ગુજરાતી
English
Dwarka was submerged due to rising sea level
2024
It is believed that the ancient city of Dwarka was submerged in the Arabian Sea. Many stones are seen arranged. The large boulders found here indicate that there was an ancient port here. There is no doubt about it.
Dr. Rajiv Nigam, former Chief Scientist of CSIR-NIO, has collected data on how the sea level has changed over 50,000 years. 15000 thousand years ago the sea level was 100 meters lower than now.
The sea level rose again slightly and 7000 years ago it was higher than now. Then 3500 years ago it came down again and the city of Dwarka was established around the same period. But then the sea level started rising again and the city started sinking in it.
A team of underwater archaeologists has worked to prove that Dwarka was an ancient city by finding the foundation of the city’s fort wall.
If evidence is found as to where the ancient city was actually located, it will be historically valuable information for India.
Dwarka is one of the seven sacred pilgrimage sites of India, which has not only religious but also archaeological importance. Dwarka is described as the capital of Krishna in the Mahabharata and is said to be spread over 85 square km.
The capital was located within a huge fort on the banks of the Gomti River, where the river meets the sea. According to the scriptures, after Krishna’s death, the city of Dwarka was submerged in the waters of the sea.
In the latter half of the last century, archaeologists began trying to find the remains of the Dwarka river submerged in the sea. Excavations and marine exploration were carried out in the area around where Dwarka is now located, to prove the existence of ancient Dwarka.
Divers have extracted the remains of many stones and pillars from the bottom. How old it would be is still debated. Archaeologists are now planning to excavate the seabed to find the foundation of the fort wall.
This is the only Dham existing in the present era, which is described in the Mahabharata.
When Lord Krishna left Dwarkadham for his Dham, the sea water again filled the entire city here.
Shri Krishna has said in the Mahabharata that Dwarka is located on the land obtained by the Puranas in the sea.
However, Dwarka drowned in it after the sea level rose.
Dr. Alok Tripathi, Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India, is an underwater archaeologist who is searching for the location of a submerged archaeological site.
It is believed that Dwarka drowned in the sea water after Krishna’s death.
Lord Krishna lived in Karmabhoomi for 100 years. Dwarkapuri was a fortified city spread over 84 square kilometers. She lived on the banks of the Gomti River. Gomti comes here and meets the Arabian Sea and merges.
In the latter half of the last century, archaeologists tried to find the remains of this city, so that the historicity of this city could be proved beyond doubt. The first excavation was carried out in the 1960s by the Deccan College, Pune.
Another excavation was carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India in 1979, in which remains of several ships were found. This was in B.C. It is believed to be 2000 years old. Excavations and discoveries continued in and around Dwarka and in the process many archaeological remains were found.
Very fine painted pottery has been found. Polychrome objects are found, in which many colours are used. Bichromes have also been found, which have black colour on the red surface.
More than 500 fossils have been found. Carbon dating of the objects thus obtained proves how the culture here must have developed in stages, the pottery found dates back to 2000 years B.C. Stone objects have also been found under the sea. However, no pottery etc. was found with it, because the sea current in that part has been very strong.
Dr. Rajeev Nigam, former chief scientist of CSIR-NIO (National Institute of Oceanography), says, “Excavation was started near where the present Dwarkadhish temple is located to search for submerged Dwarka.”
Excavation was done at several places in the temple square. This shows that as the sea level was rising, the temple is gradually moving towards the land.
Archaeologist Dr. S. R. Rao came up with the idea of surveying the water a little off the coast to find the remains of the submerged city.
In 2007, large-scale underwater exploration was done.
Here one finds the places mentioned in the scriptures. This small stream meets the sea here, it is known as Gomti river. Dwarka Nagari is located here (on the banks of the river).
An area of 200 by 200 meters was selected and excavation was started as per the scientific method in archaeology. It found an area of 50 meters, in which more fossils were found. They were of large size and well preserved.
About 10 meters of sediment was found here, which was washed away due to rising sea level. Hydrographic survey was also done in two sea bays in the sea and up to one nautical mile from the coast. Its hydrographic sheets were also prepared. There were indications that the flow of the river has changed.
Grids were also laid on the sea floor and the grids were given numbers. So investigation started one by one according to each grid number. Dive down and realize that plants are growing on the remains. As soon as it is removed, the shape of the remains inside becomes visible.
Sea Many remains of ancient Dwarka have been found on the sea floor. Carved stones, pillars have been found and what appears to be a canal for irrigation.
However, there is still debate over how old these fossils actually are, and now archaeologists are planning to excavate the sea floor. So that the foundation of the ancient fort wall can be found. (Google translation from Gujarati, courtesy BBC Gujarati)
