Shree Shamlaji Vishnu Mandir is amidst natural beauty gardens on the River Meshwa in the Arvalli District of Gujarat. Shamlaji Temple Timings are from 6 AM to 8.30 PM.
Its ancient name is Harishwachandra Puri. The ancient Shyamalaji Temple makes it famous among Lord Krishna and Vishnu devotees.
Shamlaji Temple
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The temple was dedicated to Sakshi Gopal or Gagadhar, the black image of Lord Vishnu, and Lord Vishnu worshipped it here. For a devotee of Lord Krishna, it is one of the 154 major pilgrimages across India.
Shamlaji is Lord Krishna’s second name. Shamlaji Temple is one of the rare temples of Lord Krishna, where Lord Krishna was worshipped as the preserver and the cow idol was worshipped. A white flag is unfurled here at the temple called Dholi Dhajawala.
What is the History behind the Shree Shamlaji Vishnu Mandir?
There is a legend about Lord Brahma, who once discovered Shamlaji in search of the most sacred place on earth. Lord Brahma practised penance for 1000 years.
Lord Shiva was pleased with penance and asked him to perform Yagya here; thus, Lord Vishnu appeared here as Shamlaji.
Another story relates to the architectural god Vishwakarma, who built a temple here one night and had to leave without being able to take it. From this, a Vaishnavite built a temple and erected an idol here, which has since been restored several times.
The Jain community has run the Shree Shamlaji Vishnu Mandir for many years. The rulers of Idar then handed over the Shyamalaji temple to Madhuri Rao Saheb along with Devdar, Napada, Khalsa, Sansar, Revdar and Modhari.
The temple has an ancient quadrangular idol of Lord Vishnu, which King Harishchandra is said to have erected.
Shree Shamlaji Vishnu Mandir Architecture
The exact construction time of this temple has not yet been found, but according to the story, this divine temple has existed for at least 500 years.
The Shamlaji Temple is a two-storey building supported by white sandstone and brick pillars.
The temple’s outer wall is about 320 feet high and carved with events from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. At the entrance are two large elephant statues and the beautiful idols of Lord Krishna, Vasudev, and Gadadhara.
The temple has an open square on four sides, and it is on a high foundation. Devotees can observe four belt levels: the first layers are lion’s ornaments adorned with a lion’s mouth, the second is elephant skin, mentioned in other Mahabharata and Ramayana events, and the life of the people of Gujarat and Mewar-Rajasthan is also beautifully curved.
In the vicinity of Shyamlaji and Devni Mori, they may have belonged to the 6th century or older.
These idols include Lord Shiva, Lord Vishwa, Lord Vishnu, Lord Rama, Lord Ganesh, Goddess Parvati and others.
Shamlaji Temple Timings
Shamlaji temple timings are that the temple will open from 6 AM to 12:30 PM and 2:15 PM to 8:30 PM. Devotees can go for darshan and aarthi in between at any time.
| Sr No. | Darshan | Shamlaji Temple Timings |
| 1 | Temple Opens | 06:00 AM |
| 2 | Morning Mangla Aarthi | 06:45 AM |
| 3 | Morning Shangar Aarthi | 09:15 AM |
| 4 | Temple closes | Between 11:30 AM to 12:15 PM |
| 5 | Noon Rajbhog Aarthi | 12:15 PM to 12:30 PM |
| 6 | Temple closes | 12:30 PM to 2:15 PM |
| 7 | Noon Utthapan | 2:15 PM |
| 8 | Evening Sandhya Aarthi | After 06:15 PM |
The best time to visit
Shree Shamlaji Vishnu Mandir is one of the most popular pilgrimage sites for the devotees of Lord Vishnu and Lord Krishna in Gujarat.
Various festivals like Tulsi Wedding, Diwali, Vasantha Panchami, Holi, Rama Navami, Akha Trij, Rath Yatra, Hidola Darshan, Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami, Dashehara, Sharad Purnima had celebrated with much joy and devotion.
The festival of lights is celebrated here every year on the full moon night of the month of Karthika.
Full moon days are the best time; thousands of pilgrims visit this place and experience the fair every full moon day.
On the full moon day in the months of Maha and Shravan, a large fair was organized in Samlaji.
The full moon fair in the month of Karthika is also known as Shamlaji no Meadow or Shamlaji no May. Thousands of devotees visit the Shamlaji Temple to seek blessings from Lord Shamlaji.
Highlights
The main idol worshipped here is Bala Gopal, painted by Lord Vishnu. It was considered the only temple in India where Lord Vishnu’s main idol was worshipped along with the cow idols.
Cow idols represent Vishnu’s childhood days as a shepherd. Shamlaji is listed among one hundred fifty-four prominent Hindu places of worship in India.
The Shamlaji Temple is the main venue for the annual fair, held on October 15, the day of Karti Suji.
Through this temple, many devotees from all over the country come to offer prayers and seek blessings from Vishnu.
Food and Accommodation
Wise tourists wandering around the city can visit Hotel Mangal Murthy to stay at a good hotel near the Shamlaji Temple. The hotel is only a stone’s throw from the Shanlaji Temple.
The total time it takes to reach this hotel from the shrine is five minutes. Hotel Mangalamurthy has ultra-modern amenities, including twelve AC and non-AC rooms.
The hotel has a multi-cuisine lunchroom serving the best South Indian and continental cuisine.
It consists of conference and banquet halls capable of accommodating five to six hundred guests.
Other basic conveniences offered by the hotel include Wi-Fi access and free parking. Hotel Ruturaj is the second-best place to stay.
Tourist Attractions
Some of the major tourist attractions near the Shyamlaji Temple are as follows:
- Harish Chandran Chowri: Built in the 11th century, Harishchandra Chowri is an arched structure with two large square pillars.
- It was previously the summer residence of King Harishchandra of Ayodhya. They had built the place without the idol of the inner sanctum sanctorum.
- Kashi Vishwanath Temple: Kashi Vishwanath Temple, one of the famous Hindu places of worship at Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Navpur in Gujarat, is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
- The best time to see this temple is during the ‘Maha Shivaratri’ festival.
- Dev Ni Mori: Dev Ni Mori is a famous Buddhist monastery 2 km from the Shamlaji Temple.
- The monastery was founded in the fourth century BC. Tourists can also see the sacred relics of Lord Buddha preserved in this ashram.
- Shyamal Van: Shyamal Van in North Gujarat had a theme-based garden started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- This well-maintained garden is under the auspices of the Government of Gujarat Forest Department.
How to reach
Road: Ahmedabad (125 km), Local transport: meter fewer auto rickshaws
Train: Himmatnagar Railway Station is 56.4 km from Shamlaji on the Ahmedabad-New Delhi line.
Air: The nearest airport is 125 km from Ahmedabad. It is well-connected to international and Indian cities.
Address
Shamlaji Temple,
National Highway 8,
Shamlaji, Aravalli
Click here for the official Website
Shamlaji Temple Contact Number: 02771240399, 02771240261