Shri Chandraprabhu Swami Jain Temple (Chandraprabhas Patan Tirth)

Tucked into the old lanes of Prabhas Patan, a short walk inland from the great Somnath shrine on the Arabian Sea, the Shri Chandraprabhu Swami Jain Temple is one of the quieter but historically resonant stops on the Somnath pilgrimage circuit.

• This Shwetambar Jain derasar (temple) enshrines Bhagwan Chandraprabhu, the eighth Tirthankar of the Jain tradition, whose emblem (lanchan) is the crescent moon — chandra.
• It is from this presiding deity that old Prabhas Patan long carried the name "Chandraprabhas Patan," a memory of the settlement's deep Jain heritage layered alongside its more famous Shaivite associations.
• Local tradition holds that the venerated Chandraprabhu idol was brought here from Vallabhipur (ancient Valabhi), the celebrated capital of the Maitraka kings in the Bhavnagar region and a great early centre of Jain scholarship.
• The move ties this small town temple to one of Gujarat's most storied episodes of Jain learning and migration.
• Like most Shwetambar shrines of the region, the temple is bright and intricately worked inside — carved pillars, a decorated garbhagriha, and the serene white marble icon crowned by its moon symbol — though visitors should note that photography inside the sanctum is usually not permitted, and modest dress plus removing shoes and leather items is expected.
• For travellers, the derasar makes a gentle, contemplative counterpoint to the crowds and sea-spray of the Somnath Jyotirlinga and the Prabhas tirths associated with Krishna's departure.
• It rewards a slow, respectful visit: a few minutes of quiet in the cool prayer hall, a glance at the fine woodwork and marble, and a sense of how many faiths have converged on this ancient coastal town over the centuries.
• Ask the temple caretakers about darshan and aarti timings, which follow the customary Jain schedule and can shift by season.
• Food around Prabhas Patan and the temple belt is reliably pure-vegetarian, in keeping with the pilgrim character of the town.
• Within a short walk you will find several pure-veg Gujarati and Kathiyawadi thali houses serving unlimited platters of rotli, shaak, dal, kadhi, bhaat, farsan and jaggery-laced sweets; the Somnath temple-trust bhojanalaya near the main shrine also offers simple, hygienic satvik meals to pilgrims.
• For lighter fare, look for pure-veg outlets around the Somnath temple road doing khaman, dhokla, fafda-jalebi and chaas.
• As Veraval is a working fishing port, choose clearly signed pure-veg (shudh shakahari) establishments in the pilgrim belt, and note that Gujarat is a dry state, so no alcohol is served anywhere here.