Dwaraka

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Dwaraka

Sri Krishna killed Kamsan (his maternal uncle) and

made Ugrasen (his maternal grandfather) the king of

Mathura. Enraged, the father-in-law of Kamsan,

Jarasandh (king of Magadh) with his friend Kalayavan

attacked Mathura 17 times. For the safety of the

people, Krishna and Yadava decided to move the capital

from Mathura to Dwarka.

 

Land was reclaimed from the sea near the western

shores of Saurashtra. A city was planned and built

here. Dwarka was a planned city, on the banks of river

Gomati. This beautiful city was also known as

Dwaramati, Dwarawati and Kushsthali. It had well

organized six sectors, residential and commercial

zones, wide roads, plazas, palaces and many public

utilities. A hall called " Sudharma Sabha " was build to

hold public meetings. The city also boasted a good

harbour.

 

Dwaraka is rated as one of the seven most ancient

cities in the country.

 

Submergence of Dwaraka

After Sri Krishna left for the heavenly abode, and the

major Yadava heads were killed in fights among

themselves; Arjun went to Dwarka to bring Krishna's

grandsons and the Yadava wives to Hastinapur. After

Arjun left Dwaraka, it was submerged in the sea. This

is the account given by Arjun, in Mahabharat:

" The sea, which had been beating against the shores,

suddenly broke the boundary that was imposed on it by

nature. The sea rushed into the city. It coursed

through the streets of the beautiful city. The sea

covered up everything in the city. I saw the beautiful

buildings becoming submerged one by one. In a matter

of a few moments it was all over. The sea had now

become as placid as a lake. There was no trace of the

city. Dwaraka was just a name; just a memory. "

 

Discovery of Dwaraka

The search for the lost city was going on since

1930's. Marine Archaeology Unit (MAU) of the National

Institute of Oceanography, took part in this search in

1983. This search was carried out in the coastal

waters of Dwaraka in Gujarat.

 

Between 1983 to 1990 was discovered, the

well-fortified township of Dwaraka, that extended more

than half a mile from the shore. The township was

built in six sectors along the banks of a river. The

foundation of boulders on which the city's walls were

erected proves that the land was reclaimed from the

sea.

 

Dwaraka extended upto Bet Dwaraka (Sankhodhara) in the

north and Okhamadhi in the south. Eastward it extended

upto Pindara. The general layout of the city of

Dwaraka described in ancient texts agrees with that of

the submerged city discovered by MAU.

Under Water Dwaraka Museum

 

The proposal for the Dwaraka museum, submitted by the

MAU, involves laying a submarine acrylic tube through

which visitors can view through glass windows the

ruins of the city.

 

The State Goverment of Gujrat and the Travel & Tourism

Department of Gujrat are working on this proposal (for

over two decades). When completed, it will be the

first museum to be built under the sea.

If Dwaraka excavations throw a flood of light on the

history of the city which was associated with the life

events of Krishna, the under-water excavations of

Ayodhya situated on the bank of the river Sharayu

might yield valuable information about the historicity

of Rama, his age and contemporary urban status.

 

Source: Report about the excavations done by Dr. S.R.

Rao of the Marine Archaeology Unit of the National

Institute of Oceanography of India. Dr. S.R. Rao

served the Archaeological Survey of India for over 32

years. He is the discoverer of a large number of

Harappan sites including the port city of Lothal in

Gujarat.

 

rgds,

 

K.S.Jain

Doha, Qatar

 

 

 

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