Shri Damodar Hari’s Temple
Shri Damodar Hari’s Main Temple
Shri Damodar Pilgrimage is situated along the road to Girnar in Junagadh city in the south of Saurashtra. The renovation of this pilgrim place was done during the regime of king Skand Gupta who was from the Gupta dynasty in the year 462 A.D.
Main Temple
The Shri Damodar Hari’s main temple is made up of two parts—Nij mandir’s shikhar is 65 feet and the height of saloha Mandap’s shikhar is 30.5 feet. In all the Nij mandir and the saloha Mandap has 32 arcs and 84 decorated and well crafted pillars. A flag has been hoisted at the apex of the Nij mandir.
Here Shri Lord Damodar Hari seats in the form of Chaturbhuj-Vishnu. The holy statue of Shri Damodarji sits as Vigrah and near this sits the other form of Damodarji known as Nana Damodarji. Four hands of Damodarji occupies Shankh, Chakra, GAda and Kamal—the lotus. Radhaji is seated next Damodarji. Next to Shri Hari there is a temple of elder brother Shri Balramji. There is a garbhagruha and a small sabha mandap in this temple compared to the toher. The height of the garbhagruh till the apex of Shri Daoji mandir is 35.5 feet and the height of the apex of the Sabhamandap is 16 feet. In the Daoji temple premises there are two statues of Lord Balram, one small and the other large in size. Along with Shri Balramji Shri Revathiji is also placed.
In the south-west side of the temple there is a temple of Shri Ganapatiji. There is a beautiful life size statue of Ganapatiji in this temple.
By bathing in the Damodar kund and by worshiping the deities here the pilgrims feel very obliged.
Other Holy Place
Damodar Kund Shri Damodar Pilgrimage is situated along the road to Girnar in Junagadh city in the south of Saurashtra. The renovation of this pilgrim place was done during the regime of king Skand Gupta who was from the Gupta dynasty in the year 462 A.D.
When we think of Junagadh then we memorize in our mind the “Giri taleti” and “Damodar Kund”.
In the Skand purana it has been described that the Damodar kund rests in the path of river Swarna Rasha. The size of Damodar Kund is 40 feet high, 56 feet broad and 5 feet deep. By bathing in this river people get rid off their sins. The Pilgrims who take bath here by having fasts in the month of Kartak especially on Agyaras and Baras goes divinely at the feet of Shri Hari. The famous devotional poet of Junagadh Shri Narsinh Mehta used to take bath here everyday and used to worship Shri Damodar Hari. Many pilgrims from India and abroad feel themselves blessed by taking bath in the Damodar kund.
The other form of Shri Damodarji appeared as Chaturbhuj and resides by river Ganga and the rest of the pilgrimage places. The form has shankh, charka, gada and padma (lotus). It is somewhat 12,500 years old divine Tamravarna Swaroop that resides here.
Shri Kalyan Raiji
Shri Kalyan Raiji sits on the right side of Shri Damodarji. The form is known as Kalyan Raiji. According to the people there is a seat of Shri Pradhumanji, the son of Shri Krishna. As this son of Shri Krishna has done good deeds for the people he was known as Shri Kalyan Raiji.
Shri Radhaji
There is a seat for Shri Radhaji on the left side of Shri Damodarji. The form of Shri Radhaji is also as ancient as that of Shri Damodarji. In the ancient days they were worshipped as a couple.
Shri Laxmi-Narayanji
There is a seat for Laxmi-Narayanji as a couple in black colour near Shri kalyan Raiji. Both Laxmi and Narayan have been carved from one single stone which is very ancient.
Revati Kund
On the west side of Damodarji temple is situated the Revati Kund. Revati kund is bonded with the divine marriage of Shri Balramji and Revatiji. The length of this Revati kund is 52 feet, breadth 52 feet and depth 37 feet. Ast he Revati kund is quite deep it is beneficiary to do ritualys on the steps of the river. Only the swimmers who are well-versed with their swimming should take bath inside the river.
Shri Revatiji sits at the left side of Shri Balramji as his wife. In Junagadh there was an ancient city named Raiwat nagar. Revati, who was the daughter of King Raiwat, appeared in the form of Kanya Ratna as Prasad of the pruthesthi yagna. She was engaged to Shri Balramji.
Purshottam Raiji
On the right hand side of Shri Balramji resides an ancient form of Shri Purshottam Raiji. As per the Hindu religion in every 3 years there comes Adhik mas (Purshottam Mas). During this month there is a significant importance for the special poojas performed for purna Purshottam Raiji.
Baldevji’s Raschoro
At the top of Revatikund there is Baldevji’s raschoro. This monument is under the archeological department of India. Here Shri Daoji along with Shri Revatiji has performed raslila at the night of Chaitra-Sud poornima. By worshiping this place and bowing to this part of ground the pilgrim feel themselves divinely obliged. After marrying the ancient form of Balramji Revatiji also resides here. This black coloured statue is considered to be somewhat 4500 years old. In the same way the Sheshai Sankarshan form sits here than any other part of India. On the left of the for is the symbol of plough which brought a green revolution by the pioneer shri Balramji who is also worshipped by the farmers. They also vow to donate Hando Khir at his feet.
The Seat of Shri MahaPrabhuji
The founder of Pushti Sampradaya Shrimad Vallabhacharayaji (MahaPrabhuji) once visited Damodar pilgrim. Here he remitted the shrimad Bhagwat. In that memory there is a 74th seat of Shri Mahaprabhuji. Here PushtiMargya is a holy pilgrim for Vaishnav community.