subject: From The Holy City Of Somnath To Dwaraka, The Sunken City [print this page] Situated along the western coast of Gujarat, Somnath or Patan Somnath is famous for one of the holiest pilgrimage spots for the Hindus, the Temple of Somnath. Somnath is located at the confluence of the three mythological rivers, Saraswati, Hiranya and Kapila. Somnath temple is famous as the site of one of the 12 Jyotirlingas that are sacred Shiva shrines in India.
The city of Somnath attracted many invaders who destroyed the city several times in search of its wealth. Somnath Temple is believed to have been built by the Moon God out of gold. Later it was built in silver by Ravana, in wood by Krishna and later by Raja Bhimdev in stone. It was in around 649 AD, when the Yadava kings of Vallabhi of Gujarat built the second temple on the same site. This temple was destroyed and rebuilt numerous times by various dynasties.
Dwarka is situated in the Jamnagar district of Gujarat. The city of Dwarka is considered one among the seven most ancient cities in India. According to Hindu mythology, this legendary city was home to Lord Krishna. It is also believed that the present day Dwarka is the seventh city to be built in the same area, the others having been submerged under the sea.
Dwarka is renowned for the Dwarkadheesh Temple or Jagat Temple. This five storied ornate temple has 60 ornate pillars. Dwarka is also the site of several famous pilgrim centres like the temple of Nageshwar Mahadev, Rukmini Temple, Bhalka Tirth and Gomati Ghat Temple. Samudra Narayana Temple is an ancient Hindu temple situated on the Sangam Gomati Ghats at the banks of the Gomati River and is a very sacred pilgrim destination.The distance between Somnath and Dwarka is 231 km.
Dwarka has neither a railway station nor an airport. The only option to reach from Somnath to Dwarka is by road. State operated bus service run ordinary to deluxe buses from Somnath to Dwaraka for a fare of about Rs 100. They take around 5 to 6 hours to reach from Somnath to Dwarka. The bus stand near Dwarka is located at a distance of 21 km in Mithapur. From here, a taxi can be hired to reach Dwarka. The roads from Somnath to Dwaraka are well laid.
Another option to travel from Somnath to Dwarka is to hire taxis. Both the A/C and non A/C taxis are available from Somnath to Dwarka at a cost ranging from Rs 4700 to Rs 7000, depending upon the type of the car hired. It takes around five hours to reach Dwarka from Somnath, by car. This mode of travel is less tiring and recommended while travelling with elders and kids.
