Dvārakā, also known as Dvāravatī, is a sacred historic city in the sacred literature of Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. It is also alternatively spelled as Dvarika. The name Dvaraka is said to have been given to the place by Krishna, a major deity in Hinduism. Dvaraka is one of the Sapta Puri of Hinduism.
Dvaraka, modern Dwarka, is the setting for many chapters in Harivamsa. The city is described as near the sea, in modern-era Gujarat; a painting of the city in the 19th century (lower).
Image: Dwarka
Image: Sudama bows at the glimpse of Krishna's golden palace in Dwarka. ca 1775 1790 painting
Krishna is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is widely revered among Hindu divinities. Krishna's birthday is celebrated every year by Hindus on Krishna Janmashtami according to the lunisolar Hindu calendar, which falls in late August or early September of the Gregorian calendar.
Statue of Krishna at Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore
Vāsudeva-Krishna, on a coin of Agathocles of Bactria, c. 180 BCE. This is "the earliest unambiguous image" of the deity.
Heliodorus Pillar in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, erected about 120 BCE. The inscription states that Heliodorus is a Bhagvatena, and a couplet in the inscription closely paraphrases a Sanskrit verse from the Mahabharata.
Balarama and Krishna with their attributes at Chilas. The Kharoshthi inscription nearby reads Rama [kri]ṣa. 1st century CE.
![Balarama and Krishna with their attributes at Chilas. The Kharoshthi inscription nearby reads Rama [kri]ṣa. 1st century CE.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Rama_Krishna_at_Chilas.jpg/640px-Rama_Krishna_at_Chilas.jpg)