Narayan Sarovar
Encyclopedia
Narayan Sarovar is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for Hindus. It is located in Lakhpat
taluka of Kutch District of Gujarat in India
at a distance of about 210 km from Bhuj
and ancient Koteshwar
temple lies only 4 km away from here. It is one of the five holy ponds in India mentioned in Shrimad BhagvatNarayan Sarovar means the Lake of Narayan, a name for Vishnu
.As per legends, one of the holy rivers of India, Sarasvati River
had an out let in to sea near present day Narayan Sarovar and waters of lake were filled with holy waters of River Saraswati, that is why this place was and is still considered as one of the five holy lakes by Hindus.
In this place there are Vaishav
temples of Shri Trikamraiji, Laxminarayan, Govardhannathji, Dwarkanath, Adinarayan, Ranchodraiji and Laxmiji. Queen of Rao Deshalji II of Kutch had built these temples. Devotee from all over India come to worship the lords here. The architecture is ancient and awe-inspiring.The temples of Lakshminarayan and Trikamray are built in same style as Dwarka
temple. The other five temples were built by Vagheli Mahakunwar, queen of Rao Deshalji in decades of 1780-90 and more lately built temple of Kalyanray. Accommodation facilities are available for pilgrims.
According to Hindu theology, there are five sacred lakes collectively called Panch-Sarovar ('Sarovar' means "lake"). Namely, Mansarovar, Bindu Sarovar, Narayan Sarovar, Pampa Sarovar and Pushkar Sarovar
. A fair is held here on the 11th to 15th days of month Kartik
of the Hindu calendar (November/December).
Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya
during his lifetime is said to have visited Narayan Sarovar and spent time here as such the site is sacred also for follower of Pushtimarg
.
Here, you can see red antelopes or chinkara
s and in year 1981 the area around was notified and named after Narayan Sarovar as Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary
.
Lakhpat
Lakhpat fort town is a small town in Kachchh district of Gujarat, India within the fort walls of the 18th-century Lakhpat fort. The literal meaning of Lakhpat is the city of millionaire, however today it is sparsely populated Ghost town, a city of ruins of buildings and a magnificent fort...
taluka of Kutch District of Gujarat in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
at a distance of about 210 km from Bhuj
Bhuj
Bhuj is a city and a municipality in Kachchh district in the state of Gujarat, India.-History:It was established by Rao Hamirji in 1510 and was made the state capital by Rao Khengarji I in 1549. Its foundation stone as state capital laid formally on Vikram Samvat 1604 Maagha 5th...
and ancient Koteshwar
Koteshwar, Kutch
Koteshwar is name of an ancient Shiva temple located at the western tip of India in Lakhpat taluka, Kutch District of Gujarat.The story of Koteshwar begins with Ravana, who won it as a boon from Lord Shiva for an outstanding display of piety, this Shiva linga of great spiritual power. But which...
temple lies only 4 km away from here. It is one of the five holy ponds in India mentioned in Shrimad BhagvatNarayan Sarovar means the Lake of Narayan, a name for Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
.As per legends, one of the holy rivers of India, Sarasvati River
Sarasvati River
The Sarasvati River is one of the chief Rigvedic rivers mentioned in ancient Hindu texts. The Nadistuti hymn in the Rigveda mentions the Sarasvati between the Yamuna in the east and the Sutlej in the west, and later Vedic texts like Tandya and Jaiminiya Brahmanas as well as the Mahabharata...
had an out let in to sea near present day Narayan Sarovar and waters of lake were filled with holy waters of River Saraswati, that is why this place was and is still considered as one of the five holy lakes by Hindus.
In this place there are Vaishav
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu, or his associated Avatars such as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God....
temples of Shri Trikamraiji, Laxminarayan, Govardhannathji, Dwarkanath, Adinarayan, Ranchodraiji and Laxmiji. Queen of Rao Deshalji II of Kutch had built these temples. Devotee from all over India come to worship the lords here. The architecture is ancient and awe-inspiring.The temples of Lakshminarayan and Trikamray are built in same style as Dwarka
Dwarka
Dwarka also spelled Dvarka, Dwaraka, and Dvaraka, is a city and a municipality of Jamnagar district in the Gujarat state in India. Dwarka , also known as Dwarawati in Sanskrit literature is rated as one of the seven most ancient cities in the country...
temple. The other five temples were built by Vagheli Mahakunwar, queen of Rao Deshalji in decades of 1780-90 and more lately built temple of Kalyanray. Accommodation facilities are available for pilgrims.
According to Hindu theology, there are five sacred lakes collectively called Panch-Sarovar ('Sarovar' means "lake"). Namely, Mansarovar, Bindu Sarovar, Narayan Sarovar, Pampa Sarovar and Pushkar Sarovar
Pushkar Lake
Pushkar Lake or Pushkar Sarovar is located in the town of Pushkar in Ajmer district of the Rajasthan state of western India. Pushkar Lake is a sacred lake of the Hindus. The Hindu scriptures describe as it as "Tirtha-Raj" – the king of pilgrimage sites related to a water-body and relate it to the...
. A fair is held here on the 11th to 15th days of month Kartik
Kartika (month)
Kartika , is a month of Hindu and Bengali calendars, named after the Hindu god, Kartikeya....
of the Hindu calendar (November/December).
Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya
Vallabha Acharya
Vallabhacharya was a devotional philosopher, who founded the Pushti sect in India, following the philosophy of Shuddha advaita ....
during his lifetime is said to have visited Narayan Sarovar and spent time here as such the site is sacred also for follower of Pushtimarg
Pushtimarg
Pushtimarg is a sect of the Hindu religion, founded by Shrimad Vallabhacharya around 1500 AD.Shri Vallabhacharya is one of the five main Acharyas of the Hindu Religion...
.
Here, you can see red antelopes or chinkara
Chinkara
The Chinkara is a species of gazelle found in south Asia.-Habitat and Distribution:It lives in grasslands and desert areas in India, Bangladesh and parts of Iran and Pakistan...
s and in year 1981 the area around was notified and named after Narayan Sarovar as Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary
Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary
Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary also popularly known as Narayan Sarovar Wildlife Sanctuary or Narayan Sarovar Chinkara Sanctuary notified as such in April 1981 and subsequently denotified in 1995 with reduced area, is a unique eco-system in the Lakhpat taluka of Kutch district in the state of Gujarat,...
.