Dada Khachar
Dada Khachar (1800–1852) was a devotee of Swaminarayan and the Darbar Shri of Gadhada. [1] His father was Ebhel Khachar and mother Somadevi and was named Uttamsinh on birth. He came to be known as Dada Khachar and had four sisters, Jaya, Lalita, Panchali and Nanu. The entire family were followers of Swaminarayan.
It was because insistence of Dada Khachar and his sisters, that Swaminarayan made Dada Khachar's Darbar in Gadhada his home for over 27 years.
Dada Khachar and his sisters requested Swaminarayan, to build a temple in Gadhada. They offered their own place of residence for the purpose. A massive temple, Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Gadhada, was constructed in the courtyard of Dada's darbar, and became a place of pilgrimage for followers of Swaminarayan. Swaminarayan himself brought stones on his head from River Ghela for the foundation of the temple. The idol of Gopinath was installed in the central shrine of the temple.
When Swaminarayan departed for His abode; Akshardham, Dada Khachar rushed to jump on the funeral pyre, but was held back by Gopalanand Swami who told Dada Khachar to go to the mango tree in Laxmiwadi where the Swaminarayan frequently held assemblies.
References
- ↑ Kirin Narayan (1992). Storytellers, Saints and Scoundrels. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. ISBN 81-208-1002-3. Retrieved May 8, 2009. Page 141