About Bharat Mandir
A Temple to the Motherland
Bharat Mandir - the Temple of India - is one of Porbandar’s most unusual landmarks: a shrine dedicated not to a deity of the pantheon but to Bharat Mata, Mother India herself. Set in a garden directly opposite the Nehru Planetarium (Tara Mandir), the two-storey rectangular hall celebrates the land, its epics, its saints and its freedom struggle.
The Map on the Floor
The hall’s centrepiece is a huge relief map of India laid into the floor in marble - a bird’s-eye pilgrimage across the subcontinent.
Carved Pillars
Yellow pillars carry stone carvings and brass reliefs of heroes from Hindu mythology on all four sides.
Saints & Freedom Fighters
Portraits and statues of India’s spiritual teachers and independence heroes line the hall.
Rama & Gandhi Together
One prominent pillar pairs images of Lord Rama and Mahatma Gandhi - Porbandar’s own son.
Highlights
Inside the Hall
01
Relief Map of India
Trace the country from the Himalayas to Kanyakumari on the great marble floor map.
02
The Pillar Reliefs
Stone and brass epic heroes ringing the two-storey hall.
03
The Galleries
A compact museum of India’s spiritual and national story in portraits and statues.
04
The Garden Setting
A calm green compound shared with the Tara Mandir planetarium across the road.
Plan the Hour
Opening Hours
Morning
9 AM – 12 PM
Open daily
Afternoon
3 PM – 6 PM
Open daily
Entry
Nominal fee
A few rupees per visitor
Best Plan
3–6 PM window
Then Tara Mandir across the road - a perfect double-bill for children
Around Khapat
Pair With
Getting There
Reaching Bharat Mandir
By Train
Porbandar Station ~3 km
Autos and taxis run directly to the Khapat / Tara Mandir area.
By Air
Porbandar Airport ~5 km
A 15-minute ride from the terminal.