Skip to main content

vaishnava · Gujarat

Dakor Ranchhodrai Temple

डाकोर रणछोडराय मन्दिर

Presiding deity: Lord Ranchhodrai (Krishna in his Ranchhod — "one who left the battlefield" — form) — 1-meter black basalt murti relocated from Dwarka by devotee Bodana in 1156 CE

Established: Current temple built 1772 CE by Tambekar Gopalrao Jagannath of Tambe family on the site of the ancient 1156 CE shrine

Darshan timings
06:30–11:55, 16:00–19:30 IST; Mangala aarti 06:45; Rajbhog 11:30; Utthapan 16:15; Sandhya 19:00; Shayan 19:30
Average wait
1–2 hours general; 6–10 hours on Sharad Purnima, Janmashtami, Falgun Purnima (Dakor Mela peak)
Best season
October–March; every Purnima (full moon) and Janmashtami draw massive crowds
Daily visitors
15,000–30,000 (peak: 700,000+ on Falgun Purnima day + 200,000+ on Sharad Purnima)

Significance

One of the 5 most-visited Krishna shrines in India alongside Dwarka, Nathdwara, Vrindavan-Banke-Bihari, and Udupi. The Bodana legend (poor devotee carrying the deity 480 km on foot) is the definitive Bhakti-marga parable of Pushti Sampraday. Falgun Purnima Dakor Mela attracts 7 lakh+ in 4 days — second only to Pandharpur Wari in Gujarati Vaishnavism.

Legend

Bodana, an elderly weaver from Dakor, walked 480 km to Dwarka every Purnima for 72 years to do Krishna darshan. In old age unable to walk, he prayed for relief. Krishna himself appeared and said: "Bring a chariot to Dwarka — I will come with you." Bodana came with a small bullock cart; Krishna walked beside it from Dwarka to Dakor in a single night (1156 CE). When the Gugli Brahmin priests of Dwarka pursued and demanded the deity back, Krishna instructed Bodana's wife Gangabai to offer the deity's weight in gold; she gave only a tulsi leaf and her gold nose-ring — which outweighed the deity, proving Bhakti exceeds material weight. The Gugli priests received gold from a miraculous well; Bodana kept the Lord at Dakor.

How to reach

Dakor town, 90 km east of Ahmedabad and 40 km north of Nadiad. Direct ST buses and shared taxis from Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Anand every 30 minutes.

Nearest airport: Ahmedabad (AMD) — 90 km; Vadodara (BDQ) — 75 km
Nearest railway: Dakor (DKR) — 1 km from temple (Anand-Godhra line)

Where to stay

Temple Trust dharmashala (book on dakor-temple.gov.in), Hotel Dakor Inn, Ranchhodrai Atithi Bhavan, multiple budget lodges in temple square

Primary pujas performed here

  • 5-time daily darshan (Mangala/Shringar/Rajbhog/Utthapan/Sandhya/Shayan)
  • Sharad Purnima Mahaprasad
  • Falgun Purnima Dakor Mela (4-day fair)
  • Janmashtami Jhulan
  • Dol Yatra
  • Tulsi Vivah

What to offer: Tulsi leaves, butter (navaneeta), mishri, malpua, ghee lamps; signature offering: 1.25 kg pure ghee for daily abhishekam (online booking)

Dress code
Traditional only — men dhoti or kurta-pyjama; women saree or salwar with dupatta; leather items prohibited inside garbha-griha
Photo policy
Strictly banned inside main shrine; permitted in outer prakara, Gomti Talav, and temple courtyard

Modern access

Falgun Purnima Mela (March 2026 — 3.5 million expected) is Gujarat's second-largest religious gathering after Bhadarvi Poonam at Ambaji. Trust serves 50,000+ daily mahaprasad. The 105-foot shikhar with 27 small shikharas surrounding it is a Maru-Gurjara architectural masterpiece. Wari-style padyatra from villages within 60 km converges every Purnima — 200,000+ pad-yatris monthly.

✓ Online booking available✓ VIP darshan available

Nearby tirthas

  • Gomti Talav (temple tank, 200 m)
  • Bodana Samadhi (1 km)
  • Galteshwar Mahadev (12 km)
  • Mahudi Jain Tirth (40 km)
  • Shamlaji Krishna (160 km)
  • Dwarkadhish (480 km — original source temple)