| Dwarkadheesh Temple | |
|---|---|
 The templeshikharas with the entrance in front | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| Deity | Krishna |
| Festivals | Krishna Janmashtami |
| Location | |
| Location | Dwarka |
| State | Gujarat |
| Country | India |
  Location in Gujarat | |
| Geographic coordinates | 22°14′16.39″N68°58′3.22″E / 22.2378861°N 68.9675611°E /22.2378861; 68.9675611 |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Temple |
| Style | Māru-Gurjara architecture |
| Completed | 15th–16th century (present architecture) |
| Website | |
| www | |
TheDwarkadhish temple, also known as theJagat Mandir and occasionally spelledDwarakadheesh, is aHindu temple dedicated toKrishna, who is worshiped in the temple by the nameDwarkadhish (Dvārakādhīśa), or 'King of Dwarka'. The temple is located atDwarka city ofGujarat, India, which is one of the destinations ofChar Dham, a Hindu pilgrimage circuit. The main shrine of the five-storied building, supported by 72 pillars, is known as Jagat Mandir or Nija Mandir. Archaeological findings suggest the original temple was built in 200 BCE at the earliest.[1][2][3] The temple was rebuilt and enlarged in the 15th–16th century.[4][5]
The temple became part of theChar Dham pilgrimage considered sacred byHindus in India.Adi Shankara, the 8th century Hindu theologian and philosopher, visited the shrine. The other three being comprisingRameswaram,Badrinath andPuri. Even today a memorial within the temple is dedicated to his visit. Dwarakadheesh is the 98thDivya Desam ofVishnu on the subcontinent, glorified in theDivya Prabandha sacred texts.[citation needed] The temple is at an elevation of 12.19 metres (40.0 ft) above mean sea-level. It faces west. The temple layout consists of agarbhagriha (Nijamandira orHarigraha) and anantarala (an antechamber).[6] The original structure was destroyed byMahmud Begada in 1473. The existing temple is dated to 16th century.
As per Hindu legend, Dwarka was built on a piece of land by Krishna that was reclaimed from the sea. According to theMahabharata, the sageDurvasa once visited Krishna and his wifeRukmini. The sage wished that the pair took him to their palace, demanding that they pull his chariot like horses. The pair agreed and started to carry the sage, even as the latter struck Rukmini when she fell.[7] After some distance, according to local tradition, Rukmini got tired and she requested some water from Krishna. Krishna dug a hole with his powers that brought in riverGanga to the place. Durvasa was furious and cursed Rukmini to remain in the place. The temple where Rukmini's shrine is found, is believed to be the place where she stood.[8] In the epic, finding no fault with the divine couple, Durvasa blessed Krishna with invincibility everywhere except the soles of his feet, and declared that Rukmini would be the foremost of the deity's spouses and would be his eternal companion in the next world as well.[9]
The town ofDwarka inGujarat has a history that dates back centuries, and mentioned in theMahabharata epic as theDwaraka kingdom. Situated on the banks of river Gomti, the town is described in legend as the capital ofKrishna. Evidence such as a stone block with script, the way the stones were dressed showing that dowels had been used, and an examination of anchors found on the site suggest that the harbour site dates only to historical times, with some of the underwater structure being late Medieval.Coastal erosion was probably the cause of the destruction of what was an ancient port.[10]
In the fifteenth century the Raja of Dwarka was aVadhel named Bhim who also ruled the localVagher pirates. Once amaulana named Mahmud Samarqandi was undergoing a sea voyage when storm caused his vessel to go towards the coast of Dwarka. There the ship was attacked by Vagher pirates who plundered the ship, kidnapped his women, and left Mahmud and his sons adrift. Mahmud Samarqandi brought this matter toSultan Mahmud at his court inMustafabad. Thus the sultan decide to capture Dwarka and in 1473 began marching towards the city. The Raja of Dwarka Bhim and his Rajputs fled the city to the island fortress ofBet, allowing Mahmud Begada to plunder Dwarka, destroy buildings and the Dwarkadhish temple and destroy its idol.[11][12][13][14] However according to a Rangarajan, citing a Gujarati article by Jayantilal Thaker, the Veghars "did their utmost to defend" the temple.[15]
The current image of Dvārakādhīśa was installed by Aniruddhaśrama Śaṅkarācārya in 1559.[16]
The temple has an east–west length of 29 m and north–south width of 23 m. The temple is constructed of limestone and has intricate carvings.
It is a five storied edifice built over 72 pillars (sandstone temple with 60 pillars is also mentioned).[17][18] There are two important entrances to the temple, one is the main entry door which is called theMoksha Dvara (meaning "Door to Salvation") and the exit door which is known as theSvarga Dvara (meaning: "Gate to Heaven").[citation needed] Outside this doorway are 56 steps that leads to the Gomati River.[19]
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The temple spire rises to a height of 78 metres (256 ft).[citation needed] A flag, hoisted over the spire, shows the sun and moon, which is believed to indicate that Krishna would be there until the sun and moon exist on Earth.[20] The flag, triangular in shape, is 50 feet (15 m) in length. This flag is changed four times a day with a new one and devotees pay a huge sum of money to hoist it by purchasing a new flag. The money received on this account is credited to the trust fund of the temple to meet the operation and maintenance expenses of the temple.[citation needed]
Since this site is associated with the ancient city ofDvārakā and theVedic era Krishna ofMahabharata, it is an important place ofpilgrimage forHindus. It is one of three main pilgrimage sites related to"Krishna" circuit, namely48 kos parikrama of Kurukshetra inHaryana state,Braj Parikarma inMathura ofUttar Pradesh state andDwarka Parikrama (Dwarkadish Yatra) at Dwarkadhish Temple inGujarat state.
Though the origins are not clearly known, theAdvaita school of Hinduism established byAdi Shankara, who created Hindu monastic institutions across India, attributes the origin of Char Dham to the seer.[21] The four monasteries are located across the four corners of India and their attendant temples are Badrinath Temple at Badrinath in the North,Jagannath Temple at Puri in the East, Dwarakadhish Temple at Dwarka in the West and Ramanathaswamy Temple at Rameswaram in the South. Though ideologically the temples are divided between the sects of Hinduism, namelyShaivism andVaishnavism, the Char Dham pilgrimage is an all Hindu affair.[22] The journey across the four cardinal points in India is considered sacred by Hindus who aspire to visit these temples once in their lifetime.[23] Traditionally the trip starts are the eastern end from Puri, proceeding in clockwise direction in a manner typically followed for circumambulation in Hindu temples.[23]
The temple is open from 6.00 am to 1.00 pm and 5.00 pm to 9.30 pm. TheKrishna Janmashtami festival, or Gokulashtami, the birthday of Krishna was commissioned by Vallaba (1473-1531).[24]
According to a legend,Meera Bai, the famed Rajput princess who was also a poetess-saint and a staunch devotee of Krishna, merged with the deity at this temple.[18] It is one of the Sapta Puri, the seven holy cities of India.[citation needed]
The temple is near theDvaraka Pitha, one of the fourpithas (religious centers) established byAdi Shankara (686-717 CE) who pioneered unification ofHindu religious beliefs in the country.[citation needed][18]
The Dwarkadhish Jagat Mandir was awarded the certificate of "World Amazing Place" on 22 March 2021 by theWorld Talent Organization, New Jersey, USA.[25][26]
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
Placed in the north-western corner of Kathiawar, the Wadhel Raja of Dwarka (or Jagat) , named Bhim, held sway over the adjacent island of Bet or Shankho- Dwarka taken; lts dhar and also over the Wagher pirates of temples destroyed, Okhamandal whose activities on this coast 1473 have been notorious for centuries...
After many hardships, the Mulla [Mahmud Samarqandi] arrived at Sultan Mahmud's court at Mustafabad and related his sad story. This decided the Sultan to carry out his long cherished project though his troops had been exhausted by continuous campaigns for three or four years. On May 14, 1473 he marched for Dwarka, from which town Raja Bhim and his Rajputs fled to the fortified island of Bet for safety. The sacred city was given up to plunder, and, by the Sultan's orders, its buildings were razed, its temples destroyed, and the idols broken to pieces
About this time [1500], Abul Fath Khan, better known as Mahmud Beghra invaded the Okhāmaṇḍala area and despoiled the entire area including Dwarka itself. This mission was ostensibly undertaken to suppress the pirates in this area.
Later in his [sic] region, Mahmud Begarha sacked Dwarka, largely because it harboured pirates who ravaged the traders. Thus, the immediate occasion for Mahmud's attack was the plaint of Maulana Mahmud Samarqandi that while returning to Hormuz, he was driven ashore and all his property looted by the pirates who were sheltered by the local ruler. The campage was, however, also used to raze the famous Hindu temples there.
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