Dwarkadhish Temple, Dwarka
The Jagat Mandir of Krishna as Dwarkadhish, King of Dwarka, one of the four Char Dham sites, on the Gomti in Devbhumi Dwarka district. The temple's own time table opens the day with Mangla Arti at 6:30 AM and closes the temple at 9:30 PM, but the sanctum shuts for a few minutes at every bhog, and from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM the temple is closed for Anosar. The Devasthan committee has asked visitors to dress in a way that maintains the dignity of the temple, and shorts are not allowed.
Photo: Kunalmehra7, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped and resized
Dwarkadhish timings in short
Two sessions a day, each broken into short open slots between bhogs, with the temple fully closed for Anosar through the afternoon.
History of the Dwarkadhish Temple
The temple's own history places a first monument here around 400 BCE, built by Vajranabha, Krishna's great-grandson, in memory of his forefather. It lists a renovation recorded in Brahmi script around 100 BCE, evidence of Krishna worship in the reign of Rudradaman around 200 CE, a renovation by Shankaracharya around 800 CE and another by Minaldevi in 1120.
Wikipedia records the temple being destroyed by Mahmud Begada in 1473, and the present image being installed in 1559 by Aniruddhashrama Shankaracharya, with the present architecture dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. The temple's own history adds that in 1861 Maharaja Khanderao and British forces repaired the damaged summit, and that an attempt by the Pakistani navy to destroy the temple in 1965 failed.
- Status
- Char Dham and Sapta Puri
- Spire
- 78 metres, five storeys
- Pillars
- 72
- Flag
- 52 yards of cloth
- Steps to the Gomti
- 56, from Swarga Dwar
- Style
- Maru-Gurjara, limestone and sandstone
Why Dwarkadhish matters to Hindus
Dwarka is held to be the city Krishna ruled as king, and the temple worships him as Dwarkadhish, its king. It is one of the four Char Dham sites, one of the seven Sapta Puri, and the 98th Divya Desam of Vishnu.
The dhwaja on the spire is part of the worship: the official site describes a flag of 52 yards of cloth with 52 small flags around the border, and Wikipedia states it depicts the sun and moon and is changed four times a day.
More facts about Dwarkadhish
- Deity
- Krishna, as Dwarkadhish
- Status
- One of the four Char Dham sites, and one of the seven Sapta Puri
- Where
- Dwarka, Devbhumi Dwarka district, Gujarat
- Structure
- Five storeys on 72 pillars, in limestone and sandstone
- Spire
- 78 metres
- Style
- Maru-Gurjara
- Also known as
- Jagat Mandir, Jagad Mandir, Dwarkadhish Mandir, Dwarkadheesh Temple, Dwarka Temple, Dwarkadhish Dwarka
Entry rules at Dwarkadhish
The official site publishes few rules beyond its time table. These are the ones that are published.
Dress
Clothes suitable to Indian culture; shorts are not permitted in the premises.
Timings
May change on special days and festivals; the temple asks visitors to verify first.
Donations
The official site takes online donations, which it states are exempt under section 80G.
Dhwaja
Flag offerings are arranged through the Shree Guggali 505 Brahmin Gnati at Prembhikshuji Road, Dwarka.
Dwarkadhish dress code
The Devasthan committee that runs the Jagat Mandir issued a dress reminder in July 2023 and put up banners in Gujarati, English and Hindi. It is short and to the point.
- Wear clothes suitable to Indian culture, or clothes that maintain the dignity of the Jagat Mandir.
- Shorts are not permitted within the temple premises.
How to reach Dwarkadhish Temple
By air
Jamnagar airport is about 110 km from the temple.
By train
Dwarka railway station is about 2 km from the temple.
By road
Highway NH-947 connects Dwarka to the Gujarat road network.
Best time to visit Dwarkadhish
Krishna Janmashtami is the temple's biggest festival and its busiest time, and the temple warns that its time table may change on festival days. For an ordinary visit, choose a day away from Janmashtami.
Within the day, the time table decides. The evening darshan from 17:45 to 19:15 is the longest unbroken slot and leads into Sandhya Arti at 19:30. Mornings are split into shorter slots between bhogs, and the temple is closed from 13:00 to 17:00.
Tips before you go
- Do not plan to arrive between 13:00 and 17:00; the temple is closed for Anosar.
- Avoid shorts and wear clothes suited to Indian culture.
- If you arrive at 08:00, expect to wait an hour for the Abhishek to finish.
- Leave by Swarga Dwar and take the 56 steps down to the Gomti ghats.
- Allow time for Nageshwar Jyotirlinga and Bet Dwarka, on the temple's own list of nearby sites.
Not verified yet 5 items no official source publishes
- Whether phones and cameras are allowed inside. The official site publishes no rule on the pages read here.
- The cost and waiting time of a dhwaja offering, which the official page does not state.
- Festival timings for Janmashtami, when the temple says its schedule may change.
- Whether entry is restricted by religion. Nothing on the official pages read here says so.
- Wheelchair access, given the 56 steps on the Swarga Dwar side down to the Gomti.
Know one of these from an official notice? Send it to us and the page is updated with a new date.
Questions about visiting
Answered from what the temple publishes, with the gaps left as gaps.
What are the Dwarkadhish Temple timings?
The official time table starts with Mangla Arti at 6:30 AM and runs short darshan slots until 12:30 PM. The temple is closed for Anosar from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, reopens with Uthappan at 5:00 PM and closes at 9:30 PM.
Is there a dress code at Dwarkadhish Temple?
Yes. The Devasthan committee has asked visitors to wear clothes suited to Indian culture or that maintain the dignity of the Jagat Mandir, and shorts are not permitted in the premises. Banners with the rule are displayed in Gujarati, English and Hindi.
Is there an entry fee?
The official site publishes no entry fee on the pages read here. Its paid services are donations and puja arrangements.
Why is the temple called Jagat Mandir?
Jagat Mandir, the universal temple, is the name the official site uses for the main shrine of Dwarkadhish in Dwarka.
How many times is the flag changed?
Wikipedia states the flag is changed four times a day. The official dhwaja page describes a flag of 52 yards of cloth with 52 small flags around its border, arranged through the Shree Guggali 505 Brahmin Gnati.
Is Dwarkadhish one of the Char Dham?
Yes. It is one of the four Char Dham sites, with Badrinath, Puri and Rameswaram, and Dwarka is one of the seven holy cities, the Sapta Puri.
What are Moksha Dwar and Swarga Dwar?
The temple's two entrances: Moksha Dwara on the north, and Swarga Dwara on the south, from which 56 steps lead down to the ghats of the Gomti.
How old is the Dwarkadhish Temple?
The official site traces a first monument to Vajranabha around 400 BCE and lists renovations from the Brahmi inscription of about 100 BCE onward. Wikipedia dates the present architecture to the 15th and 16th centuries.
How do I reach Dwarka?
Jamnagar airport is about 110 km away, Dwarka railway station is about 2 km from the temple, and NH-947 links the town to the rest of Gujarat.
What else should I see around Dwarka?
The official site lists Nageshwar Jyotirlinga, Gopi Talav and Bet Dwarka on the surrounding tour, and the Rukmani Mandir and Gomti Ghat within the town.
Can I take my phone inside?
The official site publishes no phone rule on the pages read here, so this has not been verified. Check at the gate rather than assuming either way.
Can I rely on these timings on the day?
They are the temple's standing time table, which the temple itself says may change on special days and festivals. Check the official site before a long journey, especially around Janmashtami.
Need the timings in full?
The timings page carries the whole published schedule, block by block, and what to check before you travel.