The old town's Shiva shrine
In the old quarter of Amreli stands the Nagnath Mahadev temple, one of the town’s oldest and most venerated shrines, dedicated to Lord Shiva in his form as Nagnath, the ‘lord of serpents’. A modest but much-loved temple, it is a centre of daily worship for the townsfolk, its bells and aartis marking the rhythm of life in the old city.
On Mahashivratri and through the holy month of Shravan, it draws streams of devotees who come to offer water and bilva leaves to the Shivling. Set among the bazaar lanes and havelis of central Amreli, the temple is less a grand monument than a living spiritual anchor — the kind of intimate neighbourhood shrine where the everyday devotion of a Saurashtra town is felt most directly.
The Nagnath shrine.
The old town's own Shiva
A town Shiva temple.
Nagnath Mahadev is among Amreli's oldest temples, at the heart of the old bazaar quarter.
Shiva is worshipped here as Nagnath — lord of serpents — an ancient form of the god.
The morning and evening aartis mark the old town's daily rhythm, as they long have.
It remains the living spiritual anchor of central Amreli.
Reasons to make the time
Old Shiva temple
Few temples in the town are older; Nagnath predates most of what surrounds it.
Daily aartis
This is living town worship — the congregation is the bazaar around it.
Nagnath form
Nagnath, lord of serpents, is a Shiva form with deep roots in Saurashtra.
Mahashivratri
Mahashivratri is the temple's great festival, filling the surrounding lanes.
Shravan devotion
Shravan brings a month of peak worship, busiest on its Mondays.
In old Amreli
The setting amid bazaar and old havelis is half the temple's character.
What to look for inside
THE SHRINENagnath
Amreli's town Shiva temple.
THE FAITHDaily worship
Bells and aartis in the bazaar's heart.
How to spend an hour or two
Take darshan
Take darshan of the Shivling at the town's oldest shrine.
Attend an aarti
Come for an aarti, the temple's daily rite and best hour.
Offer bilva
Watch the offerings — water and bilva leaves to Shiva, in the old way.
Feel the old town
Walk the bazaar lanes around the temple; they are its parish.
Time Shivratri
Visit at Mahashivratri for the great festival.
Pair with the tower
Pair it with the clock tower, the town's other landmark, minutes away.
A neighbourhood temple.
An intimate town shrine
Nagnath Mahadev is a modest, traditional Shiva temple in the old heart of Amreli: a sanctum housing the Shivling beneath a shikhara, with a small mandapa and precinct, woven into the bazaar lanes and havelis around it.
Its importance is devotional rather than monumental — a beloved neighbourhood shrine where daily worship, festivals and the life of the old town all converge.
Our Amreli travel guide maps out the other places worth your time here.
If this is what you travel for, browse temples across Gujarat.
Old Shiva sanctum
Shivling beneath a shikhara
In the old bazaar quarter
A living town shrine
When to go
November to February is the pleasant season across Amreli.
Shravan — with its Mondays — brings peak worship and green country.
April to June is hot; visit the shrine early or in the evening.
⏰ Pair a visit with the Amreli clock tower and old town; come for an evening aarti or during Shravan.
Timings & entry
- Open daily for darshan with aarti times
- Busiest on Mondays and in Shravan
- Remove footwear; dress modestly
- Allow about 30 minutes
- No entry fee for darshan
- Be respectful during worship
- Photography norms vary — ask
- Combine it with the old town
Getting there
By Air
Rajkot and Diu are the nearest airports.
By Rail
Amreli has its own railway station.
On Foot
In the old quarter of central Amreli.
At the temple
SHRINE & TOWN
A living neighbourhood temple
What to shoot
The shrine within the old town.
Detail
Lamps, bells and offerings.
Be discreet
Respect worshippers in frame.
Best light
Soft morning or evening light.
Know before you go
More to see close by
TOWNAmreli City
The leafy district headquarters
Ambardi Safari Park
An open-air lion safari on the eastern edge of Gir near Dhari — Amreli’s window onto…
5Lathi & Kalapi
Trace the romantic poet’s gentle hometown
FORESTKhambha
A forest-edge town near eastern Gir
ISLANDShiyal Bet
A fishing island off the coast
Shetrunji Dam
A large reservoir on the Shetrunji river near Dhari — a tranquil expanse of water amid…
Where to eat near Nagnath Mahadev
THALIKathiawadi Thali
Rotla, kadhi, shaak and ghee-rich fare.
SNACKSGanthiya & fafda
Saurashtra's beloved fried snacks.
STREETLocal bites
Bhajiya, chevdo and chaat.
Pure-veg & prasad
Hearty Kathiawadi veg fare; temple prasad.
Nagnath Mahadev FAQ
What is Nagnath Mahadev?
An old and revered Shiva temple at the heart of Amreli town, the spiritual anchor of the old bazaar quarter.
What does 'Nagnath' mean?
'Lord of serpents' — an ancient form of Shiva, from whom the temple takes its name.
Why visit?
For a genuine living town shrine — the centre of Amreli's daily devotion rather than a monument.
When is it busiest?
On Mondays, at Mahashivratri, and through the holy month of Shravan.
Is there an entry fee?
No, darshan is free.
Where is it?
In the old bazaar quarter of central Amreli, within walking distance of the clock tower.
What's nearby?
The clock tower and the Girdharbhai Sangrahalaya museum, both close by.
How long should I spend?
About thirty minutes, folded into an old-town walk.
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Published 24 June 2026 · Updated 24 August 2026