Porbandar's Sudama Temple seeks revival amid Lok Sabha polls

Porbandar (Gujarat) [India], May 1 : Porbandar's Sudama Temple, standing barely a kilometer away from Mahatma Gandhi's birthplace seeks renovation to match famed temples like Dwarka and Somnath amidst the fervour of the Lok Sabha elections.
Sudama Temple, dedicated to Lord Krishna's childhood friend, erected over a century ago holds deep cultural and religious significance, drawing visitors from across the nation.
Shri Sudamaji's Temple, unique in being the only one worldwide administered under governmental supervision, stands as a testament to faith and heritage.
Despite several local initiatives, its development has fallen short of its magnificence. However, with joint efforts envisioned by both central and state governments for tourism development, the prospect of Sudama Temple's revival looms large.

Mansirajar Sinh, the temple's priest, highlighted its historical importance, tracing Sudama's journey from Porbandar to Ujjain and his legendary friendship with Lord Krishna. It is perhaps the country's only temple dedicated to Sudama.
Talking to ANI, Sinh said, "This is the birthplace of Sudama Ji. From here, Sudama Ji went to Ujjain to pursue education, where he befriended Lord Krishna. After returning here, Sudama Ji went to meet Krishna in Dwarka. This temple is more than 125 years old. It is the only temple of Sudama Ji in the entire country."
The temple is simple but adorned with marble pillars and an intricately sculpted shikhara. It also has a small stepwell in the complex, hitherto neglected, the temple is looking for a facelift with locals pinning their hopes on Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who is contesting from Porbandar Lok Sabha constituency.
"People from all over the country come here. Whoever undertakes the pilgrimage to Somnath and Dwarkapur, definitely comes here. Any leader who wins from here should work for the development of this temple," he said Sinh.
Despite its antiquity, the temple's infrastructure lags, prompting calls for government intervention to propel its development, echoing the sentiments of locals.
Sagar Modi, a resident said that Sudama Ji is Lord Krishna's closest friend, and there is only one temple dedicated to him in the world, which is in Porbandar.
"Our expectation from the government is that just like the development of Kashi Vishwanath and Ayodhya Ram Temple has been done, similar development should be carried out for the only Sudama Temple in the world and a corridor should be built for it too. Since it falls between Dwarka and Somnath, people should also visit here. If this happens, Porbandar will also see development," he added.
"Modi said that local leaders' support is crucial for this. We hope that Porbandar undergoes development. Modi Ji speaks up for 'Vocal for Local' and this should be further promoted here so that people can find employment opportunities," he added.
Bharat Keshav Rao, a devotee, who came from Thane said that he is feeling very happy. But, this site needs to get promoted so that people will get information and visit here.
Hemant Mahatre, another devotee, who came from Mumbai said, "This is only one temple of Sudama Ji. It has big premises. But, very less people know about this cultural and historical site. The government should promote this site and the people's representatives' role is most important."
Situated amidst a bustling market area, the Sudama Temple's call for revival reverberates through Porbandar, symbolizing not just a spiritual centre but a beacon of socio-economic progress.