The Dwarkadhish temple, also known as
the Jagat Mandir and occasionally spelled Dwarakadheesh, is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Krishna, who is worshiped here by the name Dwarkadhish,
or 'King of Dwarka'. The temple is located at Dwarka,
Gujarat, India. The main shrine of the
5-storied building, supported by 72 pillars, is known as Jagat Mandir or Nija
Mandir, archaeological findings suggest it to be 2,200 - 2,000 years old.
Temple was enlarged in the 15th- 16th century. The Dwarkadhish Temple is a Pushtimarg temple, hence it follows the guidelines
and rituals created by Vallabhacharya and
Vitheleshnath.
According to tradition, the original temple
was believed to have been built by Krishna's grandson, Vajranabha, over the
hari-griha (Lord Krishna's residential place). The temple became part of the Char Dham pilgrimage considered sacred by Hindus in India, after Adi
Shankaracharya, the 8th century Hindu theologian and philosopher,
visited the shrine. The other three being comprising Rameswaram,
Badrinath and Puri.
Even today a memorial within the temple is dedicated to his visit.
Dwarakadheesh is the 98th Divya Desam of Vishnu on the subcontinent, glorified in the Divya
Prabandha sacred texts.
As per Hindu
legend, Dwarka was built on a piece of land by Krishna that was reclaimed from
the sea. Sage Durvasa once visited Krishna and
his wife Rukmini. The sage wished that the pair
took him to their palace. The pair readily agreed and started walking with the
sage to their palace. After some distance, Rukmini got tired and she requested
some water from Krishna. Krishna dug a mythical hole that brought in river Ganga to the place. Sage Durvasa was furious and
cursed Rukmini to remain in the place. The temple where Rukmini's shrine is
found, is believed to the place where she stood.
History
The town of Dwarka
in Gujarat has a history that dates back
centuries, and mentioned in the Mahabharat epic
as the Dwaraka Kingdom. Situated on the banks
of river Gomti, the town is described in legend as the capital of Lord Krishna. Evidence such as a stone block with script,
the way the stones were dressed showing that dowels had been used, and an
examination of anchors found on the site suggest that the harbour site dates
only to historical times, with some of the underwater structure being late
Medieval. Coastal erosion was probably the cause of the destruction of what was
an ancient port.
Hindus believe that the original temple was
constructed by Vajranabh, the great grand son of Krishna, over the residential
palace of Krishna.
The current temple in Chaulukya style is constructed in 15-16th century.
The temple covers area of 27 metre by 21 metre with east-west length of 29
metre and north-south width of 23 metres. The tallest peak of the temple is
51.8 m high.
Religious importance
The flag atop the temple shows the sun and
moon, which is believed to indicate that Krishna would be there till Sun and
moon exist on earth. The flag is changed from 5 times a day, but the symbol
remains the same. The temple has a five-story structure built on seventy-two
pillars. The temple spire is 78.3m high. *The temple is constructed of
limestone which is still in pristine condition. The temple shows intricate
sculptural detailing done by successions of dynasties that ruled the region.
The structure was not expanded much by these works. There are two entrances to
the temple. The main entrance (north entrance) is called "Moksha
Dwara" (Door to Salvation). This entrance takes one to the main market.
The south entrance is called "Swarga Dwara" (Gate to Heaven). Outside
this doorway are 56 steps that leads to the Gomati River. The temple is open from
6.00 am to 1.00 pm and 5.00 pm to 9.30 pm. The Krishnajanmastami festival,or
Gokulashtami, the birthday of Krishna was
commissioned by Vallaba (1473-1531).
More Information on Dwarika Temple, visit official website
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