A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY FROM THE MAINLAND TO BET DWARKA -DISCOVERING DWARAKA

We began our journey with a road trip from Ahmedabad to Dwarka. The 9-hour drive was smooth and uneventful, thanks to the well-maintained, 4-lane national highways, and we made a quick stop at a local dhaba in Rajkot for some delicious food. We checked into our hotel, which luckily had a view of the Arabian Sea.

We spent the next day exploring this ancient land with its magnificent spiritual marvels.

We first started with the Sri Dwarkadhish Temple, widely known as the Jagat Mandir (Temple of the World). This architectural masterpiece stands proudly at the confluence of the holy Gomti River and the Arabian Sea. 

Revered as a premier Char Dham pilgrimage site and one of the seven ancient Moksha Puris, it marks the exact location where Lord Krishna's ancient royal palace, the Hari Griha, once stood.

Crafted from soft golden sandstone and granite, the main shrine magnificently rises five stories high and is supported by 72 intricately carved stone pillars. Its majestic tower (Shikhara) soars 167 feet into the coastal skyline and can be seen from quite far. 

To honour the flow of spiritual energy, we entered through the northern Moksha Dwar (Gate of Salvation) and exited down the Swarga Dwar (Gate of Heaven). The exit featured 56 steps leading directly to the vibrant waterfront of the Gomti Ghat.

Inside the innermost sanctum (Garbhagriha), we saw the stunning 2.25-foot deity of Lord Krishna carved from deep black stone, depicted in his majestic four-armed (Chaturbhuj) Vishnu form, holding a conch shell (Shankha), a disc (Chakra), a mace (Gadha), and a lotus flower. 

We were indeed fortunate to watch the changing of the grand, 52-yard flag, a unique ritual overseen by the local Guggali Brahmin community that happens 5 times a day. The flag features the sun and moon, symbolizing the eternal nature of Krishna's kingdom. 

The 52 yards represent the 56 ancient administrative bastions of the Yadava empire (minus the 4 main deities), as well as the 52 distinct entrances that led into Krishna’s prehistoric golden capital.

The gates open daily from 7:00 AM to 12:30 PM and 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The dress code is very strictly enforced; modest clothing covering shoulders and knees is mandatory, and no electronics (mobile phones, smartwatches) or leather items are allowed inside.

While the mainland served as Lord Krishna’s administrative capital, the peaceful island of Bet Dwarka, sitting 35 km away, was his private residence, scripturally known as Antardvipa (The Inner Island). 

To get there, one can choose a modern drive across the Sudarshan Setu—India’s longest cable-stayed bridge, stretching for 2.3 km and connecting Okha Port to the island.

However, we opted for a classic, romantic 15-to-20-minute public ferry boat ride from Okha Jetty to immerse ourselves in the authentic marine experience.

Once we got to the jetty, we found that we were completely at the mercy of Lord Srikrishna, as we were not provided with any safety gear; the only solace was the loudly screeching seagulls who escorted us.

Private cars are strictly banned past the main island parking lot, as the village paths are extremely narrow. From the boat jetty, we took a private auto for a round trip to visit the far-off temples like Hanuman Dandi.

I felt Bet Dwarka successfully blends the mystery of ancient, submerged archaeological history with deep spiritual romance. It’s a place that reminds us to slow down, appreciate the stories of the past, and enjoy the beautiful coastal views with our companions.

Walking through this 500-year-old rustic complex, I felt I had stepped back in time. This was the exact mythological site where Krishna’s childhood friend, Sudama, arrived with a humble Bhet (gift) of puffed rice (poha). Devotees traditionally buy and offer rice here to honor their beautiful bond.

Bhet Dwarkadhish Temple was undergoing renovation when we visited it; the inner sanctum housed a breathtaking dark stone idol of Dwarkadhish, which local lore says was hand-carved by Krishna’s first queen, Rukmini Devi. 

The idol is lovingly treated like a living king, with its garments and heavy jewelry changing multiple times a day. Like the main temple, all electronics and leather items are strictly banned. The temple closes for a midday rest between 1:00 PM and 4:30 PM.

We took the opportunity to visit several other unique, historical, and deeply spiritual sites just a short distance from the main island shrine.

Shree Golden Dwarka Dham (Sone ki Dwarka) is located a 200-meter walk from the main Bet Dwarka shrine and features immersive glass-and-mirror rooms. 

Unlike the active temples, photography is fully allowed here, making it a wonderful place to capture memories of the vibrant dioramas and sculptures depicting Lord Krishna’s childhood miracles and the opulence of his legendary golden city. We get swept away by the scenes before us as we have grown up listening to tales of Srikrishna.

Next, we visited the Makaradhwaja Hanuman Temple (Hanuman Dandi) situated roughly 5 km east of the main island temple, at the extreme beachfront tip.

This peaceful sanctuary is celebrated as the only temple in India where devotees worship Lord Hanuman alongside his son, Makardhwaj. 

We noticed both father and son depicted in a relaxed, joyous, and completely unarmed stance, with a heavy staff (dandi) between them, reflecting their legendary first meeting. 

Inside the temple premises, we saw a revered relic: the floating Ram Setu stone—a porous stone that defies gravity and floats on water. While science attributes this to volcanic pumice or porous coral limestones that trap tiny air pockets, for us, seeing it firsthand felt undeniably magical.

Next we visited Bhagwan Sri Chandra Mandir (Sri Chaurasi Dhuna Siddha Peeth), a historical site managed by Udasin ascetics and holding immense spiritual weight. 

It marks the location where the Sanakadic sages originally established 84 sacred fire hearths (dhunas) for rigorous meditation, which were lost over time.

Later, they were rediscovered and rekindled by Bhagwan Sri Chandra. The temple proudly maintains the continuous, ancient tradition of the Akhand Dhuni, as was evident from the dhuni we saw there.

Ashapura Mata Mandir was located just beside the Sri Chaurasi Dhuna complex; this modest but deeply serene temple is dedicated to the "Goddess of Fulfilment" (an incarnation of Goddess Durga).

Exhausted, we sat quietly near the edge of the sea, which offered the perfect, peaceful setting to conclude our spiritual exploration before heading back to the mainland for the spectacular sunset aarti at Gomti Ghat. Right next to it is the Sudhama Sethu, the bridge connecting the two banks of the Gomti River. 

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the ghat steps lit up with floating oil lamps for the spectacular Sandhya Aarti. The air was thick with devotion and music, and the salty sea breeze stirred lazily.

STONES, SPIRES, AND SOUL: OUR EPIC HERITAGE DAY IN AHMEDABAD

This was our second day in Ahmedabad, a city home to some of India’s most remarkable Indo-Islamic heritage mosques. Built during the 15th and 16th centuries under the Gujarat Sultanate, these structures beautifully blend Islamic structural geometry with exquisite Hindu and Jain craftsmanship.

We started at the Shahi Jama Masjid, built in 1424 by Sultan Ahmed Shah I. As one of India's grandest congregational mosques, it rests on 260 intricately carved pillars supporting 15 spectacular domes with internal lotus-flower motifs. 

Its massive and serene marble courtyard offers a quiet sanctuary in the middle of the chaotic Manek Chowk bazaar.

Next, we passed by the Sidi Saiyad Masjid, commissioned in 1573 by a Habshi nobleman of African descent during the Sultanate–Mughal transition. It is globally famous for the "Tree of Life" jali—a 16-foot stone lattice window carved with spider-web precision that serves as the official symbol of Ahmedabad. Uniquely, it lacks a traditional central dome, relying instead on a flat system of interior stone arches.

Heading right next to the Kalupur Metro Station, we checked out the Jhulta Minar, one of the most compelling architectural mysteries in India. These towers are remnants of the 15th-century Sidi Bashir Mosque.

Built in a beautiful Indo-Islamic style blended with Rajputana architectural elements, the surviving monument consists of two 70-foot-tall, three-story sandstone minarets flanking a central gateway.

What makes them mind-boggling is their sympathetic resonance: if we apply a gentle force to the upper arch of one minaret, it sways, and within seconds, the opposite minaret begins to shake in perfect tandem.

Meanwhile, the connecting central stone archway remains completely motionless. However, to keep the structure from collapsing, authorities have discontinued public demonstrations and banned climbing the internal spiral staircases.

Next, we headed 18 km north on the Gandhinagar highway to Adalaj Stepwell, a five-story-deep underground sandstone masterpiece built in 1499. 

Classified as a "Jaya Vav" (a three-faced stepwell) because it has three entrances that meet at a central platform, its history is a mix of medieval engineering, tragic romance, and cultural fusion.

Its construction was started in 1498 by the Hindu ruler Rana Veer Singh of the Vaghela dynasty to solve severe water shortage. However, he was killed in battle by Sultan Mahmud Begada of Gujarat.

The Sultan fell in love with Veer Singh’s beautiful widow, Queen Rudabai, and proposed marriage. She agreed on one condition—that the Sultan complete the stepwell.

Begada built the structure in record time, blending Islamic features with the original design. Upon its completion in 1499, Queen Rudabai came to inspect the work and, choosing dignity over dishonour, jumped into the well, ending her life. Touched by her supreme devotion, the heartbroken Sultan left the monument intact without destroying its Hindu carvings.

The design features massive open octagonal shafts that let in light but restrict direct sunshine except at noon, keeping the lower tiers at a cool 5°C to 6°C below the surface ground level. 

As we walked down from the blistering surface heat, it felt like we were stepping into air-conditioned rooms. 

We admired sacred symbols like the Ami Khumbor (pot of the water of life) and the Kalpavriksha (tree of life), alongside bands of meticulously carved, 3-inch-high elephants. My husband spent ten minutes trying to find two elephants with the same design, but to his disappointment, they were all completely distinct!

Our next destination was one of India's most revered national monuments, the Sabarmati Ashram (also known as Satyagraha Ashram). There was no entry ticket, and as we entered the premises and saw the Sabarmati River and its banks, we could immediately feel the peace in the surroundings. 

The Ashram served as the primary home and headquarters of Mahatma Gandhi and his wife, Kasturba, from 1917 till 1930 and was the nerve centre of the Indian independence movement.

Gandhiji felt the 36-acre riverfront plot was ideal because it sat directly between a prison and a graveyard, reminding his satyagrahis where their struggle for truth would likely lead them. 

On March 12, 1930, Gandhiji marched out of this ashram with 78 companions on the historic Dandi Salt March, taking a sacred vow never to return until India achieved complete independence. Sadly, he never lived here again.

The architecture beautifully mirrors Gandhiji’s philosophy of minimalism, self-sufficiency, and indigenous materials

Hriday Kunj is the most historic cottage on campus and the actual living quarters of Gandhi and Kasturba, where we viewed Gandhi's writing desk, his personal spinning wheel (charkha), and original letters.

Upasana Mandir is an open-air, tiered prayer ground overlooking the river for morning and evening spiritual discourse.

Vinoba –Mira Kutir – a very modest cottage named after prominent disciples Acharya Vinoba Bhave and Mirabehn.

Nandini is the dedicated guest house that once hosted national leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Rabindranath Tagore.

We next went to Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya, the museum, which was designed by legendary architect Charles Correa. Opened in 1963, simple 20' x 20' modular brick units, unvarnished wood, and terracotta roof tiles were used to mimic the casual, winding layout of an Indian village.

It houses over 34,000 original letters and 8,600 manuscripts and is open every day of the year from 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM.

After a vegetarian lunch, we visited the Hutheesing Jain Temple, one of Ahmedabad's most stunning architectural and spiritual landmarks. Built entirely of white marble in 1848, this sacred Śvētāmbara Jain temple seamlessly blends traditional Maru-Gurjara temple architecture with Gujarati haveli design elements.

It stands as a monument to compassion, as it was constructed by the wealthy merchant family of Seth Hutheesing Kesrisinh as a humanitarian famine-relief project to provide employment for hundreds of artisans.

A magnificent, 78-foot-tall tower of honour stands at the entrance, inspired by Chittor's Kirti Stambha with subtle Mughal minaret styling. The entire double-storied structure features exceptionally dense stone carvings on its pillars, brackets, and windows. 

The outer courtyard is bordered by a massive cloister containing 52 smaller shrines (Bavan Jinalay), housing a total of 238 stone deity images. 

We wrapped up our epic heritage day at the grand BAPS Swaminarayana Temple in Shahibaug. Consecrated originally in 1952 by Yogiji Maharaj, this massive, hyper-disciplined spiritual complex doubles as the main head office for BAPS operations.

It was evening by the time we reached, and the architecture was an absolute showstopper—a breathtaking, pure white structure adorned with incredibly intricate stone carvings, towering grand domes, and beautifully manicured gardens. Inside, the lifelike murtis of Shri Ghanshyam Maharaj and Harikrishna Maharaj are dressed daily in unique, highly elaborate attire. 

We were so mesmerised by the absolute discipline, the pristine marble layout highlighted by multiple lights, and the peaceful vibes that we forgot to check our phones for a full hour except to take snaps—a certified spiritual miracle!

The complex includes secure on-site parking and a wonderfully clean dining hall serving pure vegetarian, Sathvik food. After a long day of walking, sitting down to a peaceful meal here felt like absolute heaven.

Ahmedabad’s heritage is mind-blowing, and the craftsmanship is unbelievable. Packing plenty of water and wearing easy-to-slip-off shoes definitely saved the day!