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Location: Dwarka
(Gujarat)
(Vada Naadu)
Vishnu: Dwarakadeesan
Taayaar: Lakshmi,
Rukmini
Theertham:Gomti River, Samudra Sangamam
Paasuram :Perialwar, Andal, Tirumangai, Tirumazhisai,
Nammalwar
Vimaanam:Hemakoota Vimanam
Travel Base:Dwarka
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. 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.
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