Dwarkadhish Temple - Gujarat

Dwarkadhish Temple is one of the major pilgrimage centers of India. This temple is located in Dwarka, Gujarat, India. This temple is also one of the Char Dhams (Dwarka, Badrinath, Jagannathpuri, Rameshwaram) of India. Millions of pilgrims and tourists come here every year to visit this temple. This temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna. This temple was built 2500 years ago by Vrajnabha, the grandson of Lord Krishna. This ancient temple has been improved many times, especially in the sixteenth century, this temple was expanded. This temple is situated at a slight height, to reach where more than 50 steps have been made. Its heavily sculpted walls connect the sanctum to the main Krishnamurti. Other small temples are situated around the temple. The mythological characters and stories are intricately carved on the walls of the temple. The temple is supported by 72 pillars and is 5 storeys high with a shikhara on top of which a 50 feet flag is situated which is swayed by the wind coming from the Arabian Sea behind the temple. There are 2 doors for entry and exit in this temple named Swarg and Moksha.

A story is prevalent about the Dwarkadhish temple, which has also been engraved on the walls of the temple. According to Hindu legend, Dwarka was built by Krishna on a piece of land retrieved from the sea. Sage Durvasa once went to meet Krishna and his wife Rukmani. Sage Durvasa wanted Krishna and his wife Rukmani to take him to their palace. For this both readily agreed and started going to the palace with the sage. After going some distance, Rukmani got tired and asked Krishna for water. Lord Krishna dug a mythical hole which was brought from the river Ganga. Sage Durvasa got furious about this and cursed Rukmani to stay in the same place. Rukmani's temple is also found in the Dwarkadhish temple. It is believed that she stood here.

The history of Dwarka city of Gujarat is centuries old. The city of Dwarka finds mention in the epic Mahabharata as the kingdom of Dwarka, situated on the banks of the Gomti River. The city has been described as the capital of Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna came here from Vraj in Uttar Pradesh to build this city. This temple was established by his grandson Vrajnabha. It is said that the city of Dwarka was submerged in the ocean six times and what we see now is its seventh incarnation. The original structure of this temple was destroyed by Mahmud Begada in 1472 and later rebuilt in the 15th and 16th centuries. Dwarka was also honored by Adi Shankaracharya in the eighth century.

The area of the Dwarkadhish temple is 27×21 m, the east-west length is 29 m and the north-south width is 23 m. The temple is constructed by limestone and has intricate carvings. This temple is a five-storied building built on 72 pillars, whose shikhara is 78 meters high. There are other small temples around this temple which are dedicated to different Gods. The temple has two important entrance and exit gates known as Moksha and Swarg. Outside the Swarg Dwar there are 56 steps that lead to the Gomti River. The flag hoisted on the summit depicts the Sun and the Moon, indicating that Krishna will be there as long as the Sun and the Moon are present on the earth. A 50 feet long triangular shaped flag is hoisted on the top of the temple which is changed 4 times a day.

Due to the Dwarkadhish temple being situated on the sea coast, the maximum temperature in the summer season rises up to 32 degree Celsius and the minimum temperature in the winter season decreases to 15 degree Celsius. According to pilgrims and tourists, the best months to visit Dwarka are from November to February. The temperature remains moderate during this month and one gets a beautiful view of the sun setting from Dwarkadhish temple during these months.

The most famous and important Dwarkadhish temple in Dwarka is where people come to visit. There are many other tourist places around this temple where you can visit like: Rukmani Devi Temple, Bhadkeshwar Mahadev Temple, Gomti Ghat Dwarka, Shri Nageshwar Jyotirlinga, Sudama Setu etc.

Rukmani Devi Temple is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Rukmani who was the wife of Lord Krishna. This temple is located in Dwarka, Gujarat, India. It is a richly carved temple which is decorated with sculptures of deities on the outer side and the main image of Rukmani in the sanctum sanctorum. The channels at the base of the tower depict the carvings Narathar and the carvings Dhar Gajadhar. The temple is also famous for its Jal Daan Pratha where devotees are asked to donate water to the temple.

About 5000 years ago, a Shivling appeared in the Arabian Sea, which today we know as Bhakeshwar Mahadev Temple. In the temple of June-July, the sea itself anoints the Shivling and this temple becomes a part of the sea for some time. The most famous festival of this temple is Mahashivratri. On the day of Shivratri, a grand fair is organized around the temple where many people come to visit. This temple is situated on a mountain near the Arabian Sea of Dwarka.

The Gomti is a sacred ghat in the city of Dwarka where several temples including the Gomti Mataji Temple are located. It is a wonderful honor to bathe in Gomti Ghat. This Ghat was improved for the pilgrims and more facilities and security were arranged. There is a Shiva temple located on the banks of the river Gomti, as well as small temples of Lord Rama, Lord Krishna and Sudama of Krishna Mitra around the Ghat, which are being worshiped for about 100 years. Ya Ghat is situated at the mouth of Gomti river.

Shri Nageshwar Temple is situated in Darukavana of Devbhoomi Dwarka, Gujarat. It is a famous temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Shri Nageshwar Jyotirlinga is the 10th place among the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. Where is this Jyotirlinga authentically located, the claims of the scholars keep going on. According to Shiva Purana and stories, its authentic place is located in Darukavana area between Gomti Dwarka in the state of Gujarat. According to the Mahatma, one who listens to the Mahatma with respect and sees him, he will be free from all sins and attain salvation.

Sudama Setu is a pedestrian suspension bridge in Dwarka, Gujarat. It was named after Krishna's childhood friend Sudama. This bridge was inaugurated in 2005. This suspension bridge is built over the Gomti River which connects the Jagat temples of mainland Dwarka to the temples and Panchnad Tirtha on the island to its southeast. There are five sweet water wells here called Panch Koi which are related to the five Pandava brothers of the Mahabharata. Till the construction of the bridge, the Gomti river was crossed by boat.

Dwarka can be reached through any vehicle, bus, train, plane. Dwarka is also well connected by road to other states of India. You can also reach here with the help of your vehicle.

By Air: The nearest airport to Dwarka is Porbandar Airport, located 110 km from Dwarka. The total time taken to reach Dwarka from Porbandar is 1 hour 20 minutes. From Porbandar airport you can reach Dwarka via bus and taxi.

By Train: The nearest railway station to Dwarka is Dwarka Railway Station which is well connected to all the states of India. Dwarkadhish Temple is located at a distance of 1 kilometer from here where you can also go on foot. (It takes a total of 23-24 hours to travel from Delhi to Dwarka via train and 17 hours 30 minutes from Mumbai). Uttaranchal Express train runs from Delhi to Dwarka and Saurashtra Mail train runs from Mumbai to Dwarka.

By Bus: The city of Dwarka is very well connected by road to all the states of India where tourist bus is easily accessible. You can easily reach here with the help of your vehicle. The distance by road from Delhi to Dwarka is 1,300 kms which may take 19-20 hours to complete.

Many tour packages are also available for pilgrimage to Dwarka which can range from 15 thousand to 30,000 thousand. The tour package amount also increases according to the number of days you are staying in Dwarka. You can take tour packages through any online company.