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Dwarka

Dwarka: Encyclopedia - Dwarka

Please remove this notice after the article has been expanded. Details are on this talk page or at Wikipedia:Requests for expansion. Dwarka is a city in Gujarat, India. Dwaraka is rated as one of the seven most ancient cities in the country. The legendary city of Dwarka in Hindu mythology was the dwelling place of Sri Krishna. It is believed that, due to damage and destruction by the sea, the city of Dwarka has submerged six times and the current city is the 7th city of Dwarka. Recent archealogical findings have ...

Including:

Dwarka - Geography

Dwarka - Holy City

Dwarka - History

Dwarka - Recent archeological findings

Dwarka - Under Water Dwaraka Museum

Dwarka - Places of Interest

Dwarka - Book

Dwarka, Dwarka - Book, Dwarka - Geography, Dwarka - History, Dwarka - Holy City, Dwarka - Places of Interest, Dwarka - Recent archeological findings, Dwarka - Under Water Dwaraka Museum

Dwarka: Encyclopedia - Dwarka

Dwarka

Please remove this notice after the article has been expanded. Details are on this talk page or at Wikipedia:Requests for expansion.

Dwarka is a city in Gujarat, India. Dwaraka is rated as one of the seven most ancient cities in the country. The legendary city of Dwarka in Hindu mythology was the dwelling place of Sri Krishna. It is believed that, due to damage and destruction by the sea, the city of Dwarka has submerged six times and the current city is the 7th city of Dwarka. Recent archealogical findings have shown that there existed a city resembling the city described in Mahabharata

Dwarka - Geography

It is located in the Jamnagar District of Gujarat. It is on the mouth of the Gomti River into Gulf of Kutch. The city lies in the westernmost part of India.

Dwarka - Holy City

The city derives its name from word "Dwar" meaning door in Sanskrit. Dwarka is one of the holiest cities in Hinduism and one of the 4 main "dhams" along with Badrinath, Puri, Rameshwaram.

The Jagatmandir temple which houses the Lord Dwarkadhish a form of Lord Krishna.

Nageshwar Jyotirling, one of the 12 shrines to Lord Shiva, is located near Dwarka.

Dwaraka is also the site of Dwaraka Pītha (also known as Kālikā Pītha), one of the four cardinal mathas established by Sri Adi Shankaracharya, the others being those at Sringeri, Puri and Jyotirmath

Dwarka - History

The legend says that Lord Krishna renounced war in Mathura for the greater good (and hence the name Ranchodrai) and founded (and settled in) Dwarka. Sri Krishna killed Kamsa (his maternal uncle) and made Ugrasen (his maternal grandfather) the king of Mathura. Enraged, the father-in-law of Kamsa, Jarasandha (king of Magadha) with his friend Kalayavan attacked Mathura 17 times. For the safety of the people, Krishna and Yadavas decided to move the capital from Mathura to Dwarka.

Land was reclaimed from the sea near the western shores of Saurashtra. A city was planned and built here. Dwarka was a planned city, on the banks of Gomati River. This city was also known as Dwaramati, Dwarawati and Kushsthali. It had well organized six sectors, residential and commercial zones, wide roads, plazas, palaces and many public utilities. A hall called "Sudharma Sabha" was build to hold public meetings. The city also boasted a good harbour.

After Sri Krishna left for the heavenly abode, and the major Yadava heads were killed in disputes among themselves; Arjuna went to Dwarka to bring Krishna's grandsons and the Yadava wives to Hastinapur. After Arjun left Dwaraka, it was submerged in the sea. The following is the account given by Arjun, in Mahabharata:

"The sea, which had been beating against the shores, suddenly broke the boundary that was imposed on it by nature. The sea rushed into the city. It coursed through the streets of the beautiful city. The sea covered up everything in the city. I saw the beautiful buildings becoming submerged one by one. In a matter of a few moments it was all over. The sea had now become as placid as a lake. There was no trace of the city. Dwaraka was just a name; just a memory."

Dwarka - Recent archeological findings

The recent underwater studies conducted by the ASI (Archeological Survey of India) reveals the existence of city dated to the time of the Mahabharata. As more evidence of the city becomes apparent, the evidence for the occurrence of Mahabharata becomes more concrete.

The search for the lost city was going on since 1930's. The Marine Archaeology Unit (MAU) of the National Institute of Oceanography, took part in this search in 1983. This search was carried out in the coastal waters of Dwaraka in Gujarat.

Explorations between 1983 and 1990 revealed the well-fortified township of Dwaraka, that extended more than half a mile from the shore. The township was built in six sectors along the banks of a river. The foundation of boulders on which the city's walls were erected proves that the land was reclaimed from the sea.

Dwaraka extended up to Bet Dwaraka (Sankhodhara) in the north and Okhamadhi in the south. Eastward it extended up to Pindara. The general layout of the city of Dwaraka described in ancient texts agrees with that of the submerged city discovered by MAU.

Dwarka - Under Water Dwaraka Museum

The proposal for the Dwaraka museum, submitted by the MAU, involves laying a submarine acrylic tube through which visitors can view through glass windows the ruins of the city.

The State Government of Gujrat and the Travel & Tourism Department of Gujrat are working on this proposal (for over two decades). When completed, it will be the first museum to be built under the sea.

If Dwaraka excavations throw a flood of light on the history of the city which was associated with the life events of Krishna, the under-water excavations of Ayodhya situated on the bank of the river Sharayu might yield valuable information about the historicity of Rama, his age and contemporary urban status.