Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Gopinathji Dev Mandir), Gadhada
Gopinathji (Krishna) with Radhaji and Harikrishna Maharaj (Swaminarayan) temple · Gadhada, Botad, Gujarat, India
Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Gadhada, Botad district, Gujarat, is better known to devotees as the Gopinathji Dev Mandir. Wikipedia and the temple pages of the Swaminarayan dioceses record that Swaminarayan himself installed its images on 9 October 1828, making it one of the six temples built under his direction.
The temple stands on land that was the courtyard (darbar) of Dada Khachar, the darbar (ruler) of Gadhada, whose family were among Swaminarayan's closest devotees. Gadhada, on the River Ghela, was where Swaminarayan spent much of his later life, and the temple, the preserved darbar and the nearby Lakshmiwadi garden together form one of the most important pilgrimage places of the Swaminarayan tradition.
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Gopinathji Dev Mandir), Gadhada
According to the Vadtal diocese (Shri Swaminarayan Vadtal Gadi), Swaminarayan stayed in Gadhada for 25 years and 8 months, making it the centre of his mission. Many of the discourses later collected in the Vachanamrut, the tradition's principal scripture, were given here; Wikipedia identifies the chamber of Vasudev Narayan on the temple's south side as the place where he spoke, and the Swaminarayan temples portal (swaminarayan.in) describes a large neem tree beside it as a prasadi place.
The central shrine holds Gopinathji, a form of Krishna, with Radhaji, and Harikrishna Maharaj, an image of Swaminarayan. The western shrine holds Dharmadev and Bhaktimata, Swaminarayan's parents, together with Vasudev Narayan (Swaminarayan in child form, per the Vadtal diocese); the eastern shrine holds Revati–Baldevji, Shri Krishna and Suryanarayan. A north-facing image of Ghanshyam Maharaj stands on the inner circumambulation path.
Lakshmiwadi, a garden a little outside the town, is where Swaminarayan's mortal remains were cremated. Swaminarayan temple pages describe a single-domed shrine marking the spot, a canopy where he gave discourses, the room of Nishkulanand Swami, and another canopy where he celebrated Sharadotsav. On the Ghela river nearby are the riverbed places called Narayan Dharo and Sahasra Dharo and small shrines of Neelkanth Mahadev and Hanuman, all regarded by devotees as sanctified by his presence.
Heritage
History of Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Gopinathji Dev Mandir), Gadhada
Swaminarayan had already built five temples when he planned a sixth at Gadhada. The BAPS account of the town's history says that his first plan was held up because Jiva Khachar, who held a share of the land, would not give up his share. Dada Khachar and his sisters Jaya (Jivuba) and Lalita (Laduba) then pressed Swaminarayan to return, and, according to the BAPS account, the southern rooms of Dada Khachar's darbar were demolished to make room for a large temple dedicated to Gopinathji.
Swaminarayan planned and supervised the work himself, and both Wikipedia and the swaminarayan.in temple page record that he helped carry stones and mortar; the Vadtal diocese adds that Swami Viraktanand supervised in his absence. The images were installed on 9 October 1828 (Vikram Samvat 1885); the BAPS history gives the temple's completion as 1829. Dada Khachar's darbar beside the temple has been kept in its original form, and a museum displays objects associated with Swaminarayan.
In 1951 the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Sanstha (BAPS) consecrated a separate marble temple on a hillock by the Ghela, which is a different shrine. At the Gopinathji temple itself, Wikipedia, citing The Times of India, reports that the spires were plated with gold in May 2012 at a cost of about Rs 21 crore, making it the first temple in Gujarat with golden spires.
Architecture and sacred features
Wikipedia describes the temple as a two-storey building with three domes, raised on a high plinth around a spacious square and decorated with carvings. The complex also contains an assembly hall, large dharamshalas and kitchens for ascetics and pilgrims. Behind the temple, the swaminarayan.in page notes the Akshar Ordi shrine and the Gangajalio well.
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
The temple publishes daily darshan and aarti times, and these can change on festival days. Dress modestly, follow the instructions of temple volunteers, and keep the preserved darbar and museum areas tidy. Confirm current timings and arrangements with the temple office before travelling.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Listed among its temples by Shri Swaminarayan Vadtal Gadi (Laxminarayan Dev diocese) before travelling. Last reviewed 1 November 2026.
Sacred Calendar
Festivals at Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Gopinathji Dev Mandir), Gadhada
Janmashtami
Krishna's birth is celebrated at the temple of Gopinathji, a form of Krishna, according to Wikipedia.
Radhashtami
Radha's birth anniversary, listed by Wikipedia among the temple's festivals.
Holi
Listed by Wikipedia among the festivals celebrated at the temple.
Diwali
Listed by Wikipedia among the festivals celebrated at the temple.
Location
How to Reach Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Gopinathji Dev Mandir), Gadhada
Gadhada is a town on the Ghela river in Botad district. Wikipedia notes regular buses and private vehicles from Ahmedabad and other large cities of Gujarat. The nearest railway stations named by Wikipedia are Botad and Ningala on the Ahmedabad–Bhavnagar line, with connecting buses to Gadhada.
Location: Gadhada, Botad, Gujarat, India
Nearest railway station: Botad or Ningala (Ahmedabad–Bhavnagar line), per Wikipedia
More in Hindu temples in Gujarat · Gopinathji (Krishna) with Radhaji and Harikrishna Maharaj (Swaminarayan) temples
Questions
Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Gopinathji Dev Mandir), Gadhada: Frequently Asked Questions
Who built the Swaminarayan temple at Gadhada?
Swaminarayan planned and supervised it on land from the darbar of his devotee Dada Khachar, and installed its images on 9 October 1828.
Which deities are worshipped at Gadhada's Gopinathji temple?
The central shrine holds Gopinathji (Krishna), Radhaji and Harikrishna Maharaj; the side shrines hold Dharmadev, Bhaktimata and Vasudev Narayan, and Revati–Baldevji, Shri Krishna and Suryanarayan.
Why is Gadhada important to Swaminarayan followers?
Swaminarayan lived in Gadhada for about 25 years, gave many of the discourses recorded in the Vachanamrut here, and was cremated at Lakshmiwadi near the town.
Is this the same as the BAPS temple in Gadhada?
No. The Gopinathji temple dates from 1828 and is in the town; the BAPS marble temple on a hillock by the Ghela river was consecrated in 1951.
Does the Gadhada temple have golden spires?
Yes. Wikipedia, citing The Times of India, reports that the spires were gold-plated in May 2012, the first golden spires on a temple in Gujarat.
What is Lakshmiwadi?
A garden outside the town where Swaminarayan's body was cremated; a domed shrine marks the spot, with a discourse canopy and Nishkulanand Swami's room nearby.
Sources and attribution
- Wikipedia — Swaminarayan Mandir, Gadhada
- Wikipedia — Gadhada
- Shri Swaminarayan Vadtal Gadi — Shree Gopinathji Maharaj Temple, Gadhpur
- Swaminarayan.in (Shree Swaminarayan temples portal) — Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Gadhada
- Wikipedia — Dada Khachar
- BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha — Gadhada (BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir and history)
Further reading: Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Gopinathji Dev Mandir), Gadhada on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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