Dvārakā

Dvārakā, also known as Dvāravatī (Sanskrit द्वारका "the gated [city]", possibly meaning having many gates, or alternatively having one or several very grand gates), is a sacred historic city in the sacred literature of Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. It is also alternatively spelled as Dvarika. The name Dvaraka is said to have been given to the place by Krishna, a major deity in Hinduism. Dvaraka is one of the Sapta Puri (seven sacred cities) of Hinduism.

In the Mahabharata, it was a city located in what is now Dwarka, formerly called Kushasthali, the fort of which had to be repaired by the Yadavas. In this epic, the city is described as a capital of the Anarta Kingdom. According to the Harivamsa the city was located in the region of the Sindhu Kingdom.

In the Hindu epics and the Puranas, Dvaraka is called Dvaravati and is one of seven Tirtha (pilgrimage) sites for spiritual liberation. The other six are Mathura, Ayodhya, Kashi, Kanchipuram, Avantika (Ujjain) and Puri.

Hindu literature

Bhagavata Purana 
The following description of Dvaraka during Krishna's presence there appears in the Bhagavata Purana (10.69.1-12) in connection with the sage Narada's visit:

Harivamsa 
In Harivamsa, Dvaraka is described as largely built on "submerged land", "released by the ocean" (2.55.118 and 2.58.34).
 The city was the former "sporting ground of the King Raivataka" called "Dvāravāti", which "was squared like a chess board" (2.56.29).
 Nearby was the mountain range Raivataka (2.56.27), "the living place of the gods" (2.55.111).
 The city was measured by Brahmins; the foundations of the houses were laid and at least some of the houses were built by the Yadavas (2.58.9 - 15).
 It was built by Vishwakarman in one day (2.58.40) "mentally" (2.58.41 and 44).
 It had surrounding walls (2.58.48 and 53) with four main gates (2.58.16).
 Its houses were arranged in lines (2.58.41) and the city had "high buildings" (2.58.50 and 54) (2.58.53), which "almost touched the sky" (2.58.50), and had "doors that had the colour of white clouds" (2.58.48).
 The fort walls of the city were "shining with the colour of the Sun and pots of gold" and "sounds emanating from grand houses sparkling with golden colour" (2.58.53).
 It had a temple area with a palace for Krishna himself, which had a separate bathroom (2.58.43).
 "The city is beautified on Earth by the ocean" like Indra's heavenly city is "beautified by an assembly of important jewels" (2.58.47 - 66, (2.58.49).

Events 
 Pandu's sons lived in Dvaraka during their exile to woods. Their servants headed by Indrasena lived there for one year (the 13th year) (4,72).
 Balarama mentioned about a sacrificial fire of Dvaraka, before he set for his pilgrimage over Sarasvati River (9,35).
 Rukmini is described to become the chief queen of Dvaraka after her elopement with Krishna, equated with the goddess Lakshmi as Krishna's chief consort in the Mahabharata.
 One should proceed with subdued senses and regulated diet to Dvaravati, where by bathing in "the holy place called Pindaraka", one obtaineth the fruit of the gift of gold in abundance (3,82).
 King Nriga, in consequence of a single fault of his, had to dwell for a long time at Dvaravati, and Krishna became the cause of his rescue from that miserable plight.(13,72).
 Sage Durvasa resided at Dvaravati for a long time (13,160).
 Arjuna visited Dvaravati during his military campaign after the Kurukshetra War (14,83).
 When the Pandavas retire from the world they visit the place where Dvaraka once used to be and see the city submerged under water.

Related archaeology

During 1983-1990, the Marine Archaeology Unit of India's National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) carried out underwater excavations at Dwarka and Bet Dwarka. According to S. R. Rao "The available archaeological evidence from onshore and offshore excavations confirms the existence of a city-state with a couple of satellite towns in 1500 B.C." He considered it reasonable to conclude that this submerged city is the Dvaraka as described in the Mahabharata.

Submergence 

In the Mausala Parva of the Mahabharata, Arjuna witnesses the submergence of Dvaraka and describes it as follows:

See also 
 Marine archaeology in the Gulf of Cambay
 Dvaravati sila
 Dvārakā–Kamboja route
 List of lost lands

References

Bibliography
 
 Gaur, A.S., Sundaresh, P. Gudigar, Sila Tripati, K.H. Vora and S.N. Bandodkar (2000) Recent underwater explorations at Dwarka and surroundings of Okha Mandal, Man and Environment, XXV(1): 67-74.
 Gaur, A.S. and Sundaresh (2003) Onshore Excavation at Bet Dwarka Island, in the Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat, Man and Environment, XXVIII(1): 57-66.

Further reading
 

Yadava kingdoms
History of Gujarat
Hindu holy cities
Submerged places
Dwarka