Location : Dwarka, Gujarat.
Also Known As: Jagat Mandir.
Dedicated To: Lord Krishna.
Major Festivity: During Janmashtami In August.
The temple of Jagat Mandir, with the presiding
deity of Shri Krishna known as Dwarkadhish, is an imposing
edifice and a superb architectural monument. Having a
plinth area of 1800 square feet, the temple consists of
a shrine that is supported by 60 pillars of granite and
sandstone.
The seven-storey edifice gradually rises to a height of
170 feet. The spire is unique for the view it presents
and the experience it induces. Beautifully sculpted sandstone
wall enthralls the visitors and the ambulating devotees.
On the west side of the temple is the seat
of Adi Shankaracharya, the great master of Hindu faith
who visited the temple in the seventh century. For the
scholars, a wall poster depicting the family tree tracing
the lineage to Lord Krishna offers an interesting insight
into the great Indian epic of Mahabharat.
An interesting legend surrounds the idol installed at
this temple. It is said that, taking pity on his old devotee
Badana, who used to traverse the long distance from Dakor
to Dwarka, God in the form of an idol went with him to
Dakor. This enraged the priests at Dwarka, who chased
Badana to retrieve the idol. Badana persuaded the priests
to leave the deity in return of gold, where upon the priests
agreed to withdraw. By a miracle, the idol became as light
as the nose-ring, which was all that the poor widow could
offer
But the Lord didnot want to disappoint the priests. He
therefore granted them a boon that they will find a replica
in Dwarka on a particular day. Unable to resist their
curiosity, the priests excavated at the suggested site
a little too early, and found yet to grow idol, which
is now enshrined at Dwarka.
HISTORICAL EVIDENCE
The present shrine is not likely to be older than the
Mughal period. The inscriptions on the pillars and other
places do not appear to be older than the 15th century
AD. There must have been an older shrine, which was
probably destroyed by Mohmud Begada in 1473 AD. The
present temple was probably constructed during the period
of the great Mughal Emperor, Akbar.
