Bet Dwarka - The Residence of Lord Krishna During his Ruling Years at Dwarka.

 

Bet Dwarka is an extremely sacred Hindu pilgrimage destination which is believed to have been the original home of Lord Krishna during his years spent in Dwarka as a king. Bet Dwarka, also known as Shankhodhar. It is an island around 30 km from the present-day city of Dwarka and is technically in the Gulf of Kutch. The island is just 2 km wide and 8 km long. It derived its name from the word "Bet" which translates to "gift" and is believed that Lord Krishna received it from his friend Sudama. Bet Dwarka is considered to be part of the ancient city of Dvārakā. In Indian epic literature such as the Mahabharata and the Skanda Purana, this city is the abode of Krishna. Dhwarkadhish Temple and Shri Keshavraiji Temple are major temples of Krishna on the island. Additional pilgrimage places include Hanuman Dandi, Vaishnav Mahaprabhu Bethak, and a gurdwara. The small temple of Abhaya Mata is situated on the southwest side of the island.

 

 

Besides the Bet Dwarka underwater city, there are numerous shipwrecks around the island that seem to point to trade relations with the Romans. Clearly, Bet Dwarka was much more back then than it is now. The island is made of sandstone and is surrounded by several sand beaches. On the eastern side is a thin peninsula known as Dunny Point. Bet Dwarka is the first place in Gujarat developed for ecotourism, and temporary camps are set up for tourism during the summer. The island of Bet Dwarka is a place where a lot of conch shells are found and that is why it is called as Shankhodhar.

 

Summers are quite harsh in this region while monsoons do make the sea stormy. It is best to visit Bet Dwarka between October to March. And and during Janmashtami which is celebrated with great fervour. This is recommended for those wanting to do scuba diving as the visibility underwater is really good.

 

Bet Dwarka is an island situated some distance away from the main Dwarka town, which is called Krishnanagari or the land of Krishna. You are required to travel from Dwarka to Okha by road for about an hour. Once you reach Okha, you need to take a ferry to Bet Dwarka island. It is a minimal charge of INR 20 per head to get from Dwarka to Bet Dwarka by boat. There is a ticket counter at Okha jetty that issues tickets. The ride is quite a pleasant one with tons of seagulls keeping you company all the way from your start to the final destination. The Bet Dwarka ferries are available from 6 am to 7 pm. These depart every 10 minutes from either of the two places – Okha to Bet Dwarka and back. You might have to wait for the boats to fill up – which generally is not a big issue. There is a bridge being built between Okha and Bet Dwarka. This should be completed shortly, making the access to the island better.