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The city of Dwarka is a region which was founded to honour the lost kingdom of Dwarka. The original land of Dwarka, which was the abode of Lord Krishna is said to have sunk somewhere in the sea. The present city of Dwaraka is among the holy cities in India and there is a belief that this place is blessed by Lord Krishna himself.
The city was built in order to bring back the glory of the kingdom made by Lord Krishna and even today it holds the splendour of the so-called ancient lost city. It is thronged with devotees who come here to worship the lord and seek his blessings.
There are many places to visit in Dwarka most of which are temples dedicated to Lord Krishna. Tourists who come here can explore these temples and also know more about the history of this place. There is a belief that this place helps you find peace and also spiritually clenses you. Here is a guide to the holy city of Dwarka.
Dwarakadheesh Temple
One of the places to visit in Dwarka is the Dwarakadheesh Temple, which is also popularly known as Jagat Mandir. It is believed that the main shrine in this temple was built by Vajranabh who was the great grandson of Lord Krishna. It is a replica of the actual shrine that is said to have been on the sunken city of Lord Krishna. Devotees come here from all over the world to worship the lord and seek his blessings. Tourists coming here can marvel at the beauty of this temple, which has the life of Lord Krishna etched on its walls. It is a very spiritual place with the belief that the essence of Lord Krishna prevails here.
Photo Courtesy: Scalebelow
Ghumli
A tourist place in Dwarka is a small hamlet called Ghumli, which lies on the foothills of Barda Hill. It was the capital of the Jethwa Dynasty and till today you can see some of the beautiful temples built by the Jethwa kings here. The most popular temple here is the Navlakha Temple which is a Sun temple and believed to be the oldest of the lot. Pilgrims come here to pray to the Sun God and seek his blessings. Visitors can explore the many temples in this hamlet and also enjoy the scenic beauty of this place.
Photo Courtesy: Native Planet
Nageshwar Jyothirlinga Temple
Another place to visit in Dwarka is the Nageshwar Jyothirlinga Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The unique feature of this temple is that it has a huge statue of Lord Shiva and also houses one of the twelve Jyothirlingas in the world. It is thronged by devotees who come here to pay respect to the god. The temple premises are crowded by sadhus who claim that Lord Shiva's clan were their ancestors. Tourists coming here can marvel at the huge sculpture of the lord here and also sit with these sadhus who well entertain you with stories of the various adventures of Lord Shiva.
Photo Courtesy: dola.das85
Rukmini Devi Temple
Another tourist place in Dwarka is the Rukmini Devi Temple, dedicated to Rukmini the wife of Lord Krishna. This temple is close to the Dwarkadheesh temple and has carved sculptures of elephants at it gates. It is visited by women who believe that praying in this temple will bless them with husbands and for those already married their husbands will be blessed with a long life. Tourists coming here can witness the frenzy at this temple and imagine how strong superstition has its hold in our culture.
Photo Courtesy: Native Planet
Bhalka Tirtha
Another interesting place to visit in Dwarka is a shrine called Bhalaka Tirtha that is believed to be the place where Lord Krishna was shot by an arrow on his foot that led to his death. The temple is said to have been built by the hunter who shot the lord as a mark of forgiveness for his grave mistake. It is believed that those who visit this temple are forgiven by the lord just as he forgave the hunter for his error. Tourists coming here can see the story of the death of the lord painted in pictures on the walls of the temple.
Photo Courtesy: Native Planet
Gomati Ghat
Gomati Ghat is a holy site at Dwarka as it has temples dedicated to Lord Krishna, Lord Shiva, Lord Rama and also one for Sudhama who was Lord Krishna loyal friend and greatest devotee. There is a spiritual vibe you can feel here and it is believed that this place is blessed by the gods. Tourists can take a boat ride on the Gomati river and also enjoy the picturesque view of the place. Devotees coming here first take a dip in the river before heading to these temples.
Photo Courtesy: anurag agnihotri
Beyt Dwarka
A place to visit in Dwarka is the small island called Beyt Dwarka, believed to be a part of the original Dwarka kingdom. This place has many small shrines adorning it and is considered very holy. People coming to Dwarka feel that their journey is incomplete without a visit to this island. Tourists coning here can explore the many small shrines here dedicated to Lord Krishna, Makaradwaja - the son of Hanuman, Lord Rama and also Haji Kirmani Pir who was a renowned Sufi saint. This place is also an ideal spot to see dolphins that roam the waters here.
Photo Courtesy: T.sujatha
How to Reach Dwarka
By Air: The nearest domestic airport to Dwarka is the one located at a distance of 127 km in Jamnagar. It is well-connected to Mumbai and Delhi.
By Train: The Dwarka station is located on the Ahmedabad-Okha broad gauge railway line where there are trains connecting the city to Rajkot, Ahmedabad and Jamnagar. Also, there are some trains that continue upto Surat, Vadodara, Goa, Karnataka, Mumbai as well as Kerala.
By Road: Located on the state highway from Jamnagar to Dwarka, the city of Dwarka can be easily reached by buses from Jamnagar and Ahmedabad. While the Gujarat State Road Transport buses connect the holy town to all major cities in the state, one can also opt for the luxury tourists buses that ply to the town from almost all the nearby cities.
Photo Courtesy: nevil zaveri
