Gabbar Ambaji Mata Mandir, Gujarat

Gabbar Ambaji Mata Mandir, Gujarat, is a Hindu temple in the beautiful Aravalli Hills of India. It is considered one of the country’s most revered shrines and has been a source of great spiritual significance for many centuries. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Ambaji, who is believed to be an incarnation of the Divine Mother. The place is surrounded by lush green forests and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside.

About Gabbar Ambaji Mata Mandir

Ambaji is one of those one-of-a-kind places to visit in Gujarat, where spirituality and reverence make a natural beauty seem unreal. It is named after the Ambaji Temple, one of the country’s oldest temples and is dedicated to the pre-Vedic Goddess Arasuri Amba. Thousands of people visit this temple every year.

Most temples here are on top of hills and have beautiful, one-of-a-kind architecture. They are also where the well-known Navratri and Diwali festivals take place. Aravalis surround the town with thick forests, valleys, acres of lush plains, and wildlife zones with rare plants and animals. This makes it a great place for people who love nature and trekking.

The myth says that the first temple was built on top of a hill called Gabbar Hillock and was dedicated to Maa Ambe Arasuri. This is where the heart of Goddess Sati fell after Shiva’s Tandav dance broke her body into 51 sacred pieces. People used to worship at the original Danta temple until King Danta pleaded with the Goddess to move to Danta. The Goddess agreed, but she told the king that he couldn’t look back even once until he got to the temple of Danta. If he didn’t do that, the Goddess wouldn’t move. So, the king led the Goddess down the hill to where Danta was.

The Goddess’ anklets jingled, showing that she was moving behind the king. But the king couldn’t help himself and had to peek back for a quick look. True to her word, the Goddess wouldn’t move even an inch, so the disappointed king had to leave. Ambaji temple is built where the Goddess stopped on her journey. Some pilgrims feel like they’ve seen enough of India once they’ve been to both Ambaji temples.

Temple Legend

Since before the Vedic era, people have been going to the Ambaji Temple to worship the Goddess. The Markandeya Puran says that Sati, the daughter of King Daksh Prajapati, loved Lord Shiva very much and did a lot of penance to please him. Lord Shiva had finally said he would marry her. But this marriage did not make King Daksha happy.

To make fun of Lord Shiva, Daksha held a Yagya and invited everyone but Sati and Lord Shiva, who were the most important people. At Yagya, Sati had decided to talk to her father. Lord Shiva did this to try to stop her, but Sati went to Yagya anyway.

King Daksh didn’t welcome her, and he used this as an opportunity to insult her and Lord Shiva in front of all the gods and important people. Sati couldn’t take being treated like this anymore, so she jumped into the holy fire of the Yagya.

When Lord Shiva discovered this, he was very sad and angry at Daksh. People and other gods began to worry about the safety of the whole universe and asked Lord Vishnu, the supreme Lord, for help. Lord Shiva gave Virbhadra and Bhadrakali superpowers that were out of the ordinary and told them to kill Daksh and his army. Then Lord Shiva picked up Sati, whose body was on fire, and did the legendary Tandava, or “dance of destruction,” to show how angry he was.

Lord Vishnu cut Ma Devi Sati’s body into pieces with the Sudarshan Chakra. The stories say that Sati’s heart fell on the spot where the Ambaji Temple is now. So, this temple is one of the most important 51 Shakti Peeth and Siddh Peeth.

Temple History

Nagar Brahmins built the temple at first. The design of the Ambaji temple is very artistic. On top of the temple, a 103-foot-tall golden pot with the Holy Flag of Mata Ambaji and Trishul hangs.

Temple Architecture

Marble was used to build the sacred area around the Most Sacred Ambaji Temple. The Naga Brahmins built the temple, and it held a book from the Vedas, which they worshipped. Gold cones are also carved into the temple’s white marble.

The only way to get into the Arasuri Ambaji Temple is through the silver door that protects the sanctum sanctorum. There is no small gate or other doors. The temple has beautiful architectural niches and a square area that can be used for Chachar Chowk, religious ceremonies, or other religious events.

History says that the Ambaji temple has a strong Tantric background, and the famous and respected Batuk Tantric is linked to this temple. There is a simple Gokh with the famous gold Shakti Visa Sri Yantra on the inner wall. It is shaped like a cone and has 51 holy Bij letters.

There have been enough safety measures to ensure that the Yantra can be worshipped but not photographed. Even people who want to worship the Yantra must first tie their eyes shut with a white cloth.

Best time to visit

On Ashwini month Navratri, Garba is performed at night by devotees from Gujarat at the Chanchar Chakra on the temple grounds. During Chaitra Navratri and Ashwini Navratri, many devotees gather to seek the blessings of our Goddess, Ambe.

A four-day festival was held every year on the full moon of Bhadrapada (pournami). During this time, almost 800 villages visit and are blessed by our Ambe annually. Many enthusiasts from throughout the nation walk to this location.

Thousands of worshippers attend the Amabji Temple every day, notably on the Karthika, Chaitra, Asho, and Bhadrapada full moon days. In addition to worship, devotees may also engage in the Nava Chandi Yagya on the temple premises.

Temple Timing & Rituals

The Aarti of Mataji is performed daily at 6:00 AM. The sunrise and sunset times vary with the season, and so do the Aarti times.

Darshan Dresscode

It is encouraged that devotees wear apparel that is neat and conservative.

Famous Festival at Gujarat Ambaji Temple

Three-day Bhadra Purnima Fair, one of Gujarat’s largest celebrations, is devoted to Goddess Ambaji at Ambaji Temple.

Local Culture

The district is located on the border between Gujarat and Rajasthan, and its biggest city is Palanpur. The area is well-known for the Ambaji and Balaram temples, which attract many tourists and devotees.

How to Reach Temple

By Road, Ambaji is located in the Banaskantha district’s Danta Taluka, close to the Gujarat-Rajasthan border. Less than one kilometre separates the bus stop from the temple, located below the roof walkway.

There are direct bus routes accessible from numerous locations. Including Mount Abu, 45 kilometres. Palanpur 65 km. Ahmedabad is 195 kilometres, and Idar is 115 km.

By Rail, The closest train station to New Delhi is Palanpur, 65 kilometres away.

Location Map