Dwarka (Gujarat): Prime Minister Narendra Modi dived into deep waters off the coast of Gujarat to pray at the ancient city of Dwarka, which is submerged under water. Describing the experience as "divine," he expressed a sense of connection to a historic era of spiritual magnificence.

According to Hindu belief, Dwarka was ruled by Lord Krishna and was eventually engulfed by the sea after he departed from Earth.

Modi also offered prayers at the Dwarkadhish temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. The temple is located in modern Dwarka, a town and municipality of Devbhumi Dwarka district in Gujarat.

"To pray in the city of Dwarka, which is immersed in the waters, was a very divine experience. I felt connected to an ancient era of spiritual grandeur and timeless devotion. May Bhagwan Shri Krishna bless us all," Prime Minister wrote on X.

PM Modi shared pictures of himself underwater, equipped with scuba gear, as he explored the submerged "lost city" of Lord Krishna.

"Today, I experienced those moments with will stay with me forever... I went deep in the sea and did 'Darshan' of the ancient Dwarka city. Archeologists have written a lot about the Dwarka city hidden underwater. In our scriptures also, it is said about Dwarka that it was a city with beautiful gates and tall buildings, as tall as the top of the world. Lord Krishna himself constructed this city," PM Modi said as he addressed a rally after the Dwarka Darshan.

"When I went deep in the sea, I experienced the divinity... I bowed down in front of Dwarkadhish. I took a peacock feather with me and placed it at Lord Krishna's feet. I had always been curious to go there and touch the remains of the ancient Dwarka city. I am full of emotions today... A decades-old dream was completed today," he added.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Modi unveiled the Sudarshan Setu, a four-lane cable-stayed bridge linking Okha to Beyt Dwarka island, home to the revered Lord Sri Krishna temple.

Previously, the Gujarat government had announced plans to launch a submarine service in Dwarka to enable devotees to explore the remnants of the ancient city.

Significance of Dwarka

It is located on the western shore of the Okhamandal Peninsula on the right bank of the Gomti River at the mouth of the Gulf of Kutch facing the Arabian Sea.

Image Credit: wikipedia.org

Dwarka has the Dwarkadhish Temple dedicated to Lord Krishna, which is one of four sacred Hindu pilgrimage sites called the Chardham, which was founded by Adi Shankaracharya (686–717 CE) at the four corners of the country, was established as a monastic center and it forms part of the Dwarka temple complex.

Dwarka is also one of the seven-most-ancient religious cities (Sapta Puri) in India.

Dwarka is part of the "Krishna pilgrimage circuit" which includes Vrindavan, Mathura, Barsana, Gokul, Govardhan, Kurukshetra and Puri. It's one of 12 heritage cities across the country selected under the Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) scheme of the Government of India to develop civic infrastructure.