The two-day stay in Dwarka (Jamnagar)

The two-day stay in Dwarka (Jamnagar)

The very first hour of my stay in Dwarka witnessed light showers in the town. Having taken accommodation not that far from the temple, the room inside on the fourth floor was spacious, neat and tidy. Surely a welcome departure from the shorter version which i availed in the past. It was a Wednesday and by late evening i had the first opportunity to visit the Dwarkadish temple. This was followed by meals in aarti restaurant which had seen an increase in thali fare by 15rs from last year.

The next day after another round of the temple i searched for mysore sandal soap  - and all possible solutions suggested i would be able to have it from a gandhi provision store. It was between 8 and 9 in the morning when it poured like anything and i was told the intensity of shower was the first of its kind in the past two to three months. The said store opened by nine and i collected the soap and other daily necessities. After taking another round of the temple with the necessities intact, i checked out of guest house with the bag deposited in the store room.

I headed towards the crossing from where chakdas - the most notable mode of transport in the region - could be accessed. By 9.41 i left for Nageshwar going past advent cinema hall and a railway crossing. At 10.12 i was in Nageshwar. Inside the temple the sanctum sanctorum could be accessed with an entrance fee of 210rs. This was almost 100rs more from last year. Taken back by this upsurge i still decided to go inside. With prayers said and written i stepped out after taking out the dhoti which is mandatory. From Shivam studio got the picture clicked with Lord Shiva's reigning statue in the backdrop. The return journey began at 10.45 and by five past 11 i was in Dwarka again.

The Dwarkadish temple gates close by 12.30 in the afternoon and still there was ample time to take a final darshan. Between 11 and 1 the town was splurged with another set of rains and i somehow managed to get back to the tempo stand from the temple. There was enough slush and collection of water on either side and yet one could navigate on foot if patience was not a luxury. This time round in Dwarkadish i managed to get a new pair of pyjamas from c l taylor on devi bhuhan road.

- Balaji Bhawan was the guest house where i stayed.

- anand medical store for taking savlon/dettol.

- opposite gandhi provision store is another gandhi store smaller in size. with writing pads and pens, the store  is manned by a young man whose attributes of honesty and politeness can easily be located.

- the nageshwar temple is complete even without stepping inside the sanctum sanctorum. One can have a better view of the Jyotirlinga from the hall as well.

-  Krishna shopping complex has a cyber cafe which i could not access this time.

- visited dwarka post office near rabari gate for sending postcards. The staff was cooperative                           and the premises neat. "Smile you are on cctv" is the sticker that abounds in the post office.

- swaminarayan temple was one which i failed to visit this time. Whenever a new flag is hoisted in the temple, there is an elaborate spread of prasadam served in swaminarayan temple.
- the never-to-be-missed visits to bet dwarka and okha port had to be skipped as i had to take a return journey by late afternoon.

Dwarka was great and the places i skipped this time could be on schedule as and when Lord Dwarkadish calls me.