Dwarka () is a coastal town and municipality of Devbhumi Dwarka district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is located on the western shore of the Okhamandal Peninsula on the right bank of the Gomti River at the mouth of the Gulf of Kutch facing the Arabian Sea.
Dwarka has the Dwarkadhish Temple dedicated to Krishna, which is one of four sacred Hindu pilgrimage sites called the Chardham founded by Adi Shankaracharya at the four corners of the country. The Dwarkadhish Temple was established as a monastic center and forms part of the Dwarka temple complex. Dwarka is also one of the seven most ancient religious cities (Sapta Puri) in India.
Dwarka is part of the "Krishna pilgrimage circuit" which includes Vrindavan, Mathura, Barsana, Gokul, Govardhan, Kurukshetra, Veraval and Puri. It is one of 12 heritage cities across the country selected under the Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) scheme of the Government of India to develop civic infrastructure.
The town has a hot, arid climate with a 16-day rainy season. It had a population of 38,873 in 2011. The main festival of Janmashtami is celebrated in Bhadrapada (August–September).
Etymology
The name Dwarka (Sanskrit: , द्वारका) is derived from the Sanskrit word dvāra (द्वार), meaning “door,” “gate,” or “entrance,” with the suffix -ka denoting a place. The term Dvārakā is thus interpreted as “the city of gates” or “gateway city”.
The name occurs in ancient Indian texts such as the Mahabharata and the Harivamsa, where Dvārakā is described as a fortified coastal city with multiple gates. The description of the city in these texts has been noted in modern scholarship in the context of early Indian urban traditions.
Modern scholarship and archaeology have also examined the historical and cultural significance of Dwarka, particularly in relation to coastal settlements in western India and traditions associated with Krishna. Over time, the Sanskrit Dvārakā evolved into regional forms such as Dwarka in modern Indo-Aryan languages, including Gujarati and Hindi.
History
Puranic traditions
Dwarka is considered as the first capital of Gujarat. The name literally means gateway. Dwarka has also been referred to throughout its history as "Mokshapuri", "Dwarkamati", and "Dwarkavati". It is mentioned in the ancient epic period of the Mahabharata. According to legend, Krishna settled here after he defeated and killed his uncle Kamsa at Mathura. This mythological account of Krishna's migration to Dwarka from Mathura is closely associated with the culture of Gujarat. Krishna is also said to have reclaimed 12 yojanas or of land from the sea to create Dwarka.
Archaeological findings suggest the original temple Dwarkadhish Temple dedicated to Krishna was built in 200 BCE at the earliest. The temple was rebuilt and enlarged in the 15th–16th century.1988, P. N. Chopra, Encyclopaedia of India, Volume 1, p. 114. The temple is also the location of Dwaraka maţha, also called Sharada Matha/Peeth and "western peeth", one of the four peeths (Sanskrit: "religious center") established by Adi Shankaracharya. As an important pilgrimage centre for Hindus, Dwarka has several notable temples, including Rukmini Devi Temple, Gomti Ghat, and Bet Dwarka. There is also a lighthouse at the land end point of Dwarka.
Archaeology Archaeological investigations at Dwarka, both on shore and offshore in the Arabian Sea, have been performed by the Archaeological Survey of India. The first investigations carried out on land in 1963 revealed many artefacts. Excavations done at two sites on the seaward side of Dwarka brought to light submerged settlements, a large stone-built jetty, and triangular stone anchors with three holes. The settlements are in the form of exterior and interior walls, and fort bastions. From the typological classification of the anchors it is inferred that Dwarka had flourished as a port during the period of the Middle kingdoms of India. Coastal erosion was probably the cause of the destruction of what was an ancient port. Another excavation near Dwarkadhish temple took place which have yielded a shrine dedicated to Vishnu from 9th century CE, furthermore excavation were conducted which yielded a settlement from 1st century BCE another excavation was conducted in the site for the antiquity of the town, have yielded a settlement probably contemporary to Mahabharata dated around 2nd millennium BCE.
Dwarka is mentioned in the copper inscription dated 574 CE of Simhaditya, the Maitraka dynasty minister of Vallabhi. He was the son of Varahdas, the king of Dwarka. The nearby Bet Dwarka island is a religious pilgrimage site and an important archaeological site of the Late Harappan period, with one thermoluminescence date of 1570 BCE.
Early history An epigraphic reference ascribed to Garulaka Simhaditya, the son of Varahdas, the king of Dwarka, is inscribed on a copper plate dated to 574 CE, found in Palitana. The Greek writer of the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea referred to a place called Baraca, which has been interpreted as present-day Dwarka. A reference made in Ptolemy's Geography identified Barake as an island in the Gulf of Kanthils, which has also been inferred to mean Dwarka.
One of the four dhams (religious seats), which were founded by Adi Shankaracharya (686–717 CE) at the four corners of the country, was established as a monastic centre and it forms part of the Dwarka temple complex.
Middle Ages to present
In 1473 the Gujarat Sultan Mahmud Begada sacked the town and destroyed the temple of Dwarka (). The Jagat Mandir or the Dwarakadhisa temple was later rebuilt. Vallabha Acharya retrieved an idol of Dwarkadhish, which was revered by Rukmini. He hid it in a stepwell, known as Savitri vav, during the Muslim invasion, before moving it to Ladva village. In 1551, when Turk Aziz invaded Dwarka, the idol was shifted to the island of Bet Dwarka.
Dwarka, along with the Okhamandal region, was under the rule of Gaekwad of Baroda state during the Indian rebellion of 1857. A war broke out at Okhamandal in 1858 between the local Vaghers and the British. The Vaghers had won the battle and ruled until September 1859. Later, after a joint offensive of the British, the Gaekwads, and other princely state troops, the Vaghers were ousted in 1859. During these operations, led by Colonel Donovan, the temples at Dwarka and Bet Dwarka suffered damage and were looted. A complaint of atrocities by the British was made by the local people of Jamnagar, Porbander, and Kutch, which led to their restoration. In 1861, Dwarakadheesh Temple was renovated by Maharaja Khanderao and the British, who refurbished the shikara. Maharaja Gaikwad of Baroda added a golden pinnacle to the shikara in 1958 during a refurbishment by Shankaracharya of Dwarka. Since 1960, the temple has been maintained by the Government of India.
The Sudama Setu, a bridge over the Gomti River connecting mainland Dwarka with Panchkui island was opened in 2016.
Geography and climate
Geography Dwarka, at the mouth of the Gulf of Kutch, on the western shore of the Okhamandal Peninsula, is on the right bank of the Gomti River which rises from the Bhavda village at a place known as Mul-Gomti, to the east. It is now under the newly formed district of Devbhoomi Dwarka at the western end of the Saurashtra (Kathiawar) peninsula, facing the Arabian Sea. The Gomti River was a harbour until the 19th century.
Climate According to the Köppen-Geiger classification, Dwarka has the hot semi-arid climate (BSh) typical of Gujarat, bordering upon a hot arid climate (BWh). The Holdridge life zones system of bio-climatic classification identifies Dwarka in or near the subtropical thorn woodland biome. The “average” annual rainfall is spread over a rainy period of 16 days limited to the months of June to September. However, the variability is among the highest in the world with coefficient of variation of around sixty per cent – among the few comparably variable climates in the world being the Line Islands of Kiribati, the Pilbara coast of Western Australia, the sertão of Northeastern Brazil, and the Cape Verde islands. Extremes of annual rainfall have ranged from as little as in 1987 to as much as in 2010, while as much as fell in one day on 2 July 1998.
The average maximum temperature is with a record high of and an average minimum temperature of with a minimum of ; the average annual relative humidity is 72%, with a maximum of 80%.
Demographics
As of the 2011 Census of India, Dwarka had a population of 38873 (as per Census 2011, the population reported is 38,873). Males constitute 20,306 of the population, and females constitute 18,567. Dwarka has an average literacy rate of 75.94%, lower than the national average of 78.03%; the male literacy rate is 83%, and the female literacy rate is 68.27%. 11.98% of the population is under six years of age.
Economy
Most of the revenue of Dwarka is derived from tourism, due to it being a site for pilgrims. It is a producer of agricultural produce such as millets, ghee (clarified butter), oilseeds, and salt, which are transported from its port. A long-term development plan was proposed in 2011 with investment of to refurbish Dwarka and to build a bridge connecting the town with Okha and Bet Dwarka. A wind farm power generation of 39.2 MW, operated near Dwarka by the AES Saurashtra Windfarms Pvt Ltd (ASW), is now run by Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd (TPREL). Dwarka's industrial activity mainly centres around cement production. Sharda Peeth Vidya Sabha is an educational society sponsored by the Sharda Peeth, Dwarka which runs an arts college in Dwarka.
Tourism Dwarka, renowned as one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites and a significant spiritual hub, attracts numerous tourists and devotees annually.
Submarine-based underwater tourism In December 2023, the Government of Gujarat announced the introduction of India's first submarine-based underwater tourism facility in Dwarka, to be operationalised by October 2024. This initiative, in collaboration with Mazagon Dock shipbuilders, aims to offer an underwater exploration of the marine life around Dwarka. The project plans to use submarines capable of descending to 100 meters below sea level, each accommodating 24 tourists along with two pilots and crew. The submarines are designed to provide passengers with a view of the underwater environment.
Landmarks
Temples
Considered a holy city, Dwarka is well known for its temples and as a pilgrimage centre for Hindus. The Dwarakadhisa Temple, also called Jagat Mandir, located in the heart of Dwarka, is a Vaishnava temple. It was built by Raja Jagat Singh Rathore, hence it is called Jagat Mandir. The temple, facing west, is at an elevation of above mean sea-level. It is conjectured that this temple location is 2,500 years old and is where Krishna built his city and a temple. However, the existing temple is dated to the 16th century. It is a five-storied edifice built over 72 pillars (a sandstone temple with 60 pillars is also mentioned). The temple spire rises to a height of , and a very large flag with symbols of the sun and moon is hoisted on it. The temple layout consists of a garbhagriha (Nijamandira or Harigraha) and an antarala (an antechamber). The main deity deified in the sanctum is Dwarkadeesh, which is known as the Trivikrama form of Vishnu and is depicted with four arms.
The Dwarakadhisa Temple is also the location of Dvaraka Pitha, also called Sharada Matha/Peeth and "western peeth"), one of the four peeths (Sanskrit: "religious center") established by Adi Shankaracharya.