Dwarka - The Destination

One of the most sacred pilgrimage site for the Hindu, Dwarka, on the west coast of Gujarat on the shore of the Arabian Sea, features in most of the legends surrounding Lord Krishna. It is from here that Lord Krishna is believed to have ruled his kingdom. On the eve of the great battle of Kurukshetra, Lord Krishna set out from Dwarka to the site of the battle, to instruct Arjuna, the Pandava, and these instructions form the text of the Bhagavad Gita. There are other  legends  connected  with Dwarka . It is  said that when the Lord

It is evident that Dwarka was a popular town with buildings constructed of stone and brick, even before the Christian era. Its archaeological remnants point to a level of prosperity unusual at that time. Throughout the centuries, Dwarka has been visited extensively by people whose names illuminate the pages of history. Among these were Adi Shankaracharya, Ramanuja, the great mystic Narsinh Mehta, Mira, the devout princess from Chitor, and the great saints Kabir and Nanak.

The small town which comes alive every year during Janmashtami, Krishna's birthday, is the location of his Dwarakanath temple. It was supposedly built by one of his renowned devotee, Mira Bai. The temple of Dwarkadheesh, also known as Jagat Mandir, is built on the north bank of the Gomti Creek. The temple dates back to 2,500 years. Architecturally the temple is constructed on the same plan and system as most of the Hindu sacred edifices of antiquity. Sixty columns support the roof of the audience hall of the Jagat Mandir. The main temple is five-story high with the lavishly carved conical spire rising to a height of 157 feet.

Dwarka is an important pilgrimage center. It is steeped in legends, being associated with the life of Lord Krishna. In Puranic times, present-day Dwarka was known as Kushasthali or Dwaravati and enjoyed pride of place as the most important spot on the Saurashtra coast. It is said that Lord Krishna, after slaying Kansa, left his abode at Mathura and traveled with the entire Yadava community to the coast of Saurashtra where he founded a town and named it Swarnadwarika.

Vajranabh, Lord Krishna's successor and great grandson, is believed to have built the present temple Dwarakanath, also called Trilok Sundar. Many Hindus fervently believe that the temple was erected in one night by a supernatural agency, under Vajranabh's direction.