Temples of Western India
Description Dwarka is considered to be
one of the 7 Mukti Stala pilgrimage centers of India and is located on
the west coast of India in Gujarat on the extreme western tip of the Kathiawar peninsula.
Dwarka is associated with several legends associated with Krishna.
Nearby is Somnath,
again one of the prime pilgrimage centers of India, of great historic and religious
significance. Aadi Sankara established one of his four Peethams here at Dwarka, the other
three being Sringeri, Puri and Joshi Mutt.
Legend has it that Krishna built the city of Dwarka with the aid of
Viswakarma, (off of the west coast of India) - as his capital, after moving from Mathura.
The Dwarkadeesh temple has a five storeyed tower supported by 60
columns. This temple is known as the Jagat Mandir and is believed to have
been built by Sambha the grandson of Krishna. Visitors enter through the Swarga
Dwar and exit through the Moksha Dwar here.
The Rukmini temple here is believed to be 1600 years old. The Gomati
Sangamam where the river Gomti reaches the sea is located close by. A little north of
Dwarka, one can ferry across to Bet - Dwarka island where Krishna killed
the demon Shankhasura.
There are shrines to Rukmini, Trivikrama, Devaki, Jambavati, Lakshmi Narayan and other
deities here. There is another temple to Rukmini, believed to be the site of Krishna's
marriage with her.Archeological excavations have revealed five earlier cities here, all
submerged now.
The Tamil Alwars of the first millennium CE have sung of Dwarka in a total of 13
verses, in which Nammalwar refers to Krishna as the Lord of Dwaraka. |
