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Dwarka | |
|---|---|
Town | |
  .jpg)  | |
  Dwarka | |
| Coordinates:22°14′47″N68°58′00″E / 22.24639°N 68.96667°E /22.24639; 68.96667 | |
| Country |  India |
| State |  Gujarat |
| Region | Saurashtra |
| District | Devbhumi Dwarka |
| Founded by | Krishna |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| • Body | Dwarka Nagarpalika |
| Elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 38,873 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Gujarati |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 361335 |
| Vehicle registration | GJ-37 |
| Website | https://devbhumidwarka.nic.in/ |
Dwarka (pronunciationⓘ) is acoastal town and municipality ofDevbhumi Dwarka district in theIndian state ofGujarat. It is located on the western shore of the Okhamandal Peninsula on the right bank of the Gomti river at the mouth of theGulf of Kutch facing theArabian Sea.
Dwarka has theDwarkadhish Temple dedicated to Krishna, which is one of four sacredHindu pilgrimage sites called theChardham founded byAdi Shankaracharya at the four corners of the country. The Dwarkadhish Temple was established as a monastic center and forms part of the Dwarka temple complex.[1][2] Dwarka is also one of the seven most ancient religious cities (Sapta Puri) in India.
Dwarka is part of the "Krishna pilgrimage circuit" which includesVrindavan,Mathura,Barsana,Gokul,Govardhan,Kurukshetra,Veraval andPuri.[3] It is one of 12 heritage cities across the country selected under theHeritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) scheme of the Government of India to develop civic infrastructure.[4]
The town has a hot, arid climate with a 16-day rainy season. It had a population of 38,873 in 2011. The main festival ofJanmashtami is celebrated inBhadrapada (August–September).
Dwarka is considered as the first capital of Gujarat.[2] The name literally means gateway.[5] Dwarka has also been referred to throughout its history as "Mokshapuri", "Dwarkamati", and "Dwarkavati".[6] It is mentioned in the ancient epic period of theMahabharata.[5] According to legend,Krishna settled here after he defeated and killed his uncleKamsa atMathura.[7] This mythological account of Krishna's migration to Dwarka from Mathura is closely associated with theculture of Gujarat.[8] Krishna is also said to have reclaimed 12 yojanas or 96 square kilometres (37 sq mi) of land from the sea to create Dwarka.[9]
Archaeological findings suggest the original templeDwarkadhish Temple dedicated to Krishna was built in 200 BCE at the earliest.[10][11][12] The temple was rebuilt and enlarged in the 15th–16th century.[13][14] The temple is also the location ofDwaraka maţha, also calledSharada Matha/Peeth and "western peeth",[15][note 1] one of the fourpeeths (Sanskrit: "religious center") established byAdi Shankaracharya. As an important pilgrimage centre for Hindus, Dwarka has several notable temples, includingRukmini Devi Temple, Gomti Ghat, andBet Dwarka. There is also a lighthouse at the land end point of Dwarka.
Archaeological investigations at Dwarka, both on shore and offshore in theArabian Sea, have been performed by theArchaeological Survey of India. The first investigations carried out on land in 1963 revealed many artefacts.[16] Excavations done at two sites on the seaward side of Dwarka brought to light submerged settlements, a large stone-built jetty, and triangular stone anchors with three holes. The settlements are in the form of exterior and interior walls, and fort bastions. From thetypological classification of the anchors it is inferred that Dwarka had flourished as a port during the period of theMiddle kingdoms of India.[9]Coastal erosion was probably the cause of the destruction of what was an ancient port. Another excavation near Dwarkadhish temple took place which have yielded a shrine dedicated toVishnu from 9th century CE, furthermore excavation were conducted which yielded a settlement from 1st century BCE another excavation was conducted in the site for the antiquity of the town, have yielded a settlement probably contemporary toMahabharata dated around2nd millennium BCE.[9]
Dwarka is mentioned in the copper inscription dated 574 CE of Simhaditya, theMaitraka dynasty minister ofVallabhi. He was the son of Varahdas, the king of Dwarka. The nearby Bet Dwarka island is a religious pilgrimage site and an important archaeological site of theLate Harappan period, with onethermoluminescence date of 1570 BCE.[17][18]
An epigraphic reference ascribed to Garulaka Simhaditya, the son of Varahdas, the king of Dwarka, is inscribed on a copper plate dated to 574 CE, found inPalitana. The Greek writer of thePeriplus of the Erythraean Sea referred to a place called Baraca, which has been interpreted as present-day Dwarka. A reference made inPtolemy'sGeography identified Barake as an island in the Gulf of Kanthils, which has also been inferred to mean Dwarka.[9]
One of thefour dhams (religious seats), which were founded byAdi Shankaracharya (686–717 CE) at the four corners of the country, was established as a monastic centre and it forms part of the Dwarka temple complex.[1][2]
In 1473 theGujarat SultanMahmud Begada sacked the town and destroyed the temple of Dwarka.[19][20] The Jagat Mandir or the Dwarakadhisa temple was later rebuilt.[21]Vallabha Acharya retrieved an idol of Dwarkadhish, which was revered by Rukmini. He hid it in astepwell, known as Savitri vav, during the Muslim invasion, before moving it to Ladva village. In 1551, when Turk Aziz invaded Dwarka, the idol was shifted to the island of Bet Dwarka.[citation needed]
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Dwarka, along with the Okhamandal region, was under the rule ofGaekwad of Baroda state during theIndian rebellion of 1857. A war broke out at Okhamandal in 1858 between the localVaghers and theBritish. The Vaghers had won the battle and ruled until September 1859. Later, after a joint offensive of the British, the Gaekwads, and other princely state troops, the Vaghers were ousted in 1859. During these operations, led by Colonel Donovan, the temples at Dwarka and Bet Dwarka suffered damage and were looted. A complaint of atrocities by the British was made by the local people of Jamnagar,Porbander, andKutch, which led to their restoration.[22][23][24] In 1861, Dwarakadheesh Temple was renovated byMaharaja Khanderao and the British, who refurbished theshikara.[citation needed]Maharaja Gaikwad ofBaroda added a goldenpinnacle to the shikara in 1958 during a refurbishment by Shankaracharya of Dwarka. Since 1960, the temple has been maintained by the Government of India.[25]
TheSudama Setu, a bridge over the Gomti River connecting mainland Dwarka with Panchkui island was opened in 2016.[26]
Dwarka, at the mouth of theGulf of Kutch, on the western shore of the Okhamandal Peninsula, is on the right bank of the Gomti River which rises from the Bhavda village at a place known as Mul-Gomti, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the east. It is now under the newly formed district of Devbhoomi Dwarka at the western end of the Saurashtra (Kathiawar) peninsula, facing the Arabian Sea.[27] The Gomti River was a harbour until the 19th century.[9]
According to theKöppen-Geiger classification, Dwarka has thehot semi-arid climate (BSh) typical of Gujarat, bordering upon ahot arid climate (BWh). TheHoldridge life zones system of bio-climatic classification identifies Dwarka in or near the subtropical thorn woodland biome.[28] The “average” annual rainfall is 490 millimetres or 19.3 inches spread over a rainy period of 16 days limited to the months of June to September. However, the variability is among the highest in the world withcoefficient of variation of around sixty per cent[29] – among the few comparably variable climates in the world being theLine Islands of Kiribati, thePilbara coast of Western Australia, thesertão of Northeastern Brazil, and theCape Verde islands.[30] Extremes of annual rainfall have ranged from as little as 15.0 millimetres or 0.59 inches in 1987 to as much as 1,288.1 millimetres or 50.71 inches in 2010, while as much as 355.8 millimetres or 14.01 inches fell in one day on 2 July 1998.
The average maximumtemperature is 30 °C (86 °F) with a record high of 42.7 °C (108.9 °F) and an average minimum temperature of 23.6 °C (74.5 °F) with a minimum of 6.1 °C (43.0 °F); the average annualrelative humidity is 72%, with a maximum of 80%.
| Climate data for Dwarka (1991–2020, extremes 1901–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 34.0 (93.2) | 37.3 (99.1) | 38.8 (101.8) | 41.1 (106.0) | 42.7 (108.9) | 39.5 (103.1) | 36.4 (97.5) | 35.7 (96.3) | 39.4 (102.9) | 40.0 (104.0) | 37.6 (99.7) | 35.2 (95.4) | 42.7 (108.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 26.5 (79.7) | 27.4 (81.3) | 29.0 (84.2) | 30.6 (87.1) | 32.0 (89.6) | 32.7 (90.9) | 31.1 (88.0) | 30.1 (86.2) | 30.7 (87.3) | 32.1 (89.8) | 31.8 (89.2) | 28.6 (83.5) | 30.2 (86.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 21.5 (70.7) | 23.0 (73.4) | 25.6 (78.1) | 27.8 (82.0) | 29.7 (85.5) | 30.5 (86.9) | 29.3 (84.7) | 28.2 (82.8) | 28.4 (83.1) | 28.7 (83.7) | 26.8 (80.2) | 23.2 (73.8) | 26.9 (80.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 16.3 (61.3) | 18.5 (65.3) | 22.1 (71.8) | 25.2 (77.4) | 27.4 (81.3) | 28.4 (83.1) | 27.5 (81.5) | 26.3 (79.3) | 26.0 (78.8) | 25.2 (77.4) | 21.8 (71.2) | 17.9 (64.2) | 23.5 (74.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 6.1 (43.0) | 8.3 (46.9) | 7.8 (46.0) | 17.2 (63.0) | 20.0 (68.0) | 22.0 (71.6) | 21.3 (70.3) | 20.6 (69.1) | 21.2 (70.2) | 16.7 (62.1) | 12.2 (54.0) | 8.3 (46.9) | 6.1 (43.0) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 1.0 (0.04) | 1.0 (0.04) | 0.6 (0.02) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 66.5 (2.62) | 188.8 (7.43) | 141.8 (5.58) | 84.4 (3.32) | 3.9 (0.15) | 2.2 (0.09) | 0.5 (0.02) | 490.8 (19.32) |
| Average rainy days | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.2 | 6.6 | 5.5 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 17.9 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%)(at 17:30IST) | 50 | 61 | 71 | 76 | 79 | 79 | 82 | 82 | 79 | 69 | 54 | 48 | 69 |
| Source 1:India Meteorological Department[31][32][33] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Tokyo Climate Center (mean temperatures 1991–2020)[34] | |||||||||||||
As of the2011 Census of India,[35] Dwarka had a population of 38873 (as per Census 2011, the population reported is 38,873[36]). Males constitute 20,306 of the population, and females constitute 18,567. Dwarka has an average literacy rate of 75.94%, lower than the national average of 78.03%; the male literacy rate is 83%, and the female literacy rate is 68.27%. 11.98% of the population is under six years of age.[35]
Most of the revenue of Dwarka is derived from tourism, due to it being a site for pilgrims.[21] It is a producer of agricultural produce such asmillets,ghee (clarified butter),oilseeds, andsalt, which are transported from its port.[21] A long-term development plan was proposed in 2011 with investment of₹830 million (US$9.8 million) to refurbish Dwarka and to build a bridge connecting the town with Okha and Bet Dwarka.[37] A wind farm power generation of 39.2 MW, operated near Dwarka by the AES Saurashtra Windfarms Pvt Ltd (ASW), is now run byTata Power Renewable Energy Ltd (TPREL).[38] Dwarka's industrial activity mainly centres around cement production.[21] Sharda Peeth Vidya Sabha is an educational society sponsored by the Sharda Peeth, Dwarka which runs an arts college in Dwarka.
Dwarka, renowned as one of theChar Dham pilgrimage sites and a significant spiritual hub, attracts numerous tourists and devotees annually.
In December 2023, theGovernment of Gujarat announced the introduction of India's first submarine-based underwater tourism facility in Dwarka, to be operationalised by October 2024.[39] This initiative, in collaboration withMazagon Dock shipbuilders, aims to offer an underwater exploration of the marine life around Dwarka.[40] The project plans to use submarines capable of descending to 100 meters below sea level, each accommodating 24 tourists along with two pilots and crew. The submarines are designed to provide passengers with a view of the underwater environment.[41]
Considered a holy city, Dwarka is well known for its temples and as a pilgrimage centre for Hindus. TheDwarakadhisa Temple, also calledJagat Mandir, located in the heart of Dwarka, is a Vaishnava temple.[2] It was built by Raja Jagat Singh Rathore, hence it is called Jagat Mandir.[42] The temple, facing west, is at an elevation of 12.19 metres (40.0 ft) above mean sea-level. It is conjectured that this temple location is 2,500 years old and is where Krishna built his city and a temple. However, the existing temple is dated to the 16th century.[2][43] It is a five-storied edifice built over 72 pillars (a sandstone temple with 60 pillars is also mentioned[21]). The temple spire rises to a height of 78 metres (256 ft), and a very large flag with symbols of the sun and moon is hoisted on it.[43][2] The temple layout consists of agarbhagriha (Nijamandira orHarigraha) and anantarala (an antechamber).[44] The main deity deified in the sanctum is Dwarkadeesh, which is known as theTrivikrama form ofVishnu and is depicted with four arms.[43]
The Dwarakadhisa Temple is also the location ofDvaraka Pitha, also calledSharada Matha/Peeth and "western peeth"),[15][note 1] one of the four peeths (Sanskrit: "religious center") established by Adi Shankaracharya.
Gomti Ghat consists of steps leading to the Gomti River, which is also a holy place for pilgrims to take a dip in the river, before visiting Dwarakadish temple. The ghat has a number of small shrines dedicated to theSamudra (God of the Sea),Saraswati andLakshmi.[2] Other notable temples in the ghat area include the Samudra Narayana (Sangam Narayana) temple, which is at the confluence of the Gomti River with the sea, the Chakra Narayana temple where there is a stone with an imprint of achakra as a manifestation of Vishnu, and the Gomati temple, which has an idol of the river goddess Gomati that is said to have been brought to earth by the sageVasishta.[43]
TheRukmini Devi Temple, dedicated toRukmini, Krishna's chief queen, is located 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) away from Dwarka. The temple is said to be 2,500 years old, but in its present form it is estimated to belong to the 12th century. It is a richly carved temple decorated with sculptures of gods and goddesses on the exterior with the sanctum housing the main image of Rukmini. Carvednaratharas (human figures) and carvedgajatharas (elephants) are depicted in panels at the base of the tower.[47]
Letitia Elizabeth Landon's poetical illustration
The Sacred Shrines of Dwarka., to an engraving of William Purser's painting shown above (painting of the late 1820s), says little of the temples themselves but does advocate and praisereligious tolerance. It was published in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1837.[48]
Ancient Shiva temple,Nagesvara Jyortirlinga, one of the 12Jyotirlingas and only 16 km from Dwarkadhish Temple.
There is a lighthouse at the Dwarka Point on the Dwarka peninsula, which provides a panoramic view of the town. It is a fixed light situated 70 feet (21 m) above the sea level, and the light is visible over a distance of 10 miles (16 km). The lighthouse tower is 40 feet (12 m) in height and is 117 yards (107 m) away from the high water level in the sea.[49][50] The radio beacon provided on this lighthouse tower is powered by asolar photovoltaic module.[51]
There is a lake or tank called Gopi Talab in the western part of Dwarka.
A similar lake known for Gopi Chandan, meaning "sandal paste from Gopi", is situated in Bet Dwarka; this mud is found in the bed of the lake. This fragrant mud is applied as a sanctity symbol by devout Hindus on their forehead.[52]
Bet Dwarka, an island in the Arabian sea off the coast of Dwarka. Considered the original residence of Krishna, Bet Dwarka was the old port during the ancient times of Krishna before theOkha port was developed in Dwarka. The temple built here is credited to the religious GuruVallabhacharya of the "Pushtimarg Sampradaya". Rice is the traditional offering here to the deity as it is believed thatSudama offered rice to his childhood friend Krishna. There are also smaller shrines on Bet Dwarka which are dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, Hanuman andDevi.[53] According to a legend, Vishnu killed the demon Shankhasura on this island. There are temples of Vishnu in the incarnation ofmatsya, or fish. Other shrines here are of Rukmini,Trivikrama,Devaki,Radha, Lakshmi,Satyabhama,Jambavati,Lakshmi Narayan, and many other gods.[49]Sudarshan Setu, a bridge connecting the land to Bet Dwarka, facilitates access to the island.[54]
Hanuman Dandi temple is another notable temple located in Bet Dwarka, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) away from Dwarkadhish Temple, Bet Dwarka. The temple is deified with many images ofHanuman and his sonMakardhwaja. The legend associated with the birth of a son to Hanuman, who is considered celibate, is that the sweat of Hanuman was consumed by a crocodile which then gave birth to a son named Makardhwaja.[53] The Jethwa Rajput clan of Kshatriyas claim their descent from Makardhwaja.
Nageshvara Jyotirlinga Mandir is a temple dedicated toShiva, and one of the twelveJyotirlingas (meaning “pillars of light") is deified here in a subterranean cell.[55]
Shivrajpur Beach is 14.5 km (approx. 8.8 miles)[56] from Dwarka Railway Station and is among eight Indian beaches to get the prestigiousBlue Flag beach certification.[57][58][59]
Janmashtami is the main festival that is celebrated during the months of August and September[60] with great fervor and piety as it is believed to be the abode of Lord Krishna in prehistoric times. The festival is marked by several night long celebrations to mark the birth of Krishna.Bhajans and sermons are part of the festivities. At midnight there is reenactment of Krishna's childhood in the form ofGarba andRaas dances. On this occasion, the local boys create a pyramid and a young boy in the costume of Krishna climbs up this pyramid to strike a pot holding butter, an act which Krishna had mischievously performed with thegopis.[2] This is also known as "Dahi Handi" or Utlotsavam.
Sharda Peeth Vidya Sabha is an educational society sponsored by the Sharda Peeth, which runs an arts college in Dwarka. The town is also home to the N.D.H. High School and P.V.M Girls' High School.[61]
The Gugli Brahmins are the hereditary pilgrimage priests of Dwarka.[62]
Dwarka is well-connected by road, rail and air to cities across the country.
Dwarka railway station is a fairly busy railway junction station ofWestern Railways and is served by numerous regional and long-distance trains. It connects the city with major cities of state and the country. A weekly train service connectsGuwahati,Rameswaram,Puri,Tuticorin,Dehradun andKolkata. A daily trains connects the city to major cities in Gujarat such asAhmedabad,Bhavnagar,Jamnagar,Junagadh,Rajkot,Surat,Vadodara andVeraval.
Nearest Airport isJamnagar Airport at 131 km which has a daily direct flight toMumbai and thrice-in-a-week flights toHyderabad andBengaluru.
217 kilometres (135 mi) away fromRajkot, 235 km fromSomnath and 378 kilometres (235 mi) fromAhmedabad.[6]
The Kharoshti inscription in the first floor of Sabhamandapa of Dwarkadhish Temple is assignable to 200 BC. [...] Excavation was done by the veteran archaeologist H.D. Sankalia some twenty years ago on the western side of the present Jagat-Man- dir at Modern Dwarka and he declared that the present Dwarka was not earlier than about 200 BC.
Inscription in brahmi found in the temple supports the fact of its construction during the Mauryan regime. Apart from this beginning, the pages of history of Dwarka and Dwarkadhish temple are full of accounts of its destruction and reconstruction in the last 2000 years.
In 1963 H.D. Sankalia carried out an archaeological excavation.. at Dwarkadheesh temple at Dwarka to solve the problem. Archaeological evidences found in this excavation were only 2000 years old
Dwarka travel guide from Wikivoyage
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