Shree Ranchhodraiji Temple also known as Dakor Temple is located in Dakor’s Kheda district. The temple honours Lord Ranchhodrai in the form of Lord Krishna. Dakor Temple is a pilgrimage site where Lord Krishna is worshipped and a large number of devotees flock there. Devotees come to the temple to receive blessings, pray, and participate in various religious rituals.

Dakor was once a pilgrimage centre in Gujarat, famous for the Danknath temple, a Shiva worship site. With the growing fame of Ranchhodraiji (form of Lord Shri Krishna) temple, which was built in 1772 A.D., it later developed into a Vaishnavite centre.

Story Behind Shree Ranchhodraiji Temple

Shree Ranchhodraiji Temple, also known as Dakor Mandir, was built in 1772 A.D. in Dakor, Gujarat by Gopal Jagannath Tamabekar, a Gayakwad banker and Peshwar Ruler. This temple is a major pilgrimage site for Lord Shree Krishna devotees. This is a massive temple that houses numerous artistic sculptures. Shree Vijaysinh Bodana, a great devotee of Lord Shree Krishna who lived in Dakor many years ago, is closely associated with the Ranchhodrai temple story. He used to go to Dwaraka on foot with the Krishna idol for Darshan of Lord Krishna regularly.

Lord Shree Krishna promised him in his previous birth that if he worshipped the Lord faithfully, the Lord would come to him one day. He also brings a Tulsi leaf in an earthen pot to offer to Shree Krishna on each visit. As he grew older, he gradually lost his ability to walk, but he was pleased by his devotion and worship. In a dream, Lord Krishna told Bodana to return to Dwarka with a bullock cart to take me to Dakor. Bodana followed Lord Shree Krishna’s instructions and transported Lord Shree Krishna’s idol to Dakor on a bullock cart in Vikram Samvat 1212.

In the early morning, Lord Shree Krishna stopped at the Neem tree of Bileshwar Mahadev on the Nadiad Dakor Road and told Bodana to drive the bullock cart to Dakor. When Lord Shree Krishna touched a branch of the Neem Tree, it became sweet from that day forward.

It was said that while Bodana was sleeping, Lord Shree Krishna took the command of the bullock card and brought him to Dakor. When Bodana arrived in Dakor, a priest from Dwarka stopped him and asked him to return the Krishna idol. However, Lord Shree Krishna requested that Bodana hide the idol in Gomati Lake. During the meeting with Bodana and the priests of Dwarka, one priest became enraged and threw a spear at Bodana, killing him at Gomti Ghat and turning the entire Gomati river red.

Even so, the priests were dissatisfied and went on a hunger strike at Gomati Ghat. Then Lord Shree Krishna instructed Gangabai, Bodana’s wife, to give them the statue’s weight in gold. Gangabai only had one nose ring, but when it was placed on a scale next to the idol, the idol became lighter than the nose ring. Thus, this hopeless priest returned to Dwarka, but Lord Shree Krishna blessed them and informed them that the same idol could be found in Dwarka’s Sevardhan Vav – step well – after six months. Then Lord Shree Krishna stayed in Dakor permanently. Lord Shree Krishna is known as Raja Ranchhod Rai and Dakor Na Thakor in this region.

Lord Shree Krishna’s idol was installed at Danknath Mahadev temple and devotee Bodana’s home for many years until Vikram Samvat in 1650. Around 1650 – 1700, Harirayjee Maharaj, a descendant of Shree Vallabhacharya, visited Dakor for Ranchhodrai darshan. He inspired descendants of Bodana and other Brahmin families to worship Lord Shree Krishan according to Pushthi Sampraday and established various Raja Ranchhod rai Puja vidhi and rituals.

History of Shree Ranchhodraiji Temple

The surrounding area of Dakor was known as the ‘Hidamba’ van (jungle) during the time of the Mahabharata. It was a dense forest. It was beautiful and full of streams and lakes. It had become appealing to the sages to establish a hermitage for penance. Similarly, Dank Rishi had an ashram (hermitage) in this area. Lord Shiva was pleased with him during penance and asked him to demand something. Dank Rishi then asked Lord Shiva to stay in his hermitage indefinitely. Lord Shiva granted his request.

He vanished, leaving nothing behind him. Danknath Mahadev is his doppelganger in the form of Ban (Ling). Dakor was thus known as ‘Dankor’ in ancient times after Dankanth Mahadev’s name. It was also known as khakhariya due to the abundance of khakhra (palash) trees in the area.

The architecture of Shree Ranchhodraiji Temple

Shri Gopalrao Jagannath Tambwekar built the current Shree Ranchhodraiji Temple in 1772 A.D. for a sum of one lakh rupees. It was constructed with brick walls and stone pillars. It stands on a 168-foot-by-151-foot plinth with twelve stone steps on each side and is surrounded by a large courtyard. It has eight domes and twenty-four turrets, the tallest of which is 90 feet, making it the district’s tallest temple. The temple’s main gate overlooks the (now crowded) banks of Lake Gomati. The silver gates are guarded by the Vedic Gods – Lord Ganesha, Sun, Moon, and so on – who are beautifully carved in high relief. The gate provides access to the main courtyard.

Drummers, according to tradition, sit atop the main gate on their balcony. During the main darshans and Aarti times, the “Nagarkhana” is filled with music. On either side of the courtyard, two tall structures house the thousands of lamps that are lit during the holiday season. This multi-story, multi-tiered structure is typical of mediaeval Gujarati temple architecture. Back at the front gate, marble stairs lead to the temple’s main audience chamber, the Jagmohan – literally, the place where the world is charmed (by the Lord’s beauty). Devotees can enter the main audience chamber through three large entrances.

The audience chamber’s large open square structure is topped by an imposing, glittering dome. Until recently, the dome was painted in the classical Bundi style with Shri Krishna’s rasa-lila. This was recently replaced by an intricate mirror work inlay depicting flowers and trellis in a classical Rajput garden. Murals depicting Lord Krishna’s life adorn the walls of the audience chamber. A small section of the chamber is fenced off and reserved for women. The inner sanctum of Ranchodrai, like all classical temples, is set in a straight line from the temple’s main gate. In the inner sanctum, the Lord sits beneath a canopied pavilion.

The entire structure is raised on a marble platform, and the pavilion’s pillars are gold-plated. Silver covers the intricately carved doors and windows to the inner sanctum. There are three entrances to the inner sanctum. The door to the Lord’s right enters from the antechamber, leading to a special bathroom where priests must bathe before entering the inner sanctum.

Corridors from here also lead to the Lord’s treasure house, which houses His countless jewels and clothes. The main audience chamber is visible through the door in front of the Lord. The Lord spends as much time as possible with His devotees at Dakor. The main entrances to the inner sanctum are open for the majority of the day.

Facts about Shree Ranchhodraiji Temple

• Shree Ranchhodraiji Temple is located in Dakor, Kheda district. This temple is also known as Dakor Temple.
• Shree Ranchhodraiji Temple, surrounded by a fort wall, is located near the bank of the holy lake Gomti, in the heart of Dakor’s main bazaar.
• The Shree Ranchhodraiji Temple has 8 domes and 24 turrets, with the central dome reaching a height of 27 metres. This temple is the tallest in the district, crowned with a golden kalash and a white silken flag.
• Ranchhodji, a name for Lord Krishna that means “he who left the battlefield,” is said to have inspired Gopal Jagannath Ambekar, a shroff of a Peshwa’s court in Poona, to build a vast and magnificent temple.
• The temple was constructed in 1772 AD. The main Ranchhodrai idol is 1 m tall and 45 cm wide and is richly adorned with gold, jewels, and expensive clothes.
• The Gaekwad of Baroda presented its throne, an ornate masterpiece of woodcarving plated in silver and gold.
• Today, this location is known not only as a pilgrimage site but also as a trading centre where one can purchase puja and other ritual-related items.
• Recently, the Government of Gujarat designated Dakor as one of six major pilgrimage sites under the “Yatradham Vikas Board” for development as a well-planned and well-organized pilgrimage site to accommodate the millions of visiting pilgrims.

Famous Festivals In Shree Ranchhodraiji Temple

• Krishna Janmashtami – Lord Krishna was born on Ashtami, the eighth day of the Hindu month of Bhadra. The celebrations at the Temple begin early in the morning and continue until late at night.
• Holi – This festival is celebrated in the month of  Phalgun (Feb – March). During the celebration, people celebrate with colours and also celebrate and enjoy in temples complex.

How To reach Shree Ranchhodraiji Temple

The best time to visit the Shree Ranchhodraiji Temple is between November and February, and during Janmashtami which is celebrated grandly here.

By Air: The nearest airport is Vadodara International Airport, which is 61 km away from Shree Ranchhodraiji Temple.

By Rail: The nearest convenient railway station is Dakor Railway Station, which is 2 km away from Shree Ranchhodraiji Temple.

By Road: State Transport Bus services connect Dakor with Nadiad, Ahmedabad, Kapadwanj, Baroda, Bombay, and others. The nearest bus stand is Dakor GSRTC Bus Station, which is 1 km away.

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