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Dwarka also spelled Dvarka, Dwaraka, and Dvaraka, is a city and a municipality of Devbhoomi Dwarka district in the Gujarat state in India. It is located on the western shore of the Okhamandal Peninsula on the right bank of the Gomti creek. Dwarka, is one of the foremost Chardham four sacred Hindu pilgrimage sites, and is one of the Sapta Puri, seven most ancient religious cities in the country. Dwarka is often identified with the Dwarka Kingdom, the ancient kingdom of Krishna and is believed to have been the first capital of Gujarat.

The legend of Krishna has been proved partially by scientific marine archaeological investigations conducted by the Marine Archaeology Unit of the National Institute of Oceanography and the Government of Gujarat. The final inference of these marine under water investigations is that “there was really a city which got submerged in Dwarka in 1500 BC and that the "architectural evidence and antiquities such as a seal and inscriptions go to indicate that it was the city of Mahabharata age”. References to Dwarka are cited to an epigraphic reference inscribed on a copper plate, dated 574 AD found in Palitana, Greek writer of the Periplus of Erythraean Sea ascribing Dwarka as Baraca, and in Ptolemy’s Geography identifying Barake Island as Dwarka.

Dwarka, along with Okhamandal region, was under Gaekwad of Baroda state during Indian rebellion of 1857. A war occurred at Okhamnadal in 1858 between the local Vaghers and the British and the Gaekwads. The Vaghers won the battle and ruled till September 1859. Later by joint offensive of British, Gaekwad and other princely states troops ousted the rebels and recaptured the region in 1859.

The Dwarkadhish Temple dedicated to Krishna, was originally built around 200 BC but was destroyed by the Mughal rulers, and was rebuilt in the 17th century. In 1861, the temple was renovated by Maharaja Khanderao, when the British refurbished the shikara of the temple. Maharaja Gaikwad of Baroda got a golden pinnacle fixed on the shikara of the temple in 1958 when the then Pontiff Shankaracharya got the temple refurbished. Since 1960, the temple is maintained by the Government of India. The temple is also the location of Sharda Peeth, one of the four peeths (religious centers) established by Adi Shankaracharya. As the holy town is a well known pilgrimage centre for Hindus other important temples, other than the Dwarakadhisa temple, are the Rukmini Devi temple, the Gomti Ghat and its temples, and the Beyt Dwarka. There is also a light house at the land end point of Dwarka.

Most of the revenue of Dwarka is derived from its pilgrimage status. Prior to the reallocation of the districts, this city was part of Jamnagar district.

Geography
Dwarka town at the mouth of the Gulf of Kutch, on the western shore of the Okhamandal Peninsula, is on the right bank of the Gomti creek which rises from the Bhavda village at a place known as Mul-Gomti, 10 km to the east. It is now under the newly formed district of Devbhoomi Dwarka district in the western extremity of the Saurashtra peninsula, also known as the Kathiawar peninsula, facing the Arabian Sea. Gomati creek was a harbour till the 19th century AD. Dwarka region was fertile and had a forest cover in 1500 BC.

Dwarka is well connected by air, rail and road transport. It is 131 km by a State Highway from Jamnagar where there is an International Airport. Dwarka railway station is on the Broad Gauge railway line that runs from Ahmedabad to Okha at a distance of about 137 km from Jamnagar. Rajkot is 217 km away from Rajkot and 378 km from Ahmedabad. The road link is by the state highway that links with Jamnagar and Okha.

Climate
According to the Köppen-Geiger classification, Dwarka has a subtropical desert/low-latitude arid hot climate. The Holdridge life zones system of bioclimatic classification identifies Dwarka in or near the subtropical thorn woodland biome. On the basis of 40 years of climatic data: The average annual rainfall is 310 mm over a rainy period of 29 days with rainfall limited to the months of June to September; the average maximum temperature is 31 C with a maximum of 42 C  and an average minimum temperature is 15 C with a minimum of 5 C; the average annual relative humidity is 72%, with a maximum of 80%.

Demographics
As of the 2001 Census of India, Dwarka had a population of 33,614 (as per Census 2011, the population reported is 38,873). Males constitute 53% of the population, and females constitute 47%. Dwarka has an average literacy rate of 64%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; the male literacy rate is 72%, and the female literacy rate is 55%. 13% of the population is under six years of age. Dwarka is dominated by people from Ahir community.

Ancient History
Dwarka literally means the "gateway". 'Dwar' means "gate" and 'Ka' means "Brahma" meaning "gateway to heaven". It is also called as "Mokshapuri", "Dwarkamati" and "Dwarkavati". It also had a Roman language name "Bari". Dwarka finds mention in the ancient prehistoric epic period of the Mahabharata. In this period it was one of the two ports on the coast of Saurashtra, and Assyrian ships used its as a port of call on way to Iran. According to ancient history of the Mahabharata times, Lord Krishna had settled down here after he defeated and killed his uncle Kamsa at Mathura. and believed to have been the first capital of Gujarat.

According to another version, in the Puranaic era, Dwarka was established as the capital in Saurashtra by the Aryans. The Yadavas, who had migrated from Mathura, established their kingdom here when the town which was known as Kaushathali was remodeled and named Dwarka. In the mythical times Lord Krishna migrated from Mathura and settled in Dwarka which fact is in ingrained in the culture of Gujarat. Dwarka was then also known as the city of gold. A friendly population of Ahirs (who were settlers from the Central Asian region) also prompted Krishna to settle at Dwarka when he was forced by Jarasanda, the king of Magadh to run away from Mathura. The kingdom established by Krishna flourished and extended its domain. It was also known as the Ahir empire or the Yadav empire. It is also inferred that Krihna had reclaimed 12 yojanas or 96 km (8 km per yojana) of land from the sea to created the Dwarka city

In another version narrated in the Srimad Bhagavatam it is said that Narada visited Krishna, 5000 years back, and found the city with beautiful gardens and 16,000 palaces which Krishna had built for his 16,000 wives. The palaces, built by Vishwakarma, were decorated with gem stones, ivory furniture and lighted with glittering lamps. After he died his kingdom was submerged under the sea except the location where the present Dwarkadeesh temple is situated. It is also said that Krishna used to conduct the administration of his kingdom from Dwarka while he resided with his family in Bet Dwarka.

Dwarka is one of the four most holy pilgrimage centers for the Hindus, and is closely related to the Krishna legend. As it was set up by Krishna after he fled from Mathura, the main temple is dedicated to Krishna.

Archaeological proofs
Archeological investigations at Dwarka, both on shore and offshore in the Arabian Sea, have been conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India. The first investigations carried out on land in 1963 revealed many artifacts. In the next round of excavations carried out in 1979 pottery of the shining red ware type were found, which were inferred as more than 3,000 years old. This lead to more under water investigations to find the buried city of Dwarka, which were initiated in 1981 and continued for 20 years. These were further continued from January 2007. The land excavations carried out near the front area of the temple have revealed antiquities in the form of an old circular structure and a hoard of 30 copper coins.

The legend of Krishna has been proved partially by scientific marine archaeological investigations. The objective of the investigations conducted by the Marine Archaeology Unit of the National Institute of Oceanography and the Government of Gujarat was to reconstruct the history of maritime trade, ship-building and cultural status of ancient city of Dwarka of the prehistoric times. Excavations done at two sites on the seaward side of Dwarka brought to light submerged settlements, stone-built jetty of large size and triangular stone anchors with three holes. The settlements are in the form of exterior and interior walls, and fort bastions. In the Bet Dwarka area, which was an island settlement off the Port of Okha at Dwarka, antiquities dated to 14-15th centuries, attributed to the period of the legend of Lord Krishna, have been found. Here a wall founded over a wave eroded bench beneath a water depth of 3.6 m (high tide depth) was identified as of a Harappan Indus valley seal; shining red colured ware, a carving of an animal with three heads, an inscribed jar inscribed with prayer to the Sea God seeking protection, were also found. The submerged settlements of Bet Dwarka are covered an area of more than 2 m2. A "thermoluminescence" found here is dated to 1570 BC inferred as of late Harappan era. Also found at the above locations are the antiquaries of stone images, objects made of copper, bronze and brass, anchors made of iron, and a boat, apart from structural ruins, and all dated between 200BC-200 AD.

At the second site a jetty found 600 m away from the Dwarka coastline in the form of the triangular anchors were inferred to have similarity with the anchors found in Kition in Cyprus and Ugarit in Syria of 1300 BC. It was also deduced that the city of Dwarka extended 2 km upto Rupen. These finds have led to the inference that the second urbanization occurred during the 15-14 century BC predating the Achaemenid cities by more than 1000 years. Further excavations beyond the temple of Sea God, 700 m from it also revealed remnants of fort named as Varidurga (meaning:Fortress under water) built with limestone block, which is identified as the ancient city of Dwarka as described in the epic Mahabharata. These remnants were found at a depth of 6.4 m below the mean sea level corresponding to an ancient sea level which was 9 m below the present level. The final inference of these marine under water investigations is that “there was really a city which got submerged in Dwarka in 1500 BC and that the "architectural evidence and antiquities such as a seal and inscriptions go to indicate that it was the city of Mahabharata age”. From the Typological classification of the anchors it is inferred that Dwarka had flourished as a useful port resulting in maritime activities in the medieval period. However, the port city, which as also the religious capital, was sub-merged under the Arabian Sea|sea]] following the death of Lord Krishna.

Early History
In 200 A.D, king Vasudev II of Dwarka was defeated by Mahakshatriya Rudradama. When Rudradama died his wife queen Dheeradevi invited his brother Pulumavi seeking guidance to rule. Rudradama had embraced Vaishhnavism religion and worshiped Krishna at Dwarka. Vajranabha, his successor, had built a chhattri (an umbrella type monument) and deified an idol Krishna in it. An epigraphic reference inscribed on a copper plate, dated 574 AD found in Palitana, ascribed to Garulaka Simhaditya, the son of Varahdas, the king of Dwarka, was the minister of Vallabhi under Maitraka, refers to Dwarka. The Greek writer of the Periplus of Erythraean Sea has also referred to a place called Baraca, which is interpreted as the present day Dwarka. A reference made in Ptolemy’s Geography identified Barake as an island in the Gulf of Kanthils, which has been inferred to mean Dwarka. One of the four dhams (religious seats) founded by Adi Shankaracharya (686-717) at the four corners of the country, as a monastic center when the mainstream Hinduism had not accepted, is also a part of Dwarka temple complex. In 885 AD, the then pontiff of Shreemad Jagatguru Shankaracharya peeth got the temple refurbished.

Vallabhacharaya retrieved an idol of Dwarkadhish, which was revered by Rukamini, in a stepwell known as Savitri vav, which was hidden there during Muslim invasion. He installed it at Ladva village and in 1551 when Turk Aziz invaded Dwarka, the idol was shifted to Bet Dwarka island.

Recent History
In 1241, Mohammad Shah invaded Dwarka and damaged the temple. During this battle five Brahmins, Virajee Thakar, Nathu Thakar, Karasan Thakar, Valjee Thakar, and Devasee Thakar, who fought against him, died and were honoured as martyrs. The shrines built in their honour, located near the temple, now has a Muslim name "Panch Peer". During the Muslim rule, the Mughal emperors invaded Dwarka in 1372 and destroyed its ancient temples but the Jagat Mandir or the Dwarakadhisa temple was rebuilt later.

Dwarka, along with Okhamandal region, was under Gaekwad of Baroda state during Indian rebellion of 1857. Later by joint offensive of British, Gaekwad and other princely states troops ousted the rebels and recaptured the region in 1859. A war occurred at Okhamnadal in 1858 between the local Vaghers and the British. The Vaghers won the battle and ruled till September 1859. Later by joint offensive of British, Gaekwad and other princely states troops ousted the rebels and recaptured the region in 1859. During these operations led by Colonel Donovan, the temples both in Dwarka and Bet Dwarka suffered damages and the temple treasures were also looted. On a complaint made by the local people of Jamnagar, Porbander and Kutch, which was supported by the merchants of Bombay who were devotees of Vishnu, protested and there was wide spread publicity to the atrocities committed by the British. They sought restoration of the temples. The temples were restored after the British assured restoration of the temples and return of the looted properties. In 1861, the temple was renovated by Maharaja Khanderao, when the British refurbished the shikara of the temple. Maharaja Gaikwad of Baroda got a golden pinnacle fixed on the shikara of the temple in 1958 when the then Pontiff Shankaracharya got the temple refurbished. Since 1960, the temple is maintained by the Government of India.

Economy
Most of the revenue of Dwarka is derived from its pilgrimage status. Its agricultural produce such as millets, ghee (clarified butter), oilseeds, and salt are transported from its port at Okha. A long term development plan was proposed in 2011 with investment of Rs 830 million to refurbish the city of Dwarka and also build a bridge connecting the city with Okha and Bet Dwarka, and improve the sunset point.

Industries
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 development is concentrated in its cement factories.

Landmarks
The holy town is a well known pilgrimage centre for Hindus and has numerous temples with in the city and in close proximity. Some of the important temples are the Dwarakadhisa temple, the Rukmini Devi temple, the Gomti Ghat and its temples, the Beyt Dwarka, the Nageshwar Mandir and the Lighthouse. There is also a light house at the land end point of Dwarka.

Dwarakadhisa temple
The Dwarakadhisa temple located in the middle of the city of Dwarka, also known as Jagat Mandir (meaning “Temple of the World”) is a Vaishnav temple. It was built by Raja Jagat Singh Rathore, hence it is called Jagat Mandir. The temple is at an elevation of 12.19 m above mean sea-level. It faces west. The temple layout consists of a garbhagriha (Nijamandira or Harigraha) and an antarala It is conjectured that this temple location is 2,500 years old where Lord Krishna had built his city and a temple. However, the existing temple is dated to 16th century. It is five storied edifice built over 72 pillars (sandstone temple with 60 pillars is also mentioned ). The temple rises to a height of 35 m. The original temple had been built by Krishna’s grandson over the Harigraha, the palace of Krishna. The sanctum of the temple is called the Jagat Madnir or Nija Mandir and is believed to be more than 2500 years old. The temple has a main assembly hall. The main deity deified in the sanctum is of Dwarkadeesh, which is known as Trivikrama form of Vishnu and is depicted with four arms, is made of black stone and is 3 ft in height. On the chamber to the left of the main altar is the deity of Balarama, elder brother of Lord Krishna. The chamber to the right houses the images of Pradyumna and Aniruddha, son and grandson of Krishna. In several shrine surrounding the central shrine there are images of Radha (Krishna's companion), Jambavati, Satyabhama, Lakshmi, Devaki (Krishna’s mother), Madhav Raoji (Another name for Krishna), Rukmini, Jugal Swaroop (name for Krishna), Lakshmi Narayana, and Sita. The temple spire rises to a height of 78 m and a very large flag with symbols of Sun and Moon is hoisted on it. There are two important entrances to the temple, one is the main entry door which is called the Moksha Dwar (meaning "Door to Salvation") and the exit door which is known as the Swarga Dwar (meaning: "Gate to Heaven"). According to a legend, Meera Bai, the princess cum saint, a staunch devotee of Lord Krishna merged with the deity at this temple. Temple is open only to Hindus. It is one of the Sapta Puri, the seven holy cities of India.

The triangular flag hoisted on the spire is of 50 ft length. This flag is changed four times a day with a new one and Hindus pay a huge sum of money to hoist it by purchasing a new flag. The money received on this account is credited to the trust fund of the temple to meet the operation and maintenance expenses of the temple.

The temple is also the location of Sharda Peeth, one of the four peeths (religious centers) established by Adi Shankaracharya (686-717) who pioneered unification of Hindu religious beliefs in the country. It is a four storied structure representing four peeths established by Shankaracharya in different parts of the country. There are paintings on the walls here depicting the life history of Shankaracharya while the dome has carvings of Lord Shiva in different postures.

Rukmini Devi temple
The Rukmini Devi temple temple dedicated to Rukmini, Krishna’s chief queen, is located in Bet Dwarka, 2 km away from Dwarka. The temple is said to be 2,500 years old but in its present form it is inferred to belong to the 12th century. It is a richly carved temple decorated with sculptures of gods and goddesses on the exterior with the sanctum housing the main image of Rukmini. Carved naratharas (human figures) and carved gajatharas (elephants) are depicted in panels at the base of the tower. An interesting legend is narrated to justify separate dwelling temples, far away from each other, for Rukmini and her husband Krishna. It is said that at the request of sage Durvasa (who was renowned for his short temper and bestowing curses) Krishna and Rukmini pulled a chariot taking sage Durvasa to their house for dinner. On the way, when Rukmini asked for water to quench her thirst, Krishna drew Ganges water, by prodding the ground with his toe, for her to drink. Rukmini quenched her thirst with the Ganges water. But Durvasa felt insulted as Rukmini did not have the courtesy to offer him water to drink. He, therefore, cursed her that she would live separately from her husband.

Gomti Ghat
Gomti Ghat consists of steps leading to the Gomti River which is also a holy place for pilgrims to take a dip in the river to get rid of sins. The ghat has a number of small shrines dedicated to the Samudra (God of the Sea), Saraswati and Lakshmi. Other notable temples in the ghat area are: The Samudra Narayana temple (also known as Sangam Narayana temple) which is at the confluence of the Gomti creek with the sea; the Chakra Narayana temple where there is stone with imprint of a chakra as a manifestation of Vishnu; the Gomati temple which has an idol of the river goddess Gomati said to have been brought to earth by sage Vasishta.

Beyt Dwarka
Beyt Dwarka, an island to the north of Dwarka, considered the original residence of Krishna, also spelled Bet Dwarka, is off the coast of Dwarka. It was the old port during the ancient times of Krishna before the Okha port was developed in Dwarka. The temple built here is credited to the religious Guru Vallabhacharya of the “Pushtimarg Sampradaya” around 500 years ago. Rice is a traditional offering here to the deity as it is believed that Lord Krishna offered rice to his childhood friend Sudama. There are also smaller shrines here which are dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, Hanuman and Devi. According to a legend Vishnu killed a demon on this island. There are now modern Krihna temples on the island.

Hanuman Dandi temple
Hanuman Dandi temple is another notable temple located 6 km away from Dwarka. The temple is deified with many images of Hanuman and his son Makardhwaja. The legend associated with the birth of a son to Hanuman who is considered celibate is that the sweat of Hanuman was consumed by a fish which then gave birth to a son named as Makardhwaja.

Nageshwar Mandir
Nageshwar Mandir is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and one of the twelve Jyotirlingas (meaning radiant sign of The Almighty) is deified here in a subterranean cell.

Lighthouse
There is lighthouse at the end point of the Dwarka peninsula, which provides a panoramci view of the holy city. The radio beacon provided on this lighthouse tower is powered by a solar photovoltaic module.

Other places
In Dwarka there is a lake called Gopi Talab on the western part of the city, and a similar lake known as Gopi Chandan meaning "sandal paste from Gopi" is situated in Bet Dwraka, which is found in the bead of the lake. This fragrant mud is applied as a sanctity symbol by devout Hindus on their forehead.

Festivals
Janmashtami is the main festival that is celebrated during August/September with great fervor and piety as it was in the prehistoric times the abode of Lord Krishna. The festival is marked by night long celebrations to celebrate the birth of Krishna Bhajan and sermons re part of the festivities. At midnight there is reenactment of Krishna's childhood in the form of Garba and Raas dances. On this occasion, the local boys create a pyramid and a young boy in the costume of Krishna clims up this pyramid to strike a pot holding butter an act which Krishna mischievously performed with the gopis.