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INTRODUCTION

Dwaraka is of mythological importance as it was the capital of Lord Krishna to where he had migrated from Mathura region. The original Dwaraka and four other succeeding it, are supposed to have been submerged by the sea. The present Dwaraka is the sixth city on the site. It is a sacred place and centre of pilgrimage for Hindus because of its association with Lord Krishna. Here Lord Krishna's birthday Janmashtami is celebrated with great religious fervor and gaiety.Adi Shankaracharya established the 'Dwaraka Peeth' for spreading the message of the Hindu gospel 'Ramayana' in Dwaraka.The great mystic Narsinh Mehta,Mirabai and the great saints Kabir and Nanak have also visited Dwaraka.

HISTORY

The city of Dwaraka renowned in myth and legend was once the capital of Lord Krishna's empire. He is believed to have settled here after leaving Mathura thousands of years ago. Its association with Lord Krishna gives it a sanctity that attracts millions of pilgrims even today.Dwaraka is one of the most important pilgrim centre for the Hindus for it is believed to be one among the seven sacred cities and one of the four dhams. Dwarakanath also referred by the name Trilok Sundar is believed to be built by Vajranabh, Lord Krishna's successor and great grandson. There are also legends which say that this temple was erected in one single day under Lord Krishna's direction. Also Lord Krishna wanted the people to leave Dwaraka when he was dying for the sea to engulf the city. That's why the legends say that original Dwaraka and four other succeeding it, are supposed to have been submerged by the sea. The present Dwaraka is the sixth city on the site.

LOCATION

Dwarka is situated in the Saurashtra peninsula of the Arabian Sea. It is on the extreme western side of India in the state of Gujarat. It lies on 20�22' north latitude and 69°05' east longitude.

FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

Janmashtmi

It is the celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna. Devotees celebrate it with feasts and dances after the whole day fast. People go to temples, especially of Lord Krishna which are decorated for this day. This is celebrated in the month of August/September, is one of the major festival of Dwarka.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Dwarkadheesh Temple

Dwarkadheesh Temple is also referred by the name Jagat temple and Sikhar rises to 170 feet high. As a custom the flag or the pataka of the temple is taken around the temple by the donor before it is hoisted and atleast thrice a day the flag is changed. Lot of care is taken in stitching the flag.Swarg Dwar is the way to enter the temple and the devotees come out by the Moksh Dwar, where the former is known as gateway of heaven and the latter as gateway of salvation. The temple is noted for its rich carvings. It is one of the most important moksh dhams.The Gomthi river flows nearby.

Rukmini Devi Temple

Cuttack Chandi temple

Rukmini Devi Temple dating back to the 12th century is situated at a distance of about 1.5kms away from Dwaraka and the presiding deity of this temple is Lord Krishna's wife Rukmini.

The main attraction of the temple is the paintings on the wall which depicts the life of Rukmini with Lord Krishna's.

Gomati Ghat Temples

Legends say that River Gomati is the other name for the sacred Ganges and it flows through many shrines and ghats where people perform various customs and rituals. It is believed that it was here where lord himself had served the hot tempered Durvasa and a dip in this is believed to liberate all sins. Another feature of this ghat is that it is here that the river merges with the Arabian Sea.

Gita Mandir

The Gita mandir is situated more towards the west of Dwaraka and it is built of white elegant marble which gives a pious feeling the moment we enter the temple. The Gita mandir emphasizes more on the values of the sacred book Bhagavad Gita.

The mandir is built in such a way any small sound made inside the premises will be echoed back. The main feature of the temple is both the walls and the ceilings carry beautiful carvings and hymns from Bhagavad-Gita Gita.This were built by the Birla group people in 1970.

Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple

The presiding deity of the Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple is Lord Shiva and this temple is situated on the outskirts of Dwaraka.It is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas.Legends according to Shiv Purana says that Lord Shiva killed the demon named Daruka here and spent few years in this place. Also the demon Daruka requested the Gods to name this place after him and hence it is called as Dwaraka.The statue of Shivlinga is very huge and it faces South. On the day of Shivrathri thousands of pilgrims throng this place to offer their prayers.

SHOPPING

Among the shopping items in Dwaraka the most common stuffs include Patola silk sarees, works of Bandhni folk art on fabrics, wedding trousseau, embroidered handicraft items, embellished footwear, ghagra cholis and dress materials with mirror works, sequences and colour threads. Other than this there are also few shops in and around the temple which sells devotional items, idols of Krishna and other knick knacks.

EAT OUTS 1.Hotel Meera 2.Hotel Radhika 3.Kant Hotel ACCOMMODATION 1.Guruprerna Hotel Near The Temple, Ravel Talao, Dwarka, Dwarka 02892 234512 2.City Palace Hotel Jawahar Road, Teen Batti Chowk, Dwarka 02892 234312 3.Darshan Hotel Jawahar Road Near Old Bus Stand, Dwarka Gujarat India 4.City Palace Hotel Jawahar Road Teen Batti Chowk Dwarka, Jamnagar Dist. Gujarat - 361335 5.Meera Hotel Dwarka Jamnagar Gujarat 6.Ganga Hotel Near Bus Stop Bhadrakali Road, Dwarka Gujarat 7.Shantivan Near Gandhi Statue Ratneshwar Road Dwarka, Jamnagar Gujarat 8.Toran Tourist Bungalow Near Circuit House Hospital Road, Dwarka Jamnagar Gujarat 9.Visrolia Dharamshala Near Gokul Hotel Post Office Road Dwarka, Jamnagar Gujarat 10.Dam Ji Hotel, Dwarka Shivrajsinh Road, Nr. Dwarkadhish Temple Dwarka

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GETTING THERE

By Air

The nearest airport from Dwarka is at Jamnagar, which is at a distance of around 145 kilometers from the city. There are regular flights from Mumbai to Jamnagar.

By Rail

Rail network connects Dwarka and Jamnagar. Dwarka lies on the Western Railway route. The railway station at Dwarka lies on the Okha-Ahmedabad broad gauge railway line. It is at a distance of around 137 kilometers from Jamnagar, 378 kilometers from Ahmedabad and about 217 kms from Rajkot.

By Road

State highway connects Dwarka with Okha and Jamnagar. Private buses and State Transport buses are easily available for a comfortable travel to Dwarka, Gujarat.