Kirti Mandir - History, Timings & Entry Fee

At a distance of 2 km from Porbandar Railway Station, Kirti Mandir is a memorial located in the coastal city of Porbandar in Gujarat. Situated on Kasturba Road, it is one of the popular monuments of heritage in India, and among the prime Porbandar places to visit.

Also known as the Temple of Fame, Kirti Mandir is built in honor of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in his birthplace in the city of Porbandar, Gujarat. The foundation stone of Kirti Mandir is said to be laid in 1947 and the building was completed in 1950, by which time Gandhiji was no more. The ancestral house of the Gandhi family, where Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2nd October 1869 is just adjacent to the Kirti Mandir. It was here that Bapu's grandfather Uttamchand Gandhi, father Karamchand Gandhi, and his uncle Tulsidas Gandhi lived with their respective spouses and children. They had all served as Prime Ministers to the Jethwa Rajput rulers of Porbandar.

Kirti Mandir, among the prime attractions of Porbandar packages, was constructed by Shri Nanjibhai Kalidas. Before the construction of the Kirti Mandir, the adjacent ancestral house was bought from the family members of Gandhiji who were residing in it. Mahatmaji himself, on his own part, had given his written consent to Nanjibhai along with all the legal documents required for the sale of the whole building, which is displayed at a museum room in Kirti Mandir Complex. Now, the ancestral house of Mahatma Gandhi is a part of the Kirti Mandir compound.

The complete structure of this temple is E-shaped and comprises domes, terraces, balconies, and a sikhara. It is believed that the temple rises to a height of 79 feet as a symbol of Gandhi's 79 long years of life on earth. The architectural elements of six different religious edifices like Hindu, Jain, Parsi temples, churches, and mosques are clubbed into this sole building. The place of Gandhi's birth is marked with 'Swastika' for easy identification. The interior of the Kirti Mandir is marble finished and is regarded as the cenotaph of Gaekwads.

The memorial houses life-size paintings of Mahatma Gandhi and his wife Kasturba Gandhi right in the center of the structure. 'Satya' and 'Ahimsa', the cherished words of Mahatma Gandhi are inscribed at the base of the dais where the paintings are mounted. Besides, the temple also houses 2 memorials of Mahadev Desai and Maganlal Gandhi in two separate rooms. There is also a museum that displays some old pictures and a few belongings of Mahatma Gandhi such as handicraft items and khadibhandar articles, books, and numerous historical photographs. A portion of the temple complex is reserved for the Kasturba-Mahila Library too.

Timings: 9 AM - 12 PM & 3 PM - 6 PM

Entry: Free