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Bhalka Tirtha Temple

To the north of Somnath, via Veraval, there is a famous temple of Lord Krishna called Bhalka Tirtha. It is this place where Lord Krishna was mistaken as deer and was shot with an arrow in the foot. In the memory of Lord Krishna, a tulsi tree has been planted which is worshipped by people from different parts of the country. The temple has an idol of Lord Krishna which is placed precisely.

Near to this temple or Tirtha, there is a small gufa called Baldev gufa. It is said that the elder brother of Lord Krishna, Baldev disappeared in this cave and reached the netherworld since he was believed to be the incarnation of Seshnag. As per some traditions, Lord Krishna left his mortal body here at Bhalka Tirtha. This shrine was built by the God of moon, using gold. It is said that every year, thousands of pilgrims visit this place to seek blessings of Lord Krishna.

Significance of the Temple

Bhalka Tirtha is a well known spot where Lord Krishna was hit with an arrow since he was mistaken for a deer, as he was wearing a deerskin while sleeping. Further it is said that Lord Krishna was then cremated at Dehotsarga at the Triveni Ghat. The story behind this shrine is that there was poacher named Jara. He went for hunting and shot Lord Krishna with his arrow since Jara mistook him for a deer. At this time Lord Krishna was meditating under the peepal tree.

The divine leela of Lord Krishna is immortalized by an exquisite temple together with an old peepal tree. The spot is still under construction and is said that the central government is looking after the development of this spot and temple.

Architecture of Temple

Bhalka Tirtha is a spot where Lord Krishna left his mortal body. Presently this spot has a beautiful shrine which houses the idol of Lord Krishna which shows playing his flute. The shrine also has the ancient peepal tree under which Lord Krishna was mediating when he was hit with an arrow. In the memory of Lord Krishna, there is a tulsi tree also which is planted here.

Presently the Central Government of India is looking after the development of this shrine.

Time to Visit

The weather here is pleasant all through the year. Though summers are warm, yet they are not scorching. The winters are perfect to visit this shrine while the day time of monsoon season is idyllic. No matter which season one chooses to visit this holy shrine, the place is always a bang for the buck.

Nearby Places

Baldev Gufa

Lord Krishna had an elder brother, named Baldev. He was an incarnation of king of snake – Sheshnag. As per legends, Baldev disappeared in this gufa and went to netherworld. Since then, this cave is called the Baldev gufa. Tourists make sure to visit this gufa when they visit Bhalka Tirtha.

Junagadh Gate

Though the place doesn’t have many monuments and forts, yet there are some which might attract the attention of the tourists. One such attraction is the Junagadh Gate. It is said that through this Junagadh Gate, Mahmud of Ghazni entered the city and looted the spectacular Somnath Temple. This gate has prominent amount of historic significance.

Ahilyabhai Temple

The sleepy and small town of Somnath earns incredible fame as it houses one of the 12 Shiva Jyotirlingas. The Ahilyabai Temple was constructed to be a substitute when the main temple Somnath, was ravaged and raided by the invaders. This temple houses an idol of Rajmata Ahilyabai Holkar who devotedly patronized the Hindu Religion in its glory. People worship Lord Shiva in this temple.

Suraj Mandir

Suraj Mandir also called the Sun Temple dates back to the ancient temple when Somnath temple was built. As per the history, Suraj Mandir is situated north of Sangam, spot where three rivers meet. The incredible architecture of this temple has assorted figures of elephant trunks, lions etc.

How to Reach the Temple

  • Through Road – Somnath is approximately 79 kms from Junagadh where this famous shrine is located. It is nearly 25 kms away from Chorwad. The state transport buses together with luxury A/C buses connect this place to different cities of Gujarat.
  • Through Railways –Somanth is the nearby railway station which is located 6 kms from the city Veraval.

Related Image

Bhalka Tirtha Temple
Bhalka Tirtha Temple
Bhalka Tirtha Temple
Bhalka Tirtha Temple
Bhalka Tirtha Temple
Bhalka Tirtha Temple

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