Did Krishna’s Dvaraka Really Exist?  

As per the Mahabharata, Sri Krishna founded the city of Dvaraka near an abandoned area called Kushasthali by getting its fort repaired. Dvaraka was on the seashore of modern-day Gujarat and was called so because it provided a dvara (gateway) to India for traders coming from West Asia via the Arabian Sea.

The city is described in the Mahabharata as exceptionally well laid-out and exceedingly prosperous. The glorious existence of Dvaraka came to an abrupt end after the Yadavas perished in internal quarrels and Sri Krishna left this world. As Arjuna was escorting the women, children and elders out of Dvaraka, he saw the Arabian Sea breach its barriers and rush into the city. The broad streets and towering buildings of Dvaraka were submerged underwater.

It has long been a matter of speculation as to where this submerged city is. Numerous excavations have been done over the years at the modern city of Dwarka and an island to the north of it called Bet Dwarka. The excavations were done by Deccan College, Pune, and the Archaeological Survey of India revealed remains of temples beneath present structures. It was also found that the temples were shifting over time from the sea towards the land. This meant that the sea has been encroaching upon land.

To find older structures, exploration was extended to areas currently underwater. Divers searched the seafloor off the coast of Bet Dwarka between depths of four to 12 metres. They found submerged stone building blocks like walls and pillars, and seals and earthen vessels. Three holed stone anchors were also found, indicating that it used to be a port city. The excavations have revealed the existence of seven older settlements beneath the present-day Dwarka.

The oldest city is believed to have existed in the 15th century BC. It was either submerged due to rising sea levels or washed away. The second settlement was around the 10th century BC while the third settlement was between the 1st Century BC and AD. The fifth settlement was made around the 9th century AD. This was destroyed by a tsunami-like storm wave. The sixth settlement was around the 12th century AD.

Records indicate a receding of sea level around 3,500 years ago. It is possible that during this period, Dvaraka may have been established on reclaimed land as mentioned in the Mahabharata and later submerged when sea levels rose again. Work is still going on for dating the materials found in excavations. If the estimated timelines are confirmed, it would tell us when the events of Mahabharata occurred and could also prove the existence of the city of Dvaraka as mentioned in the Mahabharata.