Gujarat, the architecture of this synagogue is very much in keeping with the Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles that were popular in the early 20th century. This synagogue is noteworthy for its collection of Torahs (Jewish scriptures), marble floors, movable pews, and a beautiful menorah (seven-branch lamp).

The post Diverse Faiths Find A Warm Welcome In Gujarat’s Rich Cultural Tradition appeared first on India Currents.

This post was originally published on this site