Khodiyar Mata Temple, Rajpara

01The Charan’s daughter

The Saurashtra katha tells of Mamadiya, a Charan of the Vala court, who had no children and was mocked for it; he prayed to Shiva, and seven daughters and a son were born to him. One day the son was bitten by a snake, and the youngest daughter, Janbai, went down to the underworld to bring back the nectar that would save him. On the way back she limped, khodi, and from then she was called Khodiyar. She and her sisters are worshipped as Devis across Saurashtra, and Khodiyar is shown on a crocodile, which she rode across the water.

02Rajpara and the pool

The temple at Rajpara stands above the Tataniyo Dharo, a deep pool in the river, and the Gohil rulers of Bhavnagar held Khodiyar as their kuldevi and patronised this shrine. Other great shrines of hers are at Matel near Morbi, Galdhara near Dhari and Varana. Navratri and the Maha Sud Ashtami, her jayanti, fill Rajpara with pilgrims from all over Saurashtra; garba is danced in her name through the nine nights.