Our Dwarka-Nageshwar-Somnath Travelogue

I personally choose to make all my travels with purpose higher than just a vacation. Purpose this time was two fold, meet my brother's family and do the Tirth yatra to Somnath, Dwarka and Nageshwar.

Nowadays, we prefer travelling by self driven Car. Even though really far from home. My wife is not only driver but loves driving more than me, so not one has to be driving end to end. Car journey makes it easy from flexibility stand point. No carrying bags and sleeping kids. No changing modes and bargaining deals. Start and stop at your convenience and not as per the other's schedules. Let me tell you that the end part on these journeys sometime is a bit boring and may make you impertinence but the benefits are worth that this cost.

This time we faced huge traffic due to Christmas time. Our trip got delayed and we were too late. Hence we halted at Samskrita Bharati karyalay of Ahemdabad for 25th night. At Kankaria lake in Ahmedabad, we witnessed the celebration for Atal ji's birthday being awarded with Bharat Ratna. We got an opportunity to have Farki ice cream with my Sanskrit friends of Ahmadabad. Facilities were basic but the company makes difference. Enjoyed getting perspective from the volunteers there while having the Icecream.

We reached Dwarka on 26th where my brother's family and mother met us. We than took a refreshing bath and slept for a while. Climate at Dwarika in month of December was pleasantly cold with breeze flowing all the time. Seems to be best season to visit the place in my understanding. In the same evening, we went to see the beautiful seaside sunset at Dwarka. Like all photo fans, we too did some of that with the family. DwarkaDhish Temple was really lovely to salute post that evening.

DharkaDhish Krishna vigraha [much higher than just an idol or a doll] was so divinely beautiful. We felt as if his one kataksh look at us as vanished all our fatigue due to the

journey of more than a thousand kilometres all the way from Mumbai. We heard that,  that the Dhaja i.e., the flag of the Dharkadhish temple changes four times in a day and the ceremony for the changing is booked till 2018. The architecture of the Dharkardhish temple which is known to be 2200 years old is attractive and amusing even today. It is said that there is no huge foundation to this tall stone temple. It is supported by the five smaller temples surrounding the same. 

Next day morning, saw a couple of beautiful peacocks directly from our hotel room window at Dwarka. Everyone really enjoyed this scene. Apart from this there was nothing too good about Hotel Tirthraj. We had to bath in the cold water on the day of arrival as the hotel arranges the hot water in the morning. One need to do penance as it is before meeting The Lord :)

Next day we visited Bet-Dwarka. Ferry ride in he sea was quiet soothing. We
were a bit delayed and missed the last ferry as 7:30pm. We waited on the cold seashore for a while so as to get a reasonable in the ferry. There was another family similar to ours also waiting. Ultimately, we got one reasonably okay @ Rs.500 for all of us back to Dwarka port. Travelling through the calm see in the freezing night was a unique experience for us though.

 

We all visited the Nageshwar temple. This is a very important Shiva Shrine of India. One of the 8th Jyotirlinga. Near the temple is a beautiful toll Lord Shiva Vigrah in open air. Temple is large. We all could sit and meditate there calmly while the children had got the space to play around. It was a soothing afternoon. 

At Porbandar, we stayed overnight at the Sandipani

Vidyalay Campus. There is a beautiful and large Hari Mandir conceptualised by Shri Ramesh bhai Oza the world famous Bhagawat Kathakar. We had a chance to meet a professor of this school which is considered to be one of the best schools to learn Sanskrit in Gujarat. It was great to listen to Ram Dhani Shukla ji's experiences and praise about Ramesh Bhai Oza's kind approach towards the Samskrit Vidyalay. These Rishis are the ones who have been able to save the knowledge for generations against all odds.

On our way back to Porbandar, we visited Harsiddhi Mandir. Gujarat is full of such temples and shrines of lady goddess. I was just deliberating what is this tradition all about. All of us believe this but hardly anyone has gone to it's roots. I am sure many would have tried. Would be keen to know meet some of them and understand if I come across. We missed on Mahatma Gandhi ji's ashram even after going to Porbandar which I felt we should have visited after passing out.

 

From the car, we saw flocks and flocks of migrating birds. These are called "Kunj" as per a villager washing clothes on the lake. We also dropped by for a while at Madhavpur beach and drenched our feet in the sea water for a while. It's really a neat, clean and beautiful beach that side. The Fresh Coconut water was very tasty and unique here. Further on the way, we had a privilege to see Dhirubhai Ambani's house at Chorwad from the road itself. They seem to have made a memorial there at Chorwad as well.

At Veraval, we reached by afternoon. We got a wash for our car and general checkup. We need it to work as fine on way back to Mumbai. Myself and Dipesh than worked on a ppt an upcoming Samskrit program that Somnath Samskrita Bharati team was working on. I presented my thoughts about development all over India and excitement for Sammelanam in front of many important people of the society at Veraval. The meeting was very positive and a lot of contribution in form of thoughts and commitments came out from this. Thanks to Somnath Mandir Trust which whole heartedly agreed to underwrite all the costs of the trust in that meeting itself. Promotion of knowledge is one of the core jobs of the temples as I understand but ironically very limited people today understand this nowadays.

On the second day at Veraval, we visited the Historic Somnath shrine. Worshipped Shri. Krishna at Bhalka tirth and Geeta Mandir, etc. We met Shri. Jayprakash bhai one of the important priests of Somnath temple. He showcased great respect due to my brothers contact. 

We than planned to see the Lions at Asia's only lion reserve. This time we didn't want to do the traditional Safari. We wanted to do this with the local villagers that too in the night. We activated some contacts all around to see what best we can do for the same. Dhawa, a village near Sasan was suggested. One of our acquaintance who is a local of Dhawa has his farm inside the forest invited us after he got the news of a Cow being hunted by a couple of Lions. We could witness a lion who had hunted a cow there right in the mid night just standing 10 fts away from the threatening animal. I could see surprisingly see no horror in the animal's eyes who saw us when the one of the villagers threw direct torch light in his eyes. Ahhh... a full beard male Lion eating and live!! Photos were not possible, being in the night time.

Than my wife had keen interest to see the peacocks. For a reason my brother knew a small village called Chanduwav 3kms from Veraval. Very beautiful village with many coconut farms all around. We prayed at Chandreshwar temple, the village deity of Chanduwav. After a stroll, we got an opportunity to be hosted by a traditional villager family. We enjoyed Rotla (Bajra bread) and Bengan Oda (brinjal vegetable). Also fresh cow milk was unforgettable. All in all, the Subtle love called "Atithya" in Bharat is remarkable. No hospitality of a five star can be compared with this one. And that's it.

We started back next day for Mumbai bidding farewell to my brother's family, Somnath ji and Land of Gujarat. We chose to travel from Sasan area. Although the travel was slow through the forest zone, we witnessed a few playing peacock and beautiful weather. 

I finished my basic blog writing in the car itself when my wife was driving. I heartily feel it is worth spending some days in Gujarat as suggested by Amitabh Bacchan Advertisement "Kuch Din to Gujarat Me!!".