Author:
Publication: Kerala Online
Date: December 4, 2005
URL: http://www.keralaonline.com/storydisplay.asp?folder=TVReviews&file=9_063.xml
In the early eighties an important archaeological
site was found in Bharat, at Dwaraka, the site of the legendary city of Lord
Krishna. Dwaraka was submerged by the sea right after the death of Lord Krishna.
This inscription refers to Dwaraka as the capital of the western coast of
Saurashtra and still more important, states that Sri Krishna lived here. The
discovery of the legendary city of Dwaraka which is said to have been founded
by Sri Krishna, is an important landmark in the history of Bharat. It has
set to rest the doubts expressed by historians about the historicity of Mahabharata
and the very existence of Dwaraka city. It has greatly narrowed the gap in
Indian history by establishing the continuity of the Indian civilization from
the Vedic Age to the present day.
The towering personality of Lord Krishna
Lord Krishna was born at midnight on Friday,
July 27, 3112 BCE as per the date and time calculated by astronomers on the
basis of the planetary positions on that day recorded by Sage Vyasa.
Krishna- the protector of Mathura, the lord
of Dwaraka and the reciter of the Bhagwad Gita on the battlefield of Kurukshetra
is one of the most enduring legends of Bharat. Are Krishna and Dwar-aka actual
historical entities? For a majority of Indians, the answer is an unequivocal
yes. Some archaeologists and historians too are now willing to accept that
the common man's faith does have a basis in fact.
Sri Krishna is a towering personality and
it is difficult to separate the human aspect of his life from the divine in
Krishna concept. He is a grand mystery and everyone has tried to understand
him in his own way, according to his spiritual light or vision. As a fighter
he was without rival, as a statesman most shrewd, as a social thinker very
liberal, as a teacher the most eloquent, as a friend never failing, and as
a householder the most ideal.
Dwaraka - the importance of heritage
Dwaraka has a special importance as one of
the major Hindu pilgrim place, known as the capital of Lord Krishna's Kingdom.
It was the land of the hunter Ekalavya. Dronacarya had also lived here. Krishna
decided to build a new city here and laid the foundation at an auspicious
moment. He named the new city Dwaravati. Much later the poet Magha in his
Sisupalavadha, sarga2, describes in slokas 31 onwards, the city of Dwaraka,
sloka 33 can be translated:
"The yellow glitter of the golden fort
of the city in the sea throwing yellow light all round looked as if the flames
of vadavagni came out tearing asunder the sea."
Before the legendary city of Dwaraka was discovered
some scholars were of the view that the Mahabharata being only a myth it would
be futile to look for the remains of Dwaraka and that too in the sea. Others
held that the Mahabharata battle was a family feud exaggerated into a war.
Excavations done by Dr. S. R. Rao (One of Bharat's most respected archaeologists)
at Dwaraka prove that the descriptions as found in these texts are not to
be discarded as fanciful but are to be treated as based on actualities as
seen by their authors. The architecture of the old Dwaraka of Shri Krishna
is majestic and wonderful.
Dwaraka on mainland which was one of the busiest
ports of the Mahabharata Period met a sudden end due to the fury of the sea.
After the Mahabharata War Krishna lived for 36 years at Dwaraka. At the end,
the Vrshnis, Bhojas and Satvatas destroyed themselves in a fratricidal feud
at Prabhasa but Krishna did not interfere to save them. The portends of destruction
seen by Sri Krishna who advised immediate evacuation of Dwarakaare stated
in Bhagavata Purana. Dwaraka abandoned by Hari (Krishna) was swallowed by
the sea. The submergence took place immediately after Sri Krishna departed
from the world.
Construction of Dwaraka
Interesting descriptions about its construction
are found in Puranas :
Fearing attack from Jarasangh and Kaalayvan
on Mathura, Shri Krishna and Yadavas left Mathura and arrived at the coast
of Saurashtra. They decided to build their capital in the coastal region and
invoke the Vishwakarma the deity of construction. However, Vishwakarma says
that the task can be completed only if Samudradev, the Lord of the sea provided
some land. Shri Krishna worshipped Samudradev, who was pleased and gave them
land measuring 12 yojans and the Lord vishwakarma build Dwaraka, a "city
in gold".
This beautiful city was also known as Dwaramati,
Dwarawati and Kushsthali. Another story says that at the time of the death
of Shri Krishna, who was hit by the arrow of a hunter near Somnath at Bhalka
Tirth, Dwaraka disappeared in the sea.
The information and material secured through
underwater excavation off Dwaraka corroborates with the references to the
City of Dwaraka, made in the Great Epic Mahabharata and various other Sanskrit
literary works. In Mahabharata, there is a specific account about the submerging
of Dwaraka, by the sea which reads thus:
"The sea, which had been beating against
the shores, suddenly broke the boundary that was imposed on it by nature.
The sea rushed into the city. It coursed through the streets of the beautiful
city. The sea covered up everything in the city. Even as they were all looking,
Arjuna saw the beautiful buildings becoming submerged one by one. Arjuna took
a last look at the mansion of Krishna. It was soon covered by the sea. In
a matter of a few moments it was all over. The sea had now become as placid
as a lake. There was no trace of the beautiful city which had been the favourite
haunt of all the Pandavas. Dwaraka was just a name; just a memory."
The importance of the discovery of Dwaraka
lies not merely in providing archaeological evidence needed for corroborating
the traditional account of the submergence of Dwaraka but also indirectly
fixing the date of the Mahabharata which is a landmark in Indian history.
Identical pottery is found in the submerged city of Dwaraka. Thus the results
have proved that the account in Mahabharata as to the existence of a beautiful
capital city of Dwaraka of Sri Krishna was not a mere figment of imagination
but it did exist. Mahabharata War took place on November 22, 3067 BCE and
the Bhagavad Gita was compiled around 500 BCE.
Excavations of the submerged city
Since 1983 the Marine Archaeology Unit of
the National Institute of Oceanography is engaged in the offshore exploration
and excavation of the legendary city of Dwaraka in the coastal waters of Dwaraka
in Gujarat. The strongest archaeological support comes from the structures
discovered under the sea-bed off the coast of Dwaraka in Gujarat by the pioneering
team led by Dr S.R. Rao, one of Bharat's most respected archaeologists. Dr.
Rao has excavated a large number of Harappan sites including the port city
of Lothal in Gujarat. For instance excavations in Bedsa (near Vidisha in Madhya
Pradesh) have unearthed the remains of a temple of 300 BC in which Krishna
(Vasudeva) and Balarama (Samkarshana) are identified from their flagstaff.
Krishna's son Pradyumna, grandson, Aniruddha and another Yadava hero, Satyaki,
have also been identified. A more recent historical record, dated 574 AD,
occurs in what are called the Palitana plates of Samanta Simhaditya. This
inscription ref ers to Dwaraka as the capital of the western coast of Saurashtra
and states that Krishna lived here. The foundation of boulders on which the
city's walls were erected proves that the land was reclaimed from the sea
about 3,600 years ago. The epic has references to such reclamation activity
at Dwaraka.
Dwaraka - world's first underwater heritage
museum
Old shipwrecks-like that of the Titanic-which
have been lying buried under the sea with their precious treasure along with
the submerged city of Dwarka off the Gujarat coast, for centuries, could soon
vie for the status of an underwater world cultural heritage site. Over 200
experts from 84 countries, who gathered under the aegis of UNESCO in Paris
recently to examine a draft convention on the issue, unanimously agreed that
underwater cultural heritage was in urgent need of protection from destruction
and pillaging. The submerged city of Dwarka is believed to be an important
site having both historical and cultural value for Bharat. Legend has it that
the remains-the wall of a city is clearly visible while the rest is yet to
be discovered-are in fact, that of the ancient city of Dwarka mentioned in
stories of Lord Krishna.
The proposed underwater museum at Dwaraka,
the first of its kind in the world, and a marine archaeology museum will throw
more light on the Indus Valley civilisation and enable researchers to peep
into the history of the lost city of the Mahabharata era.
The Marine Archaeology Centre and the National
Institute of Oceanography have jointly submitted a proposal with technical
details for the preservation of the site to the Gujarat government. As per
the proposal, marine acrylic tubes would be laid through which visitors could
pass and view the remains of the historic city from windows. Acrylic walls
could also be made which could be accessed by boats. Dwaraka, the submerged
city in the Arabian Sea, off the Gujarat coast, is well connected with the
other parts of the country.
The entire nation and even foreign countries
are anxiously waiting for the preservation of the submerged city, which is
not only of historical importance, but also of emotional interest since its
founder was Lord Krishna.
(Compiled)
