Rama Lakshmana Temples, Baradiaराम लक्ष्मण मंदिर, बरडिया

About Rama Lakshmana Temples, Baradia

The Rama Lakshmana Temples, also called the Samba Lakshmana Temples, are a pair of stone shrines at Baradia, a coastal village in the Okhamandal area about 5 km south-east of Dwarka. They are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India as a monument of national importance. Although few pilgrims stop here on the way to Dwarka, they are valued by historians as some of the earliest Vaishnava temples still standing in Gujarat.

The temples were built in the late 12th century, during the reign of Bhima II of the Chaulukya, or Solanki, dynasty that ruled Gujarat at the time. The names by which they are known locally, Rama and Lakshmana or Samba and Lakshmana, are traditional, and no images of these figures remain in the sanctums today. They belong to the same period as the well-known Navlakha Temple at Ghumli and share many features with it, including the treatment of the plinth and the placing of sculptures of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva on the wall mouldings.

Each temple stands on a high moulded platform and has the classic Solanki plan: a sanctum, a short vestibule, a hall and an entrance porch. The western temple, which faces east, is the older of the two and keeps more of its fine carving. Visitors can study the bands of mouldings, wall niches and sculpted figures that mark the Maru-Gurjara style, the same tradition that produced the great temples of Modhera and Somnath. The village also has a small Sun temple and other shrines, and the open setting near the coast makes it a peaceful stop.

Rama Lakshmana Temples, Baradia timings

Usually open from sunrise to sunset as a protected site. Check locally before visiting.

Timings change on festivals, eclipses and special days. Please confirm locally before you travel.

How to reach Rama Lakshmana Temples, Baradia

Festivals at Rama Lakshmana Temples, Baradia

• Janmashtami at nearby DwarkaAug/Sep
• Ram NavamiMar/Apr
• World Heritage WeekNov

Visitor tips

Dress code

Modest clothing is recommended.

Entry

Generally free; the site is protected by the ASI. Check locally for any ticket requirement.

• Combine the visit with Dwarka, Rukmini Devi Temple and Nageshwar in a half-day taxi trip.
• There are no facilities at the site, so carry water and sun protection.
• Do not climb on the plinths or carvings of the protected temples.
• Morning light is best for photographing the carved walls.

Places to visit near Rama Lakshmana Temples, Baradia

• Dwarkadhish Temple, DwarkaOne of the Char Dham, about 6 km away
• Rukmini Devi TempleFinely carved temple of Krishna's consort, about 7 km away
• Nageshwar JyotirlingaShiva temple near Dwarka, about 16 km away

Frequently asked questions