Porbandar, located barely a kilometer from the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, now a part of the Kirti Mandir located in the center of the city, is perhaps the only temple in the country dedicated to Sudama, who is generally considered to be the childhood friend of Lord Krishna. He is remembered as a friend of.
Neglected till now, this temple is trying to get a facelift and the locals are hoping that it will match the grandeur and popularity of the Dwarka and Somnath temples of Gujarat.
For this task, their hopes are pinned on Union Health Minister Mansuk Mandaviya, who is contesting from Porbandar Lok Sabha constituency.
Sudama Temple, built around 1902-1907, is located in the middle of the bustling market area and a short walk from Sudama Chowk.
Sudama Chowk, an open square with a bus depot as well as taxi and autorickshaw stands, can accommodate 5,000 people, and has been a favorite venue for political rallies and public gatherings.Fifty-year-old Mahant Rajarshi, a priest, who claims his family has been serving the temple for 15 generations, even before the current structure was built, says the renovation of the temple is long overdue. Is.
“This historical temple which symbolizes the friendship of Lord Krishna and Sudama should be developed on the lines of the famous temples of Dwarka and Somnath to increase the number of devotees.
Rajarshi Tol said, "Around 60-80 devotees come to the temple a day. On some days, only 20-30 devotees come to the temple. Whatever they donate gives us our livelihood.,
His father, 81-year-old Rajendra Ramawat and his wife Meera Rajendra have sought grants from the state and central governments for its maintenance along with proper lighting and seating arrangements inside the temple.
Deepak Thobhani, a 70-year-old local devotee, said that Porbandar is about 100 km from Dwarka and the same distance from Somnath, the temple is at a strategic location for the development of religious corridors.
Another devotee, Chandrika, agreed with the idea of connecting the three places of worship.
Hussain Abbas Khatri, a shopkeeper at Sudam Chowk, said that once the renovation is done, the temple will be able to attract devotees and tourists, thereby giving a boost to local businesses.
Khatri claims that his shop is one of the oldest shops in the market.Presently it is Amu Parlour, it used to be an automobile spare parts shop.
Nilesh Makhwana, another native of Porbandar, who now lives in Baroda for business, said, "Whenever I come to my home town I come to this temple. Nothing has changed in the last 30-40 years. "
Porbandar BJP youth president Sagar Modi, who has been making efforts for the renovation of the temple for the last one and a half years, said he has written several letters to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the request.
“Everyone knows that Mahatma Gandhi was born here.But very few people know that Eve Sudama was from Porbandar.
He said, “If this temple is developed like Dwarka, Somnath, Kashi Vishwanath temples, then Porbandar will become one such city and will be known as Gandhi-Sudama Nagari."
Neglected till now, this temple is trying to get a facelift and the locals are hoping that it will match the grandeur and popularity of the Dwarka and Somnath temples of Gujarat.
For this task, their hopes are pinned on Union Health Minister Mansuk Mandaviya, who is contesting from Porbandar Lok Sabha constituency.
Sudama Temple, built around 1902-1907, is located in the middle of the bustling market area and a short walk from Sudama Chowk.
Sudama Chowk, an open square with a bus depot as well as taxi and autorickshaw stands, can accommodate 5,000 people, and has been a favorite venue for political rallies and public gatherings.Fifty-year-old Mahant Rajarshi, a priest, who claims his family has been serving the temple for 15 generations, even before the current structure was built, says the renovation of the temple is long overdue. Is.
“This historical temple which symbolizes the friendship of Lord Krishna and Sudama should be developed on the lines of the famous temples of Dwarka and Somnath to increase the number of devotees.
Rajarshi Tol said, "Around 60-80 devotees come to the temple a day. On some days, only 20-30 devotees come to the temple. Whatever they donate gives us our livelihood.,
His father, 81-year-old Rajendra Ramawat and his wife Meera Rajendra have sought grants from the state and central governments for its maintenance along with proper lighting and seating arrangements inside the temple.
Deepak Thobhani, a 70-year-old local devotee, said that Porbandar is about 100 km from Dwarka and the same distance from Somnath, the temple is at a strategic location for the development of religious corridors.
Another devotee, Chandrika, agreed with the idea of connecting the three places of worship.
Hussain Abbas Khatri, a shopkeeper at Sudam Chowk, said that once the renovation is done, the temple will be able to attract devotees and tourists, thereby giving a boost to local businesses.
Khatri claims that his shop is one of the oldest shops in the market.Presently it is Amu Parlour, it used to be an automobile spare parts shop.
Nilesh Makhwana, another native of Porbandar, who now lives in Baroda for business, said, "Whenever I come to my home town I come to this temple. Nothing has changed in the last 30-40 years. "
Porbandar BJP youth president Sagar Modi, who has been making efforts for the renovation of the temple for the last one and a half years, said he has written several letters to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the request.
“Everyone knows that Mahatma Gandhi was born here.But very few people know that Eve Sudama was from Porbandar.
He said, “If this temple is developed like Dwarka, Somnath, Kashi Vishwanath temples, then Porbandar will become one such city and will be known as Gandhi-Sudama Nagari."
