DWARKANAGARI.......

DEV BHOOMI DWARKA

Dwarka is a municipality of Devbhoomi dwarka district in the state of Gujarat in northwestern India. It is located on the western shore of the Okhamandal Peninsula on the right bank of the Gomti River. In 2011, it had a population of 38,873. Dwarka is one of the foremost Chardhams, four sacred Hindu pilgrimage sites, and is one of the , the seven most ancient religious cities in the country. Dwarka is often identified with the Dwarka kingdom, the ancient kingdom of Krishna,  and is believed to have been the first capital of Gujarat.

Sapta puri

The city's Dwarkadhish Temple dedicated to Krishna was originally built around 2,500 years ago, but was destroyed by Mahumad Begada rulers and subsequently rebuilt in the 16th century. The temple is also the location of Dwarka matha, also called Sharada Matha/Peeth. Dwarka has several notable temples, including Rukmini devi temple, Gomti Ghat, and Bet Dwarka. There is also a lighthouse at the land end point of Dwarka.

Dwarka's economy relies heavily on pilgrims and tourism but is supplemented by the production of millets, ghee (clarified butter),oilseeds, and salt, which are transported from its port. A long-term development plan was proposed in 2011 by the Government of Gujarat, with investment of ₹830 million to refurbish the city of Dwarka and build a bridge connecting the city with Okha and Bet Dwarka. Janmashtami is the main festival that is celebrated during August and September. Sharda Peeth Vidya Sabha is an educational society sponsored by the Sharda Peeth, Dwarka which runs an arts college in Dwarka. Dwarka was selected as a heritage city by the Indian government's Heritage city Development and Augmentation Yojana(HRIDAY) initiative.

A painting depicting Krishna's Dwarka made during Akbar's reign, from the Smithsonian Institution

Dwarka is believed to have been the first capital of Gujarat. The city's name literally means the "gateway to heaven" in Sanskrit, asDwar means "gate" and ka references "Brahma".  Dwarka has also been referred to throughout its history as "Mokshapuri", "Dwarkamati", and "Dwarkavati". It is mentioned in the ancient prehistoric epic period of the Mahabharat. According to legend, Krishna settled here after he defeated and killed his uncle Kansa at Mathura. This mythological account of Krishna's migration to Dwarka from Mathura is closely associated with the culture of gujarat. Krishna is also said to have reclaimed 12 Yojanas or 96 square kilometres (37 sq mi) of land from the sea to create Dwarka.

Dwarka in a painting of the late 1820

In 1473, the Gujarat Sultan Mahmud Begada sacked the city and destroyed the temple of Dwarka. The Jagat Mandir or the Dwarakadhisa temple was later rebuilt.Vallabha Acharya retrieved an idol of Dwarkadhish, which was revered by Rukmini. He hid it in a Stepwell,  known as Savitri vav, during the Muslim invasion, before moving it to Ladva village. In 1551, when Turk Aziz invaded Dwarka, the idol was shifted to the island of Bet Dwarka.

NAGESHWAR MANDIR

Nageshvara Jyotirlinga is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines mentioned in the Shiva puran. Nageshvara is believed to be the first such shrine.

The Shiva Puran says Nageshvara Jyotirlinga is in 'the Darukavana', which is an ancient name of a forest in India. 'Darukavana' finds mention in Indian epics,such as Kamyakavana, Dvaitavana, Dandakavana.

GOPI TALAV

Malik Gopi, a Brahmin merchant, settled in Surat and the development of the city has been attributed to his contributions. The area he developed was called Gopipura, in his honour and the king of Gujarat gave him the title of "Malik". The town that he developed was still unnamed and consulting astrologers he proposed to name it "Suraj" or "Suryapur". The king disliking the Hindu inclination of the name altered it to "Surat".  Gopi also finds mentions in Portuguese literature as "Lord of Surat and Bharuch".

In 1573, Emperor Akbar had set up his military base camp near the lake during the siege of Surat.

Sanskrit poet Vinayavijaya (1613–1681)  in his poem "Indudutam" calls this lake a "fine art emerged from the Churning Of Oceans." The lake also finds mentions in travelogues of European visitors. British traveler Peter Mundar who arrived in Surat in September 1628 describes the lake as "the Great Tancke of Surat," and "admirable for its workemannshipp and bignes". Dutch geographer joannas de let's 1631 Latin works mention this lake to have been cut out of a rock. John Albrecht de Mandelslo, a German adventurer who landed in Surat in 1638 describes the vastness of the lake along with steps surrounding it and mentions the house that stood at the centre; wrongly calling it "the tomb of the builder of this magnificent structure". Portuguese Jesuit Manoel Godinho toured the Surat region in 1662–63 and mentions two wells outside the city used to supply drinking water and this is implied as a reference to two cisterns of the lake. The lake also finds mentions in the chronicles of Italian traveler Pietro dellas valles as "Gopi Telau". Sir Thomas Herbert who toured India on various occasions in 15th century, mentions the lake to have been used to hold rain water for drinking purpose.

BEYT DWARKA

Bet Dwarka is considered the part of the ancient city in Indian epic literature Dwarka found in Mahabharat and Skanda purana. Gujarati scholar Umashankar Joshi suggested that Antardvipa in Sabha Parva of Mahabharata can be identified as Bet Dwarka as Yadava of Dwarka said to travel to it by boats. It derived its name Shankhodhar as the island is a large source of conch shells (Shankh). Archeological remains found under the sea suggest the existence of settlement during Late Harappan period of Indus velly civilization or immediately after it. It can be reliably dated to times of Maurya Empire. It was a part of Okha Mandal or Kushdwip area. Dwarka is mentioned in the copper inscription dated 574 AD of Simhaditya, the minister of Vallabhi under Maitrika.

Bet dwarka- "THE KINGDOM OF LORD KRISHNA"

Bet Dwarka or Shankhodhar is an inhabited island at mouth of Gulf of Kutch situated 3 km (2 mi) off the coast of Okha Gujarat, India. The island is measured northwest to southeast in 13 km (8 mi) with an average 4 km (2 mi) in east-west direction. It is a strip of sand and stone situated 30 km (19 mi) north of town of Dwarka.

RUKMINI MANDIR

The Rukmini Devi Temple is a temple in Dwarka, 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) away from Dwarka india. It is dedicated to Rukmini krishna’s chief queen. The temple is said to be 2,500 years old but in its present form it is inferred to belong to the 12th century.

An interesting legend is narrated to justify separate dwelling temples, far away from each other, for Rukmini and her husband Krishna. It is said that at the request of sage Durvasa Krishna and Rukmini pulled a chariot taking sage Durvasa to their house for dinner. On the way, when Rukmini asked for water to quench her thirst, Krishna drew Ganges water, by prodding the ground with his toe, for her to drink. Rukmini quenched her thirst with the Ganges water. But Durvasa felt insulted as Rukmini did not have the courtesy to offer him water to drink. He, therefore, cursed her that she would live separately from her husband.