Posted by I am a Yadava by birth, native of Mathura hence a visit to Dwarka was always on the cards. Dwarka, a city created by the Lord Krishna himself is one of the four Dhams (seats of religion) established by Adi Sankaracharya. It is also one of the ‘Sapta puri’ the seven most religious ancient cities of the country.
The journey….
Eight hours is what we took to cover travel a distance of 390 kms to reach Dwarka from Bhuj. Was it tiring? Only a bit as the road was good barring a few patches in between and the going was great. As we unpacked and stood in the balcony of our hotel the amazing view of the sun setting into the sea and the cool breeze blew away whatever little tiredness body might have felt.
Dwarkadhish temple….meeting ‘Krishna’….
We entered the Dwarkadhish temple at 8.30 pm. The sheer magnificence of the seven-story structure standing on 72 pillar overwhelms you. The crowd ceased to matter the calmness prevailed as I got into one-to-one conversation with the creator.
The two entrances of the temple are aptly named ‘Moksha Dwar’ and the ‘Swarg Dwar’ (Gateways to salvation and Heaven). The individual doesn’t realise when he or she transcends into a different plane.
The ’Dhwaj’ (flag) adorning the temple is made from 52 metres cloth. It is changed 5 times during a day. As per a story 52 metres represents the 12 zodiac signs, 27 Nakshatras, 10 directions, Sun, Moon & Sri Dwarkadish.
There are temples dedicated to Balarama, Pradyuman, Aniruddha, Radha, Rukmini, Jambavati, Stayabhama, Lakshmi and Devaki.
The Sharda peeth, one of the peethas established by Adi Shankaracharya is located here. It is dedicated to Saam veda.
As per local legend the temple was constructed by Vajranabha the great grandson of Krishna more than 5000 years back at the place where the ‘Hari Griha’ or Krishna’s home once existed.
Bet Dwarka…. Home of Lord Krishna….
Bet Dwarka is a small island located 3 kms from Okha port. It is supposedly the residence of Lord Krishna when he arrived here. The establishment of the temple is credited to Guru Vallabhacharya. It derived its name from the word ‘bet’ which translates to ‘gift’ and is believed that Lord Krishna received it from his friend Sudama.
Other attractions at the island include a temple dedicated to Shri Hanuman and a couple of Dargahs.
What attracted us most were the carefree seagulls adorning the blue waters and the sky. They accompanied us through our short journey to Bet and back.
The island can be reached by a ferry from Okha. Travel by public ferry is not advisable during the pandemic season as anti COVID measures are not very strictly followed. However, private ferry services charge a hefty sum. The bridge connecting Dwarka bet to Okha is under construction.
Shri Nageshwar Jyotirlinga….
The Shri Nageshwar Jyotirlinga, believed to be the 10th of the 12 auspicious Jyotirlingas is located at Dwarka. It is a hindu pilgrimage site.
Other Attractions….
The other tourist attractions at Dwarka include the beach, Light house, Rukmini temple, Gopi Talab and few other temples. We were fortunate to site a sedge of Demoiselle Cranes.
Electronic gadgets and cameras are not permitted inside the temples and rightfully so as one goes there to converse with the Lord and re-connect with inner self.
A small slide show is enclosed for your viewing pleasure.
As we begin our long road journey into the vast beautiful Gujrat ( no doubts inspired your blogs) we look forward to all the locations as described by you. Hope to give you a feedback on our experiences soon. Thank you for your exceptional blogs which are a source of guidance and motivation for many of us. Regards
Thank you..
Have an open mind. .enjoy you will
nicely depicted…had a virtual trip 👌
Thank you..