Dwarkadhish Mandir

History & Manyata

The Dwarkadhish Jagat Mandir on the Gomti tirth has been a continuously worshipped Vaishnava kshetra for over 2,500 years, with the current 51.8 m, five-storied shikhara built around 200 BCE by Krishna's great-grandson Vajranabha. The temple sits atop the original site of Krishna's residential palace — Hari Griha — built by Vishwakarma. The 72 carved pillars supporting the Jagat Mandir are made from soft limestone and granite; the Nija Mandir houses the chaturbhuja Krishna in tribhanga pose installed by Adi Shankaracharya, who established Dwarka as one of the four Char Dham peethas. Two flagstaffs are hoisted on the shikhara — five times a day — bearing the Sun and Moon symbols of the Yadava dynasty; the 52-yard-long Dhwaja is changed in a ceremony involving the hereditary Abothi Brahmin family. Marine archaeological surveys by the National Institute of Oceanography (1983–2001) located submerged stone walls, anchors and structures 2–8 km offshore — radio-carbon dated to 7500 BCE — believed to be the original golden Dwarka described in the Harivamsha and Mahabharata, which sank into the sea seven days after Krishna's departure. The temple is administered today by the Devasthan Trust of Gujarat Government.

Aarti Timings

• Mangala Aarti06:30 AM
• Shringar Aarti10:30 AM
• Sandhya Aarti07:30 PM
• Shayan Aarti08:30 PM

Festivals not to miss

Suggested Itinerary

1. 1Dwarkadhish morning darshan
2. 2Bet Dwarka boat ride
3. 3Nageshwar Jyotirlinga
4. 4Sunset at Sudama Setu

Local Attractions

• Bet Dwarka
• Nageshwar Jyotirlinga
• Rukmini Temple