Set in Shamlaji (Aravalli), Gujarat, Shree Shamlaji Vishnu Mandir is a shrine to Lord Vishnu, worshipped here as Shamlaji (Gadadhar, the mace-bearer); the image is of dark stone. It is also known as Shamlaji Temple, Gadadhar, Dholi Dhaja.
Counted by Vaishnavas among the major pilgrimage places of India, and the focus of a large annual fair drawing tribal and rural communities from Gujarat and Rajasthan. Shamlaji stands on the banks of the Meshwo river in the Aravalli district of northern Gujarat.
Gujarat carries a distinct temple identity of its own: Gujarat's sacred coast and hills hold the first Jyotirlinga at Somnath, Krishna's kingdom at Dwarka, a Shakti Peeth at Ambaji and the temple-crowned heights of Girnar.
Darshan hours and daily worship
| Session | Timing (as published) |
|---|---|
| Morning | 6:00 AM - 12:30 PM |
| Evening | 2:00 PM - 8:30 PM |
The temple closes in the afternoon, commonly cited as 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM. Some sources give a closing time of 9:00 PM rather than 8:30 PM. Hours are extended considerably during the Kartik Purnima fair.
Poojas and daily rituals
Morning and evening aarti daily, with mangala and shayan aartis at the opening and close of the day.
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Shamlaji Fair (Kartik Purnima) | November | A large two-week fair drawing tribal and rural pilgrims on foot and by camel cart, with devotional singing and dancing. |
| Janmashtami | August/September | Krishna's birth celebrated with night-long worship. |
History and architecture
Architecture
Sandstone and brick temple with a carved shikhara, a two-storey mandapa and richly worked exterior panels of scenes from the Ramayana; a white flag flies permanently over the spire, giving the temple its name Dholi Dhaja
History
Shamlaji stands on the banks of the Meshwo river in the Aravalli district of northern Gujarat. Archaeological evidence of settlement around the site goes back to the 2nd century BCE, and the present temple is generally dated to the Solanki period with renovations over the following centuries. Inscriptions in the shrine record several different dates.
Planning your visit
How to reach
Shamlaji, Aravalli district, on NH-48 about 125 km north-east of Ahmedabad and about 30 km from Himmatnagar. Himmatnagar is the nearest major railhead; Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is about 130 km. State buses run from Ahmedabad, Himmatnagar and Udaipur.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: Medium. The temple's official site publishes its timings only as images, which could not be read, so the hours here come from cross-checked public listings. Sources agree on the 6:00 AM opening and the afternoon break but differ on whether the temple closes at 8:30 PM or 9:00 PM.