When planning a Dwarka-Somnath trip, most of the attention naturally goes to the two headline temples — but the route connecting them, through Jamnagar and Porbandar, holds some genuinely distinctive stops that often surprise first-time visitors. Here's what's worth knowing about them.
Jamnagar: Lakhota Lake and the Bala Hanuman Temple
Jamnagar is usually the first stop out of Rajkot on the way to Dwarka. Lakhota Lake, in the centre of town, is a pleasant, unhurried stop built around a small lake-island fort, the Lakhota Palace.
The more unusual stop is the Bala Hanuman Temple, which holds a Guinness World Record for the longest continuously running chant — the "Shree Ram, Jai Ram, Jai Jai Ram" mantra has reportedly been chanted without interruption at this temple since 1964, round the clock, in shifts, for decades. It's a genuinely distinctive stop that's easy to miss if you're not specifically looking for it, since it doesn't have the scale of Dwarka or Somnath — but for many travellers, witnessing an unbroken decades-long chant in person is one of the more memorable, unexpected moments of the trip.
Porbandar: Gandhi's Birthplace
Roughly midway between Dwarka and Somnath, Porbandar is the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, and Kirti Mandir — built on the site of his ancestral home — is the town's main draw for most visitors passing through. The building itself is modest rather than grand, which many find fitting given its connection to Gandhi, and it houses a small museum tracing his early life in the house where he was actually born.
Porbandar's coastal setting also makes it a natural, practical midway stop for lunch or an overnight break on a Dwarka-to-Somnath drive, rather than a full day's destination in its own right.
Why These Stops Matter
If you're planning a Dwarka-Somnath trip primarily around the two big temples, it's worth knowing that the "in-between" towns aren't just transit time — Jamnagar's Bala Hanuman Temple and Porbandar's Kirti Mandir each add a genuinely different texture to the trip: one a living record of devotional continuity, the other a quiet, historically significant stop tied to one of modern India's most consequential figures.
Planning Your Trip
Our Dwarka, Somnath & Gir package routes through both Jamnagar and Porbandar as part of the journey between Dwarka and Somnath, with stops at Lakhota Lake, Bala Hanuman Temple and Kirti Mandir built into the itinerary — see the package page for the full day-by-day plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is special about the Bala Hanuman Temple in Jamnagar? It holds a Guinness World Record for the longest continuously running devotional chant, reportedly unbroken since 1964, with devotees chanting in rotating shifts around the clock.
Is Porbandar worth visiting on a Dwarka-Somnath trip? Yes, primarily for Kirti Mandir, built on the site of Mahatma Gandhi's ancestral home and birthplace — a modest but historically significant stop that fits naturally as a midway break between the two temple towns.
How far is Porbandar from Dwarka and Somnath? Porbandar sits roughly midway on the route, about 75 km from Dwarka and 130 km from Somnath, making it a practical stop for a meal or overnight break.
Are Jamnagar and Porbandar full-day destinations or quick stops? For most travellers on a Dwarka-Somnath circuit, both work best as a few hours each rather than a full day — enough time for Lakhota Lake and Bala Hanuman Temple in Jamnagar, and Kirti Mandir in Porbandar, without extending the overall trip.
Is Lakhota Lake worth visiting? It's a pleasant, low-key stop built around a small lake-island fort — worth a short visit if you're passing through Jamnagar, though it isn't a major standalone attraction.
Get in touch to plan your Gujarat circuit, or see our Dwarka, Somnath & Gir package for the full itinerary including these stops.
