Shri Dwarkadhish Mandir

Shri Dwarkadhish Mandir, Gujarat State, India. : Jai Dwarkadhish

The world famous ancient town of Dwarka needs hardly any introduction. The holy town of Dwarka in Gujarat has a history that dates back centuries. Located on the confluence of Gomati River and the Gulf of Kutchh, Dwarka is famed for being the capital of Lord Krishna. The ancient Dwarka city is believed to have been submerged by raging sea waters to the bottom of the sea, where the remains are still believed to exist. A temple of Dwarkadhish Ji (Lord Krishna) was built at the site around 400 BC by Vajranabh Ji, the great grand son of Lord Krishna. The existing temple is a 15th / 16th century structure constructed in Chalukya style in 27 m x 21 m area. Its tallest peak is 51.8 m high, its east-west length is 29 m and north-south width is 23m. It is said that Dwarka’s pilgrim starts receiving fruits of Ashwamedh Yajna from the moment he commences his journey towards Dwarka.

Also known as the Jagat Mandir, the temple has two shikhars. The Nij shikhar is where the idol of Lord Dwarkadhish is placed. The huge temple consists of 60 exquisitely carved pillars and a number of beautiful sculptures that depict the influence of various dynasties such as the Guptas, Pallavas, Martraks, Chavdas and Chanakyas, that ruled Dwarka over the years. The entrance to the temple is from the north, also known as the Moksha Dwaar while towards the south is the Swarg Dwaar, from where a series of steps leads down to the banks of river Gomti. According to legend, the temple was constructed in a single day by Vishwakarma, the lord of construction.

The idol of Lord Dwarkadhish is made of shiny black stone and is about 2.25 ft in height. The four hands of the Lord carries a conch, wheel, a metallic weapon and a lotus each and is popularly known as ‘Shankh, Chakra, Gada, Padma, Chaturbhuj’. It is said that the idol was hidden for years to protect it from Muslim invaders while another idol brought from the Rukmini temple was installed in its absence. The original idol was reinstalled during the 16th century after the construction of the new temple.

Dwarkadhish Mandir is one of the four temples of Char Dharm Yatra. This yatra(pilgrimage) is every Hindu's dream.

Jai Dwarkadhish
Jai Ranchhodji
Jai Shri Krishna