DWARKA
It is believed that immediately after the death of Lord
Krishna and the consequent demise of the Yadav dynasty a massive flood
swallowed all of Dwarka and submerged the city of gold to the bottom of the
ocean. However, current excavations give us reason to think this myth has a
historical basis, as most myths do.
Today, the present Dwarka sits at the opening of the Gomti
river on the Arabian Sea and is renowned for the Dwarkadheesh temple, among
other notable historical and religious sites. It is believed that Mirabhai,
Lord Krishna’s devoted follower, merged with his idol in this temple. Every
year during Janmashtami (the anniversary of Krishna's birth), thousands of
devotees from all over the world come here to partake in elaborate festivities.
Dwarka was reportedly a thoroughly planned city, which had
six well-organized sectors, residential and commercial zones, wide roads,
plazas, palaces and many public utilities. Public meetings were held in a hall
called sudharma sabha (meeting of true religion). In ancient times its
flourishing port was considered to be the gateway to the mainland. The city had
700,000 palaces made of gold, silver and other precious stones, as well as
beautiful gardens and lakes. The entire city was surrounded by water and
connected with the mainland through well-constructed bridges.
How to get
there
By road: Dwarka
is on the state highway from Jamnagar to Dwarka. Direct buses available from
Jamnagar and Ahmedabad.
By rail: Dwarka
is a station on the Ahmedabad-Okha broad gauge railway line, with trains
connecting it to Jamnagar (137 km), Rajkot (217 km) and Ahmedabad (471 km), and
some trains that continue all the way down the coast through Vadodara, Surat,
Mumbai, Goa, Karnataka, to the southern tip of India in Kerala.
By air: Nearest
airport is Jamnagar (137 km).
Best Time
To Visit
The ideal time to visit Dwarka is from November till the
last of February when the city experiences cold winters. Nonetheless, if you
specifically want to participate in the festivities of Dwarka's grandly
celebrated Janmashtami Festival, visiting the town during August and September
will be eventful. Hence, September to March are the best months to visit
Dwarka. However, the city is equally enchanting throughout the year.
Things to
do
Please do try the recommended ‘The five-hour guided tour’ bookable at either
the Nagar Panchayat's office, located near the vegetable market, the Tourist
Bureau, located near the main bus stand, or the Toran Guest House.
This five-hour local
tour takes you to Nageshwar Jyotiling Temple, Gopi Tarav and Beyt Dwarka. The
tariff does not include the ferry charges to Beyt Dwarka. The first tour starts
at 8am and the second tour begins around 2pm.
TOP 10 Places
To Visit In Dwarka
1. Dwarkadhish Temple
The temple showcases intricate sculptural
detailing done by the ancestral dynasties that ruled the region and the black
magnificent idol of Lord Krishna. There are other shrines within the temple
which are devoted to Subhadra, Balarama and Revathy, Vasudeva, Rukmini and many
others.
2. Dwarka
Beach
Along the Arabian Sea coast, Dwarka Beach
is a good place to relax in the evenings. Popular among both the locals and
tourists, Dwarka Beach is located quite close to the main temples in town.
3. Dwarka
Lighthouse
The tower, 43m in height was inaugurated on
15th July 1962. Tourists can enjoy the panoramic view of the sunset.
4. Rukmini Devi Temple
A small structure is an important shrine
dedicated to Krishna's beloved consort, Rukmani Devi. Not as majestically
gigantic, this shrine is an architectural masterpiece in itself.The rich
paintings on the walls depicting Rukmini and Krishna as old as the 12th
century, the intricate carvings on the walls leave the beholder spell bound.
5. Swaminarayan
Mandir, Dwarka
Located very close to the beautiful
seashore and the Dwarkadish temple, Swami Narayan Mandir is a divine shrine
dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan, an avatar of Lord Vishnu. The shrine is a
relatively new structure, however, the architecture, the sculptures and the
bas-relief work on the structure is quite a treat to the eyes. The shrine is
well maintained, clean and possesses a divine vibe that can calm a hassled mind
down instantly
Sudama Setu Bridge is a stunning suspension
bridge built for pedestrians to cross River Gomti that's named after the
childhood friend of Lord Krishna, Sudama. It connects the ancient Jagat Temple
and the sacred Panchkui teerth on the island which is associated with the
legendary Pandava brothers. Other than mythology, the bridge is also famous for
a breathtaking view of the river and the Arabian Sea and is an important
feature to promote tourism on the island.
7. Gopi
Talav
Legend has it that this is the lake where
Krishna used to entice his Gopis (young female inhabitants) with his youthful
pranks and romantic nature. About 20km, the lake is surrounded by sandal like
yellow sand which is used by the devotees to make tilaks on their bodies. It is
quite a pretty sight.
8. Beyt
Island
The island also holds a significant
mythological and religious significance. It is believed to be the home of Lord
Krishna when he was the king of Dwarka. It was here where Lord Krishna
exchanged the bags of rice with his friend Sudama - as the story goes.
Therefore, this place is also visited by several devotees for a pilgrimage as
well.
Situated around 30 km from the main town of
Dwarka, Beyt Island (also called Bet Dwarka or Shankodhar) is a small island
which was the main port in the region before the development of Okha. Located
at the mouth of the Gulf of Kutch, the island is enclosed by a few temples,
white sand beaches and coral reefs, which is the prime reason for the tourist
activity in the region. Among the several activities available at the beach to
engage the tourists, the most popular ones include dolphin spotting, marine
excursions, beach camping and picnics etc.
9. Nageshwar
Jyotirlinga
The importance of Nageshwar Jyotirlinga
stems from the fact that it is believed to be the first of the 12 Jyotirlingas .
Designed on the principles of Vaastu Shastra, the temple is planned on the
Sayanam (sleeping) posture of the human body. On the festival of Maha
Shivaratri, the Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple witnesses grand celebration,
drawing flock of devotees from all across the globe.
10. Gita
Mandir: A Shrine Dedicated To Bhagvad Gita
This simple, beautiful and serene temple
stands out as much for it marble structure, as for the message it carries and
is one of the Dwarka places to visit you can’t miss. Located close to the
sunset point and Bhadkeshwar Mahadev temple, this humble shrine is dedicated to
the holiest and wisest Indian texts, the Bhagavad Gita. Constructed by the
Birla group to preserve and propagate the teachings and values extolled in the
Gita, the temple walls are inscribed with verses from the holy book.
HISTORY
Depending on who you are, what you are about to read can
seem anything from myth to legend to reality. Turn back the cosmic clock, let
your imagination plummet suddenly into 1500 BC, and you may begin to recreate
in your mind’s eye, a city of gold – Dwarka, the mesmerizing kingdom of Lord
Krishna. Ranchhodrai, as Lord Krishna is affectionately called in Gujarat, came
to Dwarka from Mathura to build his new kingdom where he would later spend a
significant part of his life. Located at the western tip of the Saurashtra
peninsula, this town enjoys remarkable importance in Hindu lore. It is the only
place considered both one of the four principal holy places (char dham), as
well as one of the seven ancient towns (sapta puris) to visit. For this reason,
millions of pilgrims and historical scholars have come here over the centuries.
Krishna's Dwarka
Worshiped as the 8th incarnation of the Hindu deity Vishnu,
Krishna is believed to have been born sometime between 1500 and 700 BC in
Mathura, just south of Delhi in the modern state of Uttar Pradesh. There
Krishna killed the oppressive king Kansa, angering his father-in-law Jarasandh.
Jarasandh attacked Krishna's kingdom 17 times in a lengthy war as he tried to
avenge the death of his son-in-law. The people of Mathura, the Yadavs, suffered
heavy casualties. Krishna knew that his people would not be able to survive
another war with Jarasandh, as the ongoing conflict was not only taking lives
but also impacting trade and farming. So as to avert any further casualty,
Krishna left the battle grounds and began to be known as Ranchhodji (one who
leaves the battle grounds).
Krishna, along with the Yadav dynasty, crossed Gomantak
(Girnar Mountain), and arrived at the coast of Saurashtra at a distance of 32
km from Somnath. According to some references, he arrived near the present day
Okha and established his kingdom on Beyt Dwarka. It is believed that
Samudradev, the lord of the sea, blessed Krishna with a land measuring twelve
yojanas (773 square km) and Vishwakarma, the celestial architect in Hinduism,
granted Krishna's wishes and built him his new kingdom. This new capital
flourished with such wealth and oppulence that it was called the City of Gold,
and Krishna came to be known as Dwarkadheesh (King of Dwarka). Krishna's life
goal was to re-establish a kingdom based on the principal of Sat Dharma or
'true religion'. Dwarka, also known as Dwaravati, comes from the words dwara,
meaning 'door,' and ka, meaning 'Brahma.' Thus the name refers to the place as
a door to union with Brahma, the indescribable ground of all reality, in other
words a gateway to spiritual liberation.
Dwarka Submerged
The death of Krishna symbolized the beginning of the
Kali-yuga, an age of strife, discord and quarrel. After Krishna's departure a
massive flood swallowed up the city of gold, and it is believed that the city
was submerged by the ocean and rebuilt six times by different civilizations.
The modern day Dwarka is the 7th such city to be built in the area.
There are various theories suggesting the exact location of
the original Dwarka. But there are also some archaeological signs to support
the belief that the ancient Dwarka lies buried under the present Dwarka and
extended up to Beyt Dwarka in the north, Okhamadhi in the south, and Pindara in
the east.
