Home › Kheda › Gomti Aarti, Dakor
HIDDEN GEM · LAKESIDE AARTI · PILGRIMAGEGomti Aarti, Dakor
Lamps on the sacred water — the evening aarti by the Gomti lake at Dakor, when lamps are offered to the sacred waters beside the great Ranchhodrai temple, is a quietly beautiful devotional experience and a hidden gem for the traveller.
Evening devotion by the sacred lake
Beside the great Ranchhodrai temple at Dakor lies the sacred Gomti lake — and one of the quietly beautiful devotional experiences of central Gujarat is the lakeside aarti, the evening ritual of offering lamps to the sacred waters as the day fades.
Dakor sits two hours from Ahmedabad in Kheda’s Charotar country, and the ghat evening slots naturally at the end of a temple day; October to March keeps the waterside pleasant, and Sharad Purnima’s lamps on the autumn full moon are the year’s loveliest.
Dakor’s evening belongs to the Gomti: as the Ranchhodrai temple’s aarti sounds, worshippers come down to the tank with leaf-boats of lamps, and the water carries the small fires out into the dusk. On Poonam nights — the full moons when walking pilgrims arrive from Ahmedabad and beyond — the ghats fill and the lamps multiply into constellations; on ordinary evenings the rite is intimate, a family here, a widow there, and the temple spire doubling in the still water.
Stand back from the steps during the offerings, keep cameras gentle, and pair the ghat hour with the temple’s evening darshan — the sequence Dakor itself follows every night.
In the Hindu tradition, the aarti — the offering of light, usually with camphor or oil lamps, accompanied by song and the ringing of bells — is among the most beautiful of devotional acts, and when performed beside sacred water at dusk it takes on a particular magic: the lamps reflected in the dark water, the sound of the bells and bhajan, the gathering of devotees, and the deepening of the evening.
At Dakor, the lakeside is part of the rhythm of one of Gujarat’s great pilgrimage centres — pilgrims bathe in the Gomti before darshan, and the lake is alive with devotional activity, most beautifully at the evening aarti and on the great full-moon (Purnima) days when vast crowds gather. For the traveller, witnessing the Gomti aarti — respectfully, as an observer of a living devotional tradition — is one of the quiet gems of a visit to Dakor.
Gomti aarti, Dakor.
Evening lamps on a sacred lake
Gomti aarti.
The Gomti at Dakor.
The offering of light.
Devotion at dusk.
A quiet devotional gem.
Reasons to make the time
Aarti
Deepdan — lamps offered to the water — is the ghat's evening rite.
Gomti lake
The Gomti tank is Dakor's own sacred water.
Dusk
Dusk is the magic hour, lamps meeting the last light.
Bells & bhajan
Bhajan drifts from the temple as the lamps go out.
Purnima
Full moons — the great pilgrim days — fill the ghats.
Beauty
Between them, the evening rite stays small and lovely.
What to look for inside
GOMTI AARTILakeside
Lamps on the water.
THE LAKESacred water
Dakor pilgrimage.
How to spend an hour or two
Witness the evening aarti
Lamps at dusk.
See the lamps on the water
A beautiful sight.
Listen to the bhajan
Devotional song.
Visit on a Purnima
Great crowds.
Combine with the temple
Ranchhodrai darshan.
Observe respectfully
A living ritual.
Gomti aarti.
A lakeside devotional ritual
The Gomti aarti at Dakor is the evening ritual of offering lamps to the sacred Gomti lake beside the Ranchhodrai temple — the lamps reflected in the dark water, the sound of bells and bhajan, the gathering of devotees at dusk.
It is part of the rhythm of one of Gujarat’s great pilgrimage centres, most beautiful at the evening aarti and on the full-moon days. (A living devotional ritual; observe respectfully; most beautiful at dusk and on Purnima days.)
Our Kheda travel guide maps out the other places worth your time here.
The evening lamp-offering aarti by the Gomti lake
Beside the great Ranchhodrai temple at Dakor
Lamps reflected on the sacred water at dusk
Most beautiful on the full-moon (Purnima) days
When to go
Cool and pleasant — ideal.
Green countryside.
Hot; early morning best.
⏰ Winter is the most comfortable season across Kheda district.
Timings & entry
- The aarti is performed in the evening as the day fades
- Most beautiful at dusk, when lamps reflect on the water
- The lakeside is busiest on full-moon (Purnima) days
- Allow 1–2 hours for an unhurried visit
- Open access — no ticket required for the lakeside
- Observe respectfully as a living devotional ritual
- Pilgrims bathe in the Gomti before temple darshan
- Combine with darshan at the Ranchhodrai temple
Getting there
By Air
Ahmedabad airport (~55 km).
By Rail
Nadiad / Anand junction.
By Road
NH-48 Ahmedabad–Vadodara.
Know before you go
More to see close by
LAKEGomti Lake, Dakor
The sacred tank beside Dakor
ANCIENTGalteshwar Temple
A 12th-century riverside Shiva shrine
STEPWELLBhammariyo Kuvo
Mahemdavad’s helical step-well
PILGRIMAGEDakor Ranchhodrai Temple
A great Krishna temple by Gomti lake
OLD TOWNKapadvanj
Ancient torans and a carved stepwell
4Kapadvanj Torans
Ancient ornamental gateways of a faded town
Where to eat near Gomti Aarti, Dakor
THALIGujarati Thali
Charotar comfort food.
SWEETDoodhpak
Festive milk sweet.
FARSANKhaman
Soft and savoury.
DAIRYCharotar dairy
Amul country milk.
Charotar comfort food
The Charotar region around Dakor is famously veg-friendly — expect hearty Gujarati thalis, festive milk sweets and soft farsan.
Gomti Aarti, Dakor FAQ
What is the Gomti aarti?
The evening lamp-offering ritual by the Gomti lake at Dakor.
What is an aarti?
A devotional offering of light, with song and bells.
When is it performed?
At dusk — most beautiful in the evening.
When is it busiest?
On the full-moon (Purnima) pilgrim days.
Where is it?
By the Gomti lake, beside the Ranchhodrai temple.
Can visitors watch?
Yes — respectfully, as observers of a living ritual.
Related places across Gujarat
ISLANDBet Dwarka
The sacred island where Krishna is said to have lived
Mahuva
A green, breezy coastal town of orchards, beaches and temples — Mahuva, nicknamed the ‘Kashmir of…
ANCIENTGalteshwar Temple
A 12th-century riverside Shiva shrine
NATURE SANCTUARYHingolgadh
A 19th-century fort turned nature sanctuary.
HERITAGEKaba Gandhi no Delo
Gandhi’s childhood home, now a museum
Asiatic Lion
◐ Gir / Sakkarbaug
WHERE TO STAY
Find your stay in Gujarat
Compare live prices across the big booking sites and reserve in a few taps. Booking happens securely on the partner's site — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Book directly on our partner sites — tap a provider to see live Gujarat hotels & prices:
SHOP THE REGION
Bring home Gujarat — & travel essentials
Hand-picked crafts and trip gear, available on Amazon.
Published 24 June 2026 · Updated 24 August 2026