After 18 years, the Archaeological Survey of India has started deep-sea excavations in the Dwarka sea. The research is being carried out as part of an effort to find the Karma Bhoomi of Lord Krishna, which is submerged under the sea.
Dwarka in the state of Gujarat is revered by devotees as the Karma Bhoomi of Lord Krishna. Dwarka is the city where Lord Krishna lived and ruled. The city of Dwarka is almost 5000 years old. Dwarka was the capital of the happy nation.
The Jagat Mandir, also known as Dwarkadish, is located in the city of Dwarka on the banks of the Gomti river in Gujarat. It is one of the seven sacred places that give salvation. It is also one of the 108 Divya Desams of Lord Vishnu.
This 2200-year-old temple, a testament to the art of architecture, was built by Vajranapa. According to the Thala Purana, this temple was rescued from the sea by Lord Krishna and built on land.
According to the Puranas, after killing his maternal uncle Kamsa in Mathura, Lord Krishna, who was crowned as the king of Dwarka, ruled the city of Dwarka until he decided to return to Vaikuntam.
Lord Krishna ruled Dwarka for more than 36 years. The Puranas also state that the marriage of Rukmini Devi and Lord Krishna took place in Dwarka. History says that when Lord Krishna left Dwarka, the city itself sank into the sea.
Last year, in February, Prime Minister Modi, who visited the Dwarkadish temple, put on scuba gear and went underwater to pray to Lord Krishna. Moreover, Prime Minister Modi had also shared his underwater pictures on his X site.
Prime Minister Modi had mentioned in his X post that he had ‘darshan’ of the ancient city of Dwarka by going into the deep sea and that this city, which is as tall as the top of the world, was built by Lord Krishna himself.
The studies that are revealing the historical facts of Dwarka were started by Hiranand Shastri in the 1930s. Subsequently, in 1963, the first major excavations were carried out in Dwarka under the leadership of J.M. Nanavati and H.D. Sangaliya.
In the 1980s, archaeological researchers discovered the ruins of a fort wall on the banks of the Gomti river. These studies have confirmed that Dwarka of Sri Krishna was a well-planned city.
Between 1983 and 1990, archaeologists uncovered various secrets of Dwarka. Strong foundations, stone blocks, pillars, stone anchors and irrigation channels were discovered. UNESCO also said that the ancient city walls of Dwarka could have been built on them.
Archaeological evidence found at Dwarka confirms the existence of a city-state with two satellite cities dated to 1500 BC, said archaeologist S.R. Rao.
Coastal and marine studies of Dwarka Island have demonstrated a long cultural continuum from prehistoric times to modern times, archaeologists A.S. Kaur and S. Tripathi said in their paper.
Dwarka means ‘gate’ in Sanskrit. Dwarka served as an important trading centre between India and West Asia.
All marine archaeological research has conclusively indicated that Dwarka was a trading centre.
The last excavations were carried out between 2005 and 2007 at Dwarka and an island off the Okha coast.
After 18 years, a team of five archaeologists led by Additional Director General of Archaeology, Professor Alok Tripathi, has begun underwater exploration of the Dwarka coast.
The team, comprising HK Nayak, Dr. Aparajita Sharma, Mrs. Poonam Vind and Rajkumari Parbina, has selected the Gomati coast for the initial exploration.
The Underwater Archaeology Wing of the Archaeological Survey of India, which has been actively conducting marine research since the 1980s, is a part of the Underwater Archaeology Division. The Dwarka survey has been initiated.
It has already surveyed places like Lakshadweep, Mahabalipuram, Loktak Lake in Manipur and Elephanta Island in Maharashtra in 2001.
The Dwarka survey is being conducted in collaboration with the Indian Navy and other national organizations to preserve underwater cultural heritage.
Where is Sri Krishna’s Karma Bhoomi? Underwater exploration after 18 years…! My Bharat Guru
