DWARKA Tourism, DWARKA Travel Guide
About Dwarka
Dwarka, also known as the kingdom of Lord Krishna, is an important Hindu Pilgrimage. As per Hindu mythology, thousands of year ago, Lord Krishna after leaving Mathura settled his empire in Dwarka. Dwarka is one of the four major pilgrim places for Hindus, also known as 'Char Dham.'
The city of Dwarka is located on the westernmost tip of Gujarat famous for the magnificent Lord Krishna temple situated at the confluence of River Gomti and Arabian Sea.
There are many legends connected with Dwarka. It is said that original Dwarka, that is believed to be built by Vishwakarma(so called architect of Hinduism), where Lord Krishna spent 100 years, was destructed by the sea when the Lord Krishna finally abandoned his body. Present Dwarka, the gateway to western India, is the 7th city built with stone and brick on the edge of the Kutchh peninsula, facing the Arabian Sea. Dwarka extended up to Bet Dwarka (Sankhodhara) in the north, Okhamadhi in the south and Pindara in the East.
Some recent archaelogical excavations in Dwarka region have confirmed the existence of a metropolitan city in the past that was destroyed by sea.
Dwarka - Tourist Attractions
| Religious Tourist Attractions | ||
| Jagat Mandir | Swaminarayan Temple | Rukmini Devi Temple |
| Gomti Ghat Temples | Shrine of Meerabai | |
| Other Tourist Attractions | ||
| Lighthouse | ||
Dwarka History
Krishna, the 8th incarnation of the Hindu deity Vishnu, left Mathura to avoid war with Kansa's father-in-law Jarasandh. Krishna left the battle grounds to avoid any further casualties to Yadavs and began to be known as Ranchhodji (one who leaves the battle grounds). Lord Krishna, along with the Yadav dynasty, established his kingdom at Bet Dwarka, with the help of Vishwakarma, the celestial architect of Hinduism. The city of Dwarka was considered to be full of wealth and oppulence, and Krishna came to be known as Dwarkadheesh (King of Dwarka).
Krishna was accidentally shot by an arrow at Bhalka Tirtha and finally left his body in Dehotsargh, where he was cremated by Arjun. The death of Krishna symbolized the beginning of the Kali-yuga, an age of strife, discord and quarrel. After Krishna's death a massive flood swallowed up Dwarka and the whole city was submerged under the sea. It is believed that Dwarka city was later reconstructed 6 times by various civilizations and the current Dwarka city is the 7th reconstructed city.
Recent archaeological findings have indicated that there was a huge city in 2nd millennium BC that extended from present Dwarka to Bet Dwarka in the north, Okhamadhi in the south, and Pindara in the east.