Ranchor

DAKOR or RANCHOR JI is famous throughout, for a Deity of Lord Sri Krishna named Ranchor Raya. Here Lord Sri Krishna is worshiped for an act that would taint the reputation of others but serves only to increase His fame and His devotees' love for Him. Ranchor (rana-cora) means "one who flees from battle" or, more simply, "deserter," and raya (from raja) designates a king or a respected person. Krishna gained fame as Ranchor Raya when He fled a battle, apparently out of fear. Actually, He wanted to prevent needless killing and attend to His pastime of kidnapping Rukmini, His first wife. Krishna's fleeing the battle is especially glorified by devotees in Gujarat because it marked Krishna's taking up residence in Dwarka, in Gujarat. Ranchor Raya was installed in Dakor during the auspicious month of Kartik (in October/November). Ranchor Raya receives seven offerings of food daily, and the cooking goes on nonstop. The evening offering is called Chapan-bhog, which means "fifty-six items offered for the Lord's pleasure."

In the times of the Mahabharata, the Dakor area was a pleasant jungle rich with streams and lakes. Danka rsi was one of several sages residing in ashrams there, and after pleasing Lord Siva he requested him to remain in his hermitage. Lord Siva agreed and appeared there in his linga form, known as Dankanath Mahadev. Thus in ancient times Dakor was known as Dankapura. When Lord Krishna and Bhima went to the hermitage of Danka rsi, Krishna asked the sage to request a benediction from Him. Danka rsi requested that Krishna, like Lord Siva, stay in his hermitage permanently. Krishna promised that after staying in Dwarka for some time, in Kali-yuga He would come to live in Dankapura.

Danka rsi's desire was eventually fulfilled by Bodana, a great devotee of Krishna, in the 1200s.  Bodana, a great devotee of Lord Krishna. In his previous birth, he is supposed to have lived in Gokul and been a cowherd called Vijayanand. On one Holi day, all the cowherds except Vijyanand worshipped Lord Krishna. His wife too worshipped Lord Krishna. But Vijayanand was proud and stayed at home. Lord Krishna came to his house in disguise of his friend and sent him to perform 'Holi' puja. Coming back, he realised that his friend was none else but Lord Krishna. Next day they fought a battle of colour. Lord Krishna lost and fell into the river. Vijyanand went after Him where Lord Krishna revealed his true self. Vijyanand begged forgiveness. Lord Krishna took pity on him and solaced him with a boon that he would be born again in Kali yuga after 4200 years as Vijayanand Bodana in the house of a Krishatriya and his present wife Sudha would again be his wife, called Gangabai, when Lord will give them a darshan and liberate him. 

Vijayanand Bodana, a rajput of Dakor, was a staunch devotee of Lord Krishna. He grew tulasi and travelled to Dwarka every six months to worship Krishna with tulasi leaves. He did this continuously, unfailingly and untiringly till he was 72 years and found it increasingly difficult to continue. Seeing his plight, Lord Krishna appeared in his dream and told him that on his next visit to Dwarka, he should bring a bullock-cart with him and then He (as the deity) would accompany him to Dakor as He was exceedingly pleased with his devotion. Accordingly, Bodana went with bullock-cart to Dwarka. The priests of Dwarka asked him as to why he had brought a cart with him. Bodana replied that he had done so to take Lord Krishna away. Looking to the ramshackle cart, they did not believe him but nevertheless locked and sealed the sanctum sanctorum of Dwarka Temple for the night. At mid night, Lord Krishna broke open the doors, awoke Bodana and told him to take him to Dakor. Shortly afterwards, Lord Krishna called upon Bodana to rest in the bullock-cart and drove the cart himself till reached the vicinity of Dakor. Here (near Bileshwar Mahadev on Dakor-Nadiad road) they rested for some time, touching and holding a branch of neem tree. He woke up Bodana and asked him to take over. Since that day, this neem tree is found to have one sweet branch though the rest of the branches are bitter.

In Dwarka, the brahmanas finding the Deity missing, chased Bodana and rushed to Dakor in pursuit. Bodana was frightened but Lord Krishna told Bodana to Hide in the Gomti tank and meet the priests. Accordingly, Bodana hid the Deity and went to meet the priests with a pot of curd to pacify them. They became angry and one of them threw a spear at him. Bodana fell down dead. Bodana achieved liberation. While hurting Bodana with a spear it also hurt the Deity hidden in Gomti tank and the water turned red with Lord Krishna's (Ranchhodraiji's) blood. Even today the earth of Gomti tank where the Deity lay is red while rest of the tank is of brown mud. In the midst of Gomti tank, over the place where Lord Krishna was hidden, a small temple having the Lord's foot-prints is constructed and this temple is linked with the bank of Gomti Tank by a bridge.

Even with the death of Bodana, the priests were not appeased. Requesting Lord Krishna to return to Dwarka, they sat on the bank of Gomti tank and went on a hunger strike. At last, Lord Ranchhodraiji (Krishna) directed Gangabai, wife of Bodana, to give gold equivalent of his weight and ask the priests to return to Dwarka. The poor lady, the widow of Bodana could not afford to do so. But by a miracle, the Deity became as light as her gold nose-ring (five grams), which was all the gold she had. The brahmanas were disappointed, but the Lord mercifully told them that after six months they would find an exact replica of His deity in a well in Dwarka, which they found after six months.

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