The Dwarkadhish temple, also called the Jagat Mandir, is the main temple of Krishna in the town of Dwarka in Gujarat, near where the Gomti meets the sea; here he is worshipped as the King of Dwarka. It is the western dham of the four dhams of India. According to the temple’s timetable darshan runs from 6:30 am to 1 pm and from 5 to 9:30 pm.
Each morning the tithi, Rahu Kaal and coming festivals, in one short WhatsApp message.Follow the channel
- Tradition
- Vaishnava
- Place
- Dwarka, by the Gomti ghat, Devbhumi Dwarka district
- State
- Gujarat
- Country
- India
- Official website
- Shree Dwarkadhish Devasthan Samiti (dwarkadhish.org)
- Map
- OpenStreetMap (22.2379, 68.9676)
Darshan and aarti timings
| Mangla aarti | 6:30 am |
|---|---|
| Morning darshan | 7 am to 12:30 pm; closed during the offerings and the abhishek (8 to 9 abhishek, 9:30 to 9:45 snan bhog, 10:15 to 10:30 shringar bhog, 11:05 to 11:20 gwal bhog, noon to 12:20 rajbhog) |
| Shringar aarti | 10:30 to 10:45 am |
| Anosar (closed) | 1 pm to 5 pm |
| Utthapan, first evening darshan | 5 pm |
| Sandhya aarti | 7:30 to 7:45 pm |
| Shayan aarti | 8:30 to 8:35 pm |
| Temple closes | 9:30 pm |
According to the temple’s timetable the times may change on special days and festivals. In the evening too the doors close briefly for the offerings.
Source: dwarkadhish.orgChecked: Times can change; check the official source before you go.
Dwarkadhish: the story
According to the Bhagavata Purana (10.50.49-53), after consulting Balarama, Krishna had a fortress city built within the sea, showing all of Vishvakarma’s skill. The temple’s website says that after Jarasandha’s repeated attacks Krishna left Mathura, came to Dwarka and became its king, "Dwarkadhish".
According to the temple committee the deity is presented as the Trivikrama form of Vishnu, but is served as a "king of kings", and his robes and adornment are made accordingly. According to the Gujarat Pavitra Yatradham Vikas Board the image is of black stone, with four arms.
The temple, its flag and its gates
According to Devbhumi Dwarka district the main shrine is five storeys high, built of limestone in the Chalukya style; its spire is about 43 m high and carries a flag of 52 yards of cloth that can be seen from about 10 km away. Pilgrims first bathe in the Gomti, climb the 56 steps on the Gomti side and enter by the Swarga Dwar (gate of heaven); they leave by the Moksha Dwar (gate of liberation). According to the temple committee there are 19 shrines in the complex between these two gates.
According to the temple’s website the flag bears the sun and the moon, and offerings of the flag are booked through the Guggali brahmin community. Worship is done in turn by 27 priests of the Guggali brahmin community (temple committee). Next to the temple is Adi Shankaracharya’s Sharada Peeth, which the Sringeri Sharada Peetham names as the amnaya math of the west.
History
Tradition links the first temple with Vajranabha, Krishna’s great-grandson (Devbhumi Dwarka district, Gujarat Tourism). According to the district’s history page the temple was destroyed by Mahmud Begada’s forces and rebuilt in the 16th century; Gujarat Tourism gives the year of destruction as 1472. According to the temple’s website the Gaekwad placed a golden kalash on the spire in 1903. The "Dwarkadhish group of temples" is on the Archaeological Survey of India’s list of centrally protected monuments.
How to reach Dwarkadhish
- Rail: Dwarka railway station (DWK); the temple is about 2 km from the station (Devbhumi Dwarka district).
- Air: according to the district, Porbandar airport is 95 km away and Jamnagar airport 110 km.
Main festivals
Where the sources differ
- How old the temple is: the district’s temple page gives 1,200 years as the Archaeology Department’s view, its places-of-interest page 2,200 years, and its history page and Gujarat Tourism about 2,500 years. Vajranabha is called Krishna’s grandson in some places and his great-grandson in others.
- Height of the spire: the district and Gujarat Tourism give 43 m, the Yatradham Board 160 ft (about 49 m), Incredible India 78 m. "72 pillars" and "the flag changed five times a day" appear only on Incredible India, not on any temple or Gujarat government page, so they are not stated here.
- Darshan hours: the temple’s timetable (2025) gives 6:30 am to 1 pm and 5 to 9:30 pm, which Incredible India matches; Gujarat Tourism gives 7 am to 12:30 pm and 5 to 9 pm. The distance to Jamnagar is given as anything from 110 to 148 km.
Frequently asked questions
What are the darshan hours at the Dwarkadhish temple?
According to the temple’s timetable, from 6:30 am (mangla aarti) to 1 pm and from 5 to 9:30 pm; the doors close briefly for the offerings, and the times may change on festivals.
Is Dwarka one of the Char Dham?
Yes, Dwarka is the western dham of the four dhams of India. The city of Dwarka is also one of the Sapta Puri of the Garuda Purana.
Where is Dwarkadhish Temple?
Dwarkadhish Temple is in Dwarka, by the Gomti ghat, Devbhumi Dwarka district, Gujarat.
Which lists of tirthas include Dwarkadhish?
The Char Dham (number 2 of 4 in the list).
How to reach Dwarkadhish?
Rail: Dwarka railway station (DWK); the temple is about 2 km from the station (Devbhumi Dwarka district). Air: according to the district, Porbandar airport is 95 km away and Jamnagar airport 110 km.
Sources
- Shree Dwarkadhish temple: timetable: https://www.dwarkadhish.org/jagad-mandir/time-table/
- Shree Dwarkadhish temple: Devasthan Samiti: https://www.dwarkadhish.org/uncategorized/devasthan-samiti/
- Shree Dwarkadhish temple: flag offering; other celebrations; how Krishna became Dwarkadhish; a little history: https://www.dwarkadhish.org/jagad-mandir/dwaja-arohan/ ; https://www.dwarkadhish.org/jagad-mandir/other-important-celebrations/ ; https://www.dwarkadhish.org/krishna-incarnation/krishna-become-dwarkadhish/ ; https://www.dwarkadhish.org/home/little-history/
- Devbhumi Dwarka district: Dwarkadhish temple; places of interest; how to reach; history; Sharada Peeth: https://devbhumidwarka.nic.in/tourist-place/dwarkadhish-temple/ ; https://devbhumidwarka.nic.in/places-of-interest/ ; https://devbhumidwarka.nic.in/how-to-reach/ ; https://devbhumidwarka.nic.in/history/ ; https://devbhumidwarka.nic.in/tourist-place/shardapith-temple/
- Gujarat Pavitra Yatradham Vikas Board: Dwarka: https://yatradham.gujarat.gov.in/TempleDetails?templename=rfym4HMfY0WJFzVFFU1tvg==
- Gujarat Tourism: Dwarkadhish temple: https://www.gujarattourism.com/saurashtra/devbhoomi-dwarka/dwarkadhish-temple.html
- Incredible India (Government of India, Ministry of Tourism): Dwarkadhish temple: https://www.incredibleindia.gov.in/en/gujarat/dwarka/dwarkadhish-temple
- Bhagavata Purana 10.50.49-53 (the fortress of Dwarka built in the sea): https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/10/50/
- Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham: the four Amnaya Peethams: https://www.sringeri.net/history/amnaya-peethams
- Archaeological Survey of India: list of centrally protected monuments (Gujarat, Rajkot circle): https://asi.nic.in/pdf/CPM_List.pdf
- Coordinates: Wikidata (Q1268294), CC0
Something wrong? Report a mistake
