Ever visited a Shiv temple that disappears under the water once a day? You can do so near the city of Vadodara. The famous Shiv temple is known as the Stambheshwar Mahadev Mandir. It is located at Kamboi near the Kavi village near to Jambusar district and also to Vadodara.
History of the Temple
The Stambheshwar Mahadev Temple is situated in Kavi Kamboi as mentioned above in Gujarat. The temple was founded 150 years back on the banks of the Arabian Sea on one side and the Bay of Cambay on the other. There is a legend associated with this temple that links the God Shiva and his son Lord Kartikeya. Its other name is Kumareshwar Shivlinga. In local terms it is the union place of the Mahisagar and the Sabarmati River.
History of the Temple
The Stambheshwar Mahadev Temple is situated in Kavi Kamboi as mentioned above in Gujarat. The temple was founded 150 years back on the banks of the Arabian Sea on one side and the Bay of Cambay on the other. There is a legend associated with this temple that links the God Shiva and his son Lord Kartikeya. Its other name is Kumareshwar Shivlinga. In local terms it is the union place of the Mahisagar and the Sabarmati River.
The shivlinga of the Mahadev was established by Lord Kartikeya after he killed the demon Tarkasur. The demon was a devotee of Lord Shiva and Lord Kartikeya wanted to wash away the sin of killing a Shiv devotee. It has been mentioned in the Skanda Purana
Sea Performs the Puja
What is so unique about this temple? Well, the sea herself performs worship of the shivlinga! During high tide, the sea water submerges the Shiv temple totally. This phenomenon happens once a day. Visitors can see the temple only during the low tide hours. The dates and timings of darshan can be seen along with the website below.
Unusual Sea-Shivlinga Bond
The shivlinga is close to 4 feet. It is a sight for everyone to see the seawater gradually making its way towards the shivlinga and the temple during the high tide and submerging them. It can be said the same when the water starts receding that the shivlinga slowly comes back into view. Anyone who wants to visit this fabulous place should plan the visit that they can worship the lord before or after the tide. During the high tide, the sea water rises by close 12 feet.
Sea Performs the Puja
What is so unique about this temple? Well, the sea herself performs worship of the shivlinga! During high tide, the sea water submerges the Shiv temple totally. This phenomenon happens once a day. Visitors can see the temple only during the low tide hours. The dates and timings of darshan can be seen along with the website below.
Unusual Sea-Shivlinga Bond
The shivlinga is close to 4 feet. It is a sight for everyone to see the seawater gradually making its way towards the shivlinga and the temple during the high tide and submerging them. It can be said the same when the water starts receding that the shivlinga slowly comes back into view. Anyone who wants to visit this fabulous place should plan the visit that they can worship the lord before or after the tide. During the high tide, the sea water rises by close 12 feet.
Transport to the Stambheshwar Temple
I had suddenly decided to visit this place during the Diwali times. I went towards the Padra Village near Vadodara and again took a bus from there to Jambusar. However the transport from Jambusar to Kavi Kamboi is not too frequent. Bus can take you there every 2 hours. I had to wait for atleast 1 hour before I could get a bus.
For those who are traveling alone and in a public transport, they have to be sure of the bus timings, specifically in the evening time. The last bus departs from the Kavi village around 6:00 pm for Bharuch or Jambusar. From Jambusar, one can take another bus to Padra or Vadodara. Rickshaws are available from the Kavi Village that takes passengers to the temple at a nominal price. The temple is about 60 km from Vadodara.
Devotee's Favorite Place
Nearby the temple there is ample parking space for the vehicles and a good place for the families to sit and have their breakfast all the while viewing the sea do its work. The breakfast vendors park themselves around the temple so that anyone who wants to have some lime water and other primary breakfast can relish themselves easily. There is an ashram nearby the temple. It is said that free lunch is always provided in the ashram. People often make it a point to visit the temple during the sunrise and sunset times and photograph the surroundings. Seagulls can be seen flocking around.
