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Neem Karoli Baba Temple Vavaniya | नीम करोली बाबा मंदिर ववाणिया
When we hear the name Neem Karoli Baba, the first place that usually comes to mind is Kainchi Dham in Uttarakhand. Most people know Maharaj-ji through this famous ashram and the stories of devotees who travelled from different parts of the world to seek his blessings. But do you know that a small village in Gujarat is also deeply connected with the early spiritual life of Neem Karoli Baba?
Yes, you read that right! Vavaniya, a quiet village near Morbi, is believed to be the place where Maharaj-ji spent part of his early life performing deep meditation in a pond. Because of this, the villagers started calling him Talaiya Baba. It is also believed that the Hanuman murti here was the first one installed by Maharaj-ji himself. Surprisingly, despite its spiritual importance, very few people outside Gujarat know about this sacred place.
To be honest, my connection with Neem Karoli Baba didn’t begin with devotion. I first heard his name around three years ago when one of my friends visited Kainchi Dham and told me about his experience. At that time, I knew nothing about Maharaj-ji and didn’t take the story seriously. I heard it, forgot it and moved on with my life. But three years later, an unplanned visit to watch Hanuman Ansh brought that forgotten name back into my mind.
After watching the movie, I decided that Kainchi Dham would be my next spiritual journey. But as my mother always says, “Bhagwan ke darshan bhi Bhagwan ki marzi se hote hain.” Before I could reach Kainchi Dham, work brought me to Rajkot, where one unexpected Instagram reel introduced me to Vavaniya Dham—just 120 kilometres from my mama’s home.
And that was enough for me to feel that perhaps Kainchi Dham was my plan, but Vavaniya was Baba’s plan for me.
So, your travel buddy is taking you on a peaceful 120-kilometre bike journey through the rainy roads of Gujarat—a journey filled with giant windmills, roadside chai, a train travelling beside my Bullet and an experience inside the temple that made me forget about my phone and camera completely.
Let’s begin this unexpected journey to the sacred Vavaniya Dham. 🙏🚩
The Movie I Never Planned to Watch
One morning in Mumbai, my friend suddenly came to me and said, “Bro, let’s go watch a movie.” When I asked him which movie, he simply replied, “Let’s reach the theatre first. We’ll decide there.” That was our entire plan. We hadn’t booked any tickets and didn’t have a particular movie in mind. After reaching the theatre, we checked the available shows and decided to watch Hanuman Ansh.
While watching the movie, the name Neem Karoli Baba suddenly felt familiar. Then I remembered the conversation I had with my friend three years earlier. He had told me about Kainchi Dham and the peace he experienced there, but I hadn’t paid much attention at the time. Now the same name I had heard and forgotten was in front of me on a giant cinema screen.
After the movie, we returned to the office, but my mind stayed behind in the theatre. The scenes kept running through my head, and my curiosity about Neem Karoli Baba continued to grow. That evening, I started watching videos about Maharaj-ji on YouTube. One video led to another as I learned about his life, his devotion to Lord Hanuman and the experiences shared by his devotees. By the end of the evening, I had decided that Kainchi Dham would be my next trip.
Life, however, had planned a different route.
From Somnath to an Unexpected Instagram Reel
Before I could properly plan my Kainchi Dham journey, some work brought me to Rajkot, Gujarat. During my stay, I visited Somnath Temple with my family, which became even more special because it was my son’s first Jyotirlinga darshan. We also visited Ban Ganga, associated with the story of hunter Jara’s arrow striking Shri Krishna, and Bhalka Tirth, the sacred place where Lord Krishna is believed to have left his mortal body. 🙏🦚
A few days later, while relaxing at my mama’s home and casually scrolling through Instagram, one reel suddenly caught my attention.
It showed a Hanuman temple associated with Neem Karoli Baba in Vavaniya village near Morbi. According to the reel, Maharaj-ji had spent part of his early life there and installed a Hanuman murti in the village. Curious, I immediately opened Google Maps—and Vavaniya was only about 120 kilometres from my mama’s home.
For a few seconds, I simply stared at the map. I had recently watched a movie about Neem Karoli Baba, started learning about his life and decided to visit Kainchi Dham. Now, without planning anything, I was sitting only a few hours away from another place connected with his spiritual journey.
At that moment, only one thought came to mind: “Kainchi Dham na sahi, Baba ne shayad mujhe yahan bulaya hai.”
It genuinely felt like Bhagwan ka bulava aa gaya tha. I decided that I would leave for Vavaniya the following morning.
The 120-Kilometre Ride to Vavaniya Dham
My alarm rang at 5 AM. I got ready, borrowed my mama’s Royal Enfield Bullet and entered “Shree Neeb Karori Maharaj-ji Hanuman Temple, Vavaniya” into Google Maps. Since I was completely new to the area, Google Maps was my only guide.
A light drizzle had started, but it wasn’t heavy enough to disturb the ride. Instead, it made the weather cool and pleasant. The roads were in good condition and almost empty. There was no city traffic, no constant honking and no rush—just open roads, cool wind and the sound of the Bullet as I travelled through the Gujarat countryside.
About an hour into the ride, the scenery suddenly changed. Around twenty to thirty giant windmills appeared on both sides of the road, their huge white blades slowly turning against the grey sky. I stopped for a few minutes to enjoy the view before finding a small roadside tea stall. And of course, no Sandeep journey can continue for long without chai. ☕ A hot cup of tea in that weather was exactly what I needed.
After the break, I continued towards Vavaniya and soon found myself riding beside a railway track that stretched along the road for nearly twenty kilometres. Then a train appeared, travelling in the same direction. For a few minutes, it felt like I had found an unexpected travel partner—the train on its track and me on the Bullet beside it. I’d love to say the Bullet won the race, but it didn’t. 😄
With the light rain, empty roads, passing train and sound of the Bullet, I almost forgot that I still had a destination to reach. The road to Vavaniya had already become a memorable part of the journey.
Reaching the Neem Karoli Baba & Hanuman Temple
After a peaceful ride, I finally entered Vavaniya village. I followed Google Maps to the temple, parked the Bullet and walked towards the entrance. The first thing I noticed was the silence. Tall trees surrounded the temple complex, and as soon as I entered, the noise of the road seemed to disappear.
There were two main sacred spaces inside the complex—one dedicated to Lord Hanuman and another associated with Neem Karoli Baba. I first entered the Hanuman temple. The priest told me that the murti at Vavaniya is believed to be the first Hanuman murti installed by Maharaj-ji himself. I folded my hands, took the blessings of Bajrang Bali and stood there quietly for a few moments.
After taking blessings, I walked towards Neem Karoli Baba’s temple. It was a small and peaceful space with a beautiful murti of Maharaj-ji inside. His face looked so natural and alive that, for a moment, it felt as if Baba were sitting there and silently watching everyone who entered.
The same room was also used for meditation. I sat down, thinking I would stay for only five minutes before exploring the rest of the temple. I closed my eyes, and slowly the thoughts running through my mind began to disappear.
Nothing dramatic happened. There were no visions or miracles—only a deep calm that stayed longer than it normally does. Even when we try to sit quietly, our minds keep moving between work, family, responsibilities, travel plans and our phones. But inside that room, my mind gradually became quiet.
When I opened my eyes, almost an hour had passed.
I hadn’t checked the time, touched my phone or taken a single photograph. That rarely happens with me because I usually start clicking pictures as soon as I reach a new destination. For once, I had experienced a place before trying to capture it.
Some places give you a beautiful view. Some places give you a feeling. Vavaniya gave me the second one.
The Pond Where Maharaj-ji Meditated
After leaving the meditation room, I walked towards the beautiful pond behind the temple. I started talking with the priest, and while explaining Maharaj-ji’s connection with Vavaniya, he pointed towards the water and said: “Baba used to remain in this talaiya for hours and meditate. That’s why the villagers called him Talaiya Baba.”
As he spoke, a scene from Hanuman Ansh suddenly returned to my mind—the young Maharaj-ji meditating in water. Only a few days earlier, I had watched that scene on a cinema screen in Mumbai. Now I was standing beside the pond connected with that part of his life.
At that moment, the entire journey began to make sense: a friend’s story three years earlier, a movie I hadn’t planned to watch, an Instagram reel I could easily have scrolled past and a work trip to Gujarat that I had never connected with Baba. Somehow, all those events had brought me to this pond.
Three years ago, I had judged Neem Karoli Baba without knowing anything about him. Now I was standing at a place connected with his early spiritual life and didn’t feel like leaving. I still couldn’t claim to understand everything about Maharaj-ji, but I knew that my first assumption had been unfair.
A Temple Built by the Villagers
While speaking with the priest, I also learned about the present temple structure. According to him, this place had once been only a small shrine. Around three or four years ago, the villagers came together, contributed money and helped build the temple that visitors see today.
Knowing that the local community had worked together to preserve a place connected with Maharaj-ji made it even more special. Vavaniya may not be as famous or crowded as Kainchi Dham, but perhaps that is part of its beauty. There was no rush, no long queue and no pressure to complete darshan quickly. I could sit peacefully, speak with the priest and understand why this small village remains important to Maharaj-ji’s devotees.
Only after spending considerable time at the temple did I remember that I hadn’t taken any pictures. I then walked around the complex again and captured photographs of the temple, trees, pond and surroundings. But the hour I spent sitting silently inside the meditation room remained my most important memory—one that no photograph could properly capture.
The Return Journey to Rajkot
I spent almost three hours at Vavaniya Dham. Before leaving, I returned to both temples one last time and took the blessings of Hanuman Ji and Maharaj-ji. Then I walked back to the Bullet and began my journey towards Rajkot.
The same windmills stood beside the road, the railway track still followed my route, and the weather remained cool and pleasant. Everything around me looked almost the same, but somehow, I didn’t feel the same as I had that morning.
I had started the journey with curiosity. I returned with peace.
Some journeys aren’t planned; they are guided. 🙏🚩
Vavaniya Dham Travel Guide
Where Is Vavaniya Dham?
Vavaniya Dham is located in Vavaniya village in the Morbi district of Gujarat. In historical accounts, the village name may also appear as Bavania or Babania.
Why Is Vavaniya Connected to Neem Karoli Baba?
Vavaniya is believed to be connected with Maharaj-ji’s early spiritual life. According to local tradition, he performed deep meditation in a pond here and became known among the villagers as Talaiya Baba. The Hanuman murti at Vavaniya is also believed to be the first one installed by Maharaj-ji himself.
Distance from Rajkot and Morbi
Rajkot to Vavaniya: Approximately 120 kilometres
Morbi to Vavaniya: Approximately 40 kilometres
The total journey time depends on your route, traffic and weather conditions.
How to Reach Vavaniya Dham
The most convenient way to reach Vavaniya is by bike or car. Search for “Shree Neeb Karori Maharajji Hanuman Temple, Vavaniya” on Google Maps and confirm that the selected destination is in Morbi district before starting.
Travellers using public transport can first reach Rajkot or Morbi and then continue towards Vavaniya by cab or available local transport.
Best Time to Visit
The monsoon makes the surroundings green and the road journey more beautiful. However, check the rain forecast and road conditions before travelling. Winter is also a comfortable time to visit. During summer, it is better to begin early in the morning to avoid the afternoon heat.
How Much Time Is Required?
Keep approximately two to three hours for the temple. Don’t treat it only as a quick photography stop. Spend some quiet time inside the meditation room, visit the pond and speak with the priest if he is available.
Useful Travel Tips
Start early to avoid heat and traffic.
Carry sufficient drinking water.
Keep a light raincoat during the monsoon.
Verify the current temple timings before travelling.
Ask permission before photographing the inner temple areas.
Spend a few minutes experiencing the silence before taking out your phone.
Speak with the priest to understand Maharaj-ji’s connection with Vavaniya.
Tell Your Friends About Neem Karoli Baba & Hanuman Temple Vavaniya
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