Dwarkadhish Temple (Jagat Mandir), Dwarka
Krishna (as Dwarkadhish, Lord of Dwarka) temple · Dwarka, Devbhumi Dwarka, Gujarat, India
The Dwarkadhish Temple, also called the Jagat Mandir, stands on the Gomti creek in Dwarka, in Devbhumi Dwarka district on the western tip of Gujarat. It is dedicated to Krishna as Dwarkadhish, the 'Lord of Dwarka', the city that Hindu tradition remembers as Krishna's capital.
Incredible India, the Government of India's tourism portal, lists the temple as one of the four Char Dham pilgrimage sites, together with Badrinath, Puri and Rameswaram. Its tall carved spire is crowned by a long multicoloured flag, and the temple is administered by a committee chaired by the Collector of Devbhumi Dwarka district.
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Dwarkadhish Temple (Jagat Mandir), Dwarka
Dwarka is linked in the Mahabharata and later tradition with Krishna's kingdom, and the temple is the main place of worship in the town. Wikipedia notes that Dwarka is counted among the Sapta Puri, the seven sacred cities of Hindu tradition, and that the temple is close to the Dwaraka Pitha, one of the four monastic seats associated with Adi Shankara. Incredible India states that Shankara is believed to have visited in the 8th century and that a memorial to his visit stands inside the temple.
The flag (dhwaja) on the spire is a central part of worship here. According to the temple's website, it is made of 52 yards of cloth in seven colours and carries images of the sun and moon; devotees believe this means Krishna will remain at Dwarka as long as the sun and moon endure. Hoisting a new flag is offered as a devotional act, arranged, according to the temple website, through a designated samiti. Incredible India says the flag is changed five times a day; other sources give different numbers, so check locally.
Wikipedia records a tradition that the poet-saint Meera Bai merged with the deity at this temple, and another that an elderly devotee named Bodana carried an earlier image of Krishna from Dwarka to Dakor. These are traditions held by devotees, not documented history.
Heritage
History of Dwarkadhish Temple (Jagat Mandir), Dwarka
Tradition credits the first shrine to Vajranabh, Krishna's great-grandson. The Gujarat Tourism page repeats the belief that the temple goes back more than 2,500 years, while the Devbhumi Dwarka district website gives the archaeology department's view that the temple is about 1,200 years old. Incredible India says the original was built around 200 BCE. These dates do not agree, and the present building is much later.
The temple's own timeline lists many renovations, including work linked to Shankaracharya heads in the 9th century, a renovation by Minaldevi in the 12th century and repairs by the Gaekwad rulers in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Gujarat Tourism and Wikipedia record that the earlier temple was destroyed by Sultan Mahmud Begada of Gujarat in the 1470s and rebuilt afterwards; Wikipedia says the current image of Dwarkadhish was installed in 1559, and Incredible India dates the temple's present form to the 16th century.
According to the temple's timeline, the Government of India began maintaining and renovating the temple in 1960. Today the temple's website says it is managed by a committee of government officials, local-body representatives and residents, chaired by the District Collector, with a Deputy Collector serving as administrator.
Architecture and sacred features
The district website describes the temple as built of soft limestone, with a sanctum, a vestibule and a rectangular hall with porches on three sides. Incredible India describes a five-storey building standing on 72 pillars, with carved walls showing figures from mythology. Sources disagree on the spire's height: Gujarat Tourism and the district website give 43 metres, while Incredible India and Wikipedia give 78 metres.
Pilgrims traditionally enter by the Swarga Dwar (gate of heaven) and leave by the Moksha Dwar (gate of liberation). The district website notes a flight of 56 steps on the Gomti side of the temple leading down to the creek. The temple's timeline also mentions a shrine of Adyashakti on an upper floor.
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
The temple is busiest during Janmashtami and the main Hindu festivals. Gujarat Tourism suggests November to February as the most comfortable season to visit. Darshan hours are split into morning and evening sessions, and the published timings differ between sources, so confirm current timings and any rules with the Shri Dwarkadhish Temple administration before you travel.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Temple committee chaired by the Collector, Devbhumi Dwarka district (official website) before travelling. Last reviewed 1 November 2026.
Sacred Calendar
Festivals at Dwarkadhish Temple (Jagat Mandir), Dwarka
Janmashtami (Krishna Janmotsav)
The temple's website calls Krishna's birth festival its most important celebration, drawing thousands of pilgrims.
Annakut and Hindu New Year
On the first day of Kartik the deity is elaborately decorated and offered a large array of food dishes.
Tulsi Vivah
A four-day observance of the symbolic marriage of Vishnu and the tulsi plant, starting on the eleventh day.
Holi and Dhuleti
The temple's festival calendar marks the full-moon festival of colours and the following day.
Akshaya Tritiya
According to the temple, the deity is dressed in sandalwood (chandan) at the start of summer.
Rath Yatra
A small image of the deity is placed in a chariot on the second day of the bright fortnight.
Location
How to Reach Dwarkadhish Temple (Jagat Mandir), Dwarka
Dwarka has its own railway station, about 2 km from the temple according to the district website, and the town is reached by road on National Highway 947.
The nearest airports are Porbandar and Jamnagar. Gujarat Tourism gives them as about 95 km and 145 km away respectively.
Location: Dwarka, Devbhumi Dwarka, Gujarat, India
Nearest airport: Porbandar (about 95 km) and Jamnagar (about 145 km), per Gujarat Tourism
Nearest railway station: Dwarka (about 2 km, per the district website)
More in Hindu temples in Gujarat · Krishna (as Dwarkadhish, Lord of Dwarka) temples · Temples in Dwarka · Temples in Dwarka Taluka · Temples in Devbhumi Dwarka District
Questions
Dwarkadhish Temple (Jagat Mandir), Dwarka: Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Dwarkadhish Temple important?
It is Krishna's principal temple at Dwarka, the city tradition remembers as his capital, and it is one of the four Char Dham pilgrimage sites alongside Badrinath, Puri and Rameswaram.
How old is Dwarkadhish Temple?
Tradition credits the first shrine to Krishna's great-grandson Vajranabh. Official sources give differing ages, but the present building dates from the 16th century, after the earlier temple was destroyed in the 1470s.
What is special about the Dwarkadhish flag?
The flag is made of 52 yards of cloth in seven colours and bears the sun and moon. Devotees offer new flags, and the flag is replaced several times a day.
What are Swarga Dwar and Moksha Dwar?
They are the temple's two main gates. Pilgrims enter by Swarga Dwar (gate of heaven) and leave by Moksha Dwar (gate of liberation); steps on the Gomti side lead down to the creek.
Who manages Dwarkadhish Temple?
A temple committee chaired by the Collector of Devbhumi Dwarka district, with a Deputy Collector as administrator.
How do I reach Dwarkadhish Temple?
Dwarka railway station is about 2 km from the temple and the town is on NH 947. The nearest airports are Porbandar and Jamnagar.
Sources and attribution
- Shri Dwarkadhish Temple (dwarkadhish.org) — Jagat Mandir – Little History
- Shri Dwarkadhish Temple (dwarkadhish.org) — Dwaja Arohan
- Shri Dwarkadhish Temple (dwarkadhish.org) — Other Important Celebrations
- Shri Dwarkadhish Temple (dwarkadhish.org) — Members of the Committee
- District Administration, Devbhumi Dwarka (Government of Gujarat) — Dwarkadhish Temple
- Gujarat Tourism — Dwarkadhish Temple
- Incredible India (Ministry of Tourism, Government of India) — Dwarkadhish Temple
- Wikipedia — Dwarkadhish Temple
Further reading: Dwarkadhish Temple (Jagat Mandir), Dwarka on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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