Pavagadh is a religious and historical place located at the base town of Campaner, in Gujarat. This historical and religious place has Pavagadh Temple, which is a temple of Goddess Kali, an incarnation of Goddess Parvati, Sati, and Durga as power or Shakti. This temple is famous amid the Hindu and Muslim devotee that is visited by thousands of pilgrims every day. They come here to seek the blessings of Goddess Kali. Even though the Goddess has fearful appearance, yet it is believed that she has immense power to grant the wishes of her true devotees.

As a regular tourist attraction this temple is also well known for its picturesque view. As one of the ancient temples, one needs to climb 250 steps to visit the temple. It is just 50 kms away from Vadodra, Gujarat, India.

Significance of the Temple

There is a strong history related with this temple. Maa Kali is considered to be an angry form of our Goddess Durga. Some renowned people like Sri RamKrishna and Swami Vivekananda were believed to be great devotees of Goddess Kali. The temple is considered as one of the prominent temples in India as it grants the wishes of the devotees.

As per a mythological belief, Pavagadh hill is well known as a symbolic toe of our Goddess Sati, who fell on the earth when the grief stricken Lord Shiva, who was Sati’s husband, carried Sati’s body on his shoulders. The religious fervor and myths attract the tourists to come and visit the Pavagadh Temple every year.

Architecture of Temple

The Pavagadh Temple is one of the oldest temples that are situated on the hills of Pavagadh. The temple is beautifully carved and has an idol of goddess Durga or Maa Kali. The temple has a big and open chowk in the front while the idol of Mata Kali is placed in the inner scantum, which is painted in red. There are many images of Maha Kali together with yantra of Goddess Bahuchara. To reach this temple, one needs to walk 5 kms across the jungle else once can reach through the ropeway that hauls the visitors to Manchi.

This temple is located amid the exquisite hills to visit, an excellent photographic location with assorted scenic trails together with many waterfalls.

Time to Visit

The best time to visit Pavagadh Temple is during the full moon in Chaitra in April and again at Dasara in October. One can see thousands of Hindu devotees during this time that come from different parts of the world to see this temple.

Nearby Places

Lakulisa Temple

The Lakulisa temple is situated at Pavagadh, which is one of the earliest temples which are known amid the Hindu people. The remains of this temple date back to the tenth and eleventh century, which are still found in Pavagadh, in Gujarat.

The Shakti Peeth Temple

The Shakti Peeth temple is located nearly 50 kms away from Baroda, Gujarat. It is said that there are three main Shakti peeth temples in Gujarat – one is Ambaji at Arasur, Kali at Pavagadh and the other is Bala at Chunval.

The Pavagadh Fort

One major attraction of Pavagadh is the Pavagadh fort that is one prominent fortresses of Solanki Kingdom. There are some parts of the fort’s walls which can still be found here.

Gate of the Fort Walls

The Gate of Fort Walls means the gates which surround the Pavagadh fort. The main gates which are prominent here are the Machi Gate, The Budhiya Gate, and the Atak Gate, while the other Moti and Sadan Shah Gate are cut out from solid rock.

How to Reach the Temple

• Through Air – The nearby airport is Ahmadabad, if one wants to access Pavagadh Temple by air. This airport is located at the distance of 190 kilometers and 50 kms from Vadodra city. There are numerous flights which connect Pavagadh to some major destinations of India. From airport, you can pick any transport and reach Pavagadh Temple.
• Through Road – State and local transport bus services are provided for the individuals who wish visiting Pavagadh Temple. It is said that travelling to Pavagadh Temple by road is the best option.
• Through Railways –Vadodra Railway station is the closest railway station which runs in the Western part of India. This railway station connects Pavagadh, to major cities of India. From railway station, one can hire taxi or board a local bus and reach Pavagadh Temple.