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TEMPLE · GODDESS KHODIYARKhodiyar Mata Mandir
A revered shrine of Khodiyar Mata, the warrior goddess who rides a crocodile — one of Saurashtra's most beloved deities, with a much-loved temple in the Amreli countryside.
The crocodile-riding mother
Khodiyar Mata is among the most beloved goddesses of Saurashtra, worshipped across Gujarat as a fierce and protective mother deity, traditionally depicted riding a crocodile. Her devotees are legion, and her temples — found at several sites including Galdhara near Dhari in Amreli, Rajpara and Matel — draw great crowds, especially on her festival days.
Galdhara sits near Dhari, about 70 kilometres from Amreli town, with the eastern Gir forest and the Shetrunji’s pools within easy reach — so a shrine visit extends naturally into the lion country beyond. Navratri and Khodiyar Jayanti bring the crowds and the fair; ordinary days leave the riverside precinct to its regulars.
The legend has the shape all good folk stories take: Janbai, daughter of a Charan family at Rohishala, was one of seven sisters born after their father’s long devotion to Shiva; when her brother Merakh was bitten by a snake she went to the netherworld for the healing amrit, returned late and limping — ‘khodi’, from which the name Khodiyar — and revealed her divinity in the act of saving him. Her crocodile mount, her association with water tanks and her fierce protectiveness follow from that story, and her shrines cluster where the Charan communities settled.
Galdhara’s seat, near Dhari on the Shetrunji, gives the devotion its loveliest setting — a river shrine at the eastern Gir forest’s edge, quiet on ordinary days and thronged on hers. Rajpara near Bhavnagar and Matel in Morbi district hold the other great seats, and Botad’s Paliyad completes the map. Navratri and Maha’s Khodiyar Jayanti bring the crowds; October to March suits the driving, and the eastern Gir country makes the trip worth extending.
The Amreli seat at Galdhara, set in the Shetrunji river country near the eastern Gir forest, is a peaceful and atmospheric shrine where pilgrims come for darshan and to seek the goddess’s blessings for protection and prosperity.
The legend of Khodiyar — a girl of humble birth who revealed her divine power — is woven deep into the folk faith of the region, and her temples blend popular devotion with the rhythms of rural Saurashtra life. (The image shown is a Khodiyar Mata temple.)
A Khodiyar Mata temple.
The goddess who rides a crocodile
A much-loved Saurashtra shrine.
Khodiyar, of humble birth, reveals her divine power.
She is venerated as the crocodile-riding mother goddess.
Temples rise at Galdhara, Rajpara, Matel and beyond.
One of Saurashtra's most popular deities.
Reasons to make the time
Beloved goddess
Khodiyar is kuldevi to countless Saurashtra families.
Crocodile mount
The crocodile mount sets her apart in Gujarat's iconography.
Popular devotion
Festival days fill the shrines with vast crowds.
Countryside shrine
Galdhara sits in Amreli's Shetrunji river country.
Festival fervour
Navratri and Jayanti bring the year's fullest devotion.
Folk legend
Her folk legend runs through the region's whole faith.
What to look for inside
THE TEMPLEKhodiyar shrine
A Khodiyar shrine of the Saurashtra countryside.
THE SETTINGBy the water
The riverside setting gives Galdhara its calm.
How to spend an hour or two
Take darshan
Seek the goddess's blessings.
Learn the legend
Khodiyar's folk story.
Soak the setting
The Shetrunji countryside.
Time a festival
Her days bring great fervour.
Respect customs
Follow the temple's norms.
Pair with Dhari
Eastern Gir is nearby.
A Khodiyar Mata temple by the water.
A shrine in the river country
The Khodiyar Mata temples of Saurashtra are typically white-washed shrines crowned with a shikhara and fronted by a pillared mandapa, with the goddess enshrined within, often near water — fitting for a deity associated with the crocodile.
The Amreli seat at Galdhara sits in the Shetrunji river country near eastern Gir, a tranquil rural setting where the temple’s flags, bells and steady stream of pilgrims animate an otherwise quiet landscape. (The images here show a Khodiyar Mata temple.)
More of the same kind is gathered in temples across Gujarat.
White shikhara & mandapa
Goddess enshrined within
Set near water
Rural Shetrunji setting
When to go
Cool and pleasant — the best season across Amreli.
Shravan brings peak Shiva worship; green country.
Hot; visit shrines early or late.
⏰ Visit in the cooler months; combine darshan with the Shetrunji reservoir, Dhari and the Ambardi safari.
Timings & entry
- Open daily for darshan
- Busiest on the goddess's festival days
- Remove footwear; dress modestly
- Allow about an hour
- No entry fee for darshan
- Expect crowds on festival days
- Photography norms vary — ask
- Combine with the Dhari area
Getting there
By Air
Rajkot and Diu are the nearest airports.
By Rail
Amreli and Dhari are the nearest stations.
By Road
At Galdhara near Dhari, reached via Amreli.
At the temple
SHRINE & RIVER
A beloved goddess in the countryside
What to shoot
The temple and its flags.
Setting
The river-country surrounds.
Be discreet
Respect worship and rules.
Best light
Soft morning light.
Know before you go
More to see close by
Shetrunji Dam
A large reservoir on the Shetrunji river near Dhari — a tranquil expanse of water amid…
6Eastern Gir Trails
Quiet forest roads far from the tourist gates
Nagnath Mahadev
A revered old Shiva temple in Amreli
Ambardi Safari Park
An open-air lion safari on the eastern edge of Gir near Dhari — Amreli’s window onto…
FORESTKhambha
A forest-edge town near eastern Gir
TEMPLEKamnath Mahadev
A revered Shiva shrine near Veraval
Where to eat near Khodiyar Mata Mandir
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.
Khodiyar Mata Mandir FAQ
Who is Khodiyar Mata?
A beloved warrior mother-goddess of Saurashtra, traditionally shown riding a crocodile.
Where is the Amreli temple?
At Galdhara near Dhari, in the Shetrunji river country.
Are there other Khodiyar temples?
Yes — well-known seats include Rajpara and Matel, besides Galdhara.
Why the crocodile?
It is the goddess's traditional mount in her iconography.
Is there an entry fee?
No, darshan is free.
When is it busiest?
On the goddess's festival days, which draw great crowds.
When should I visit?
October to March, for pleasant weather.
What's nearby?
Dhari, the Ambardi safari and the Shetrunji reservoir.
Related places across Gujarat
WILDLIFEJambughoda Sanctuary
Teak forests, lakes & leopards
VILLAGESRathwa Hamlets
Living Adivasi communities
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River cruises & a sea-plane to the statue
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Published 25 June 2026 · Updated 24 August 2026