The Bahucharaji Temple stands amid the ancient grove of Becharaji, about 110 km northwest of Ahmedabad. The sanctum is built of luminous white marble crowned with three carved shikharas, and the inner chamber houses the original bāl-svarūpa— the Mother in her child-form — alongside the yantra she is said to have sanctified herself.
A Three-Fold Sanctity
The grove holds three temples of the Mother — Ādi Sthān (the original seat under the Varakhdi tree where she manifested), Madhya Sthān (the middle shrine), and Mukhya Mandir (the principal temple commissioned by the Gaekwads of Baroda in the 18th century). Pilgrims circumambulate all three.
Pilgrimage
Two great festivals draw devotees in their lakhs — Chaitra Purnima in spring and Āso Navrātri in autumn. The temple is also the spiritual home of the hijra community, who come from across India to receive the Mother's blessing and to perform sacred song and dance in her honour.
Visiting
- ◆Address: Becharaji, Mehsana, Gujarat 384210
- ◆Darshan: 5:00 AM – 9:00 PM daily
- ◆Mangala Aarti: 5:30 AM
- ◆Rajbhog: 12:00 PM (sanctum closes briefly)
- ◆Sandhya Aarti: 7:00 PM
- ◆Nearest railhead: Mehsana (40 km)