Dwarka the headquarters of Okhamandal taluka is in the extreme west of the Saurashtra peninsula on the Arabian Sea. It is a station on the Ahmedabad-Okha broad gauge railway line, about 137-km from Jamnagar, 217 km from Rajkot and 378 km from Ahmedabad

A state highway with Jamnagar and Okha also connects it. Nearest airport is Jamnagar. Dwarka lies on 20.22' north latitude and 69.05' east longitude and built on the night bank of Gamut creek. Dwarka was known as the city of Gold. Shree Krishna came here from Mathura along with some Yadav families and establishes his own empire Dwarka. That was the legend but science proved it partially. Scientists researched on that and have found some facts.

 Dwarka is derived from 'Dwar', a door, and in ancient times its flourishing port was considered to be the gateway to the main land. As 'Ka' means 'Brahma' meaning, gateway to Moksha. It is called Dwarkamati and Dwarkavati. Being adopted home and capital of Shri Krishna after he gave up Mathura. It is held in such a high esteem as a place of Hindu pilgrimage that it is considered to be one of the four principle holy places or chardham, it is also known as Mokshapuri.

'There are five jewels in Saurashtra, namely rivers, women, horses the fourth Somnath and fifth is the darshan of the idol of Hari or Shri Krishna'.

History - According to Hindu tradition still extant, the earliest known conqueror of Okhamandal was Shri Krishna, called also Ranchodji,

the eight incaranation of Vishnu, Who after his seventeenth battle with Jara Sangh, king of Magadh Desh, fled from Mathura, and eventually arrived with his army at Okhamandal which he subjected after a hard struggle with the Kalas. Shri Krishna established his capital at Dwarka on the bank of the Gomti Creek.

Krishna was succeeded by the great grandson of Vajranabh, who enjoys the saintly reputation of having built the present temple Dwarkanath, called also Trilok sundar, signifying 'the handsomest of the three world' Many Hindus religiously believe that the temple was erected in one night by supernatural agency, under Vajranabh's direction.

Certain it is that whole of western and south-western Saurashtra, now included in a Jamnagar and Junaghadh districts was colonized by the Yadavas, whose most important leader was Shri Krishna. The Yadavas ruled and when they perished in a family quarrel under the influence of drink, and after Shri Krishna's death Dwarka submerged under the sea. In this region the original in habitants are said to Kabas, Modas and Kalas, The Kabas and Modas now seem to be extinct but the present day Vaghers are said to have descended from the Kabas.

The Kalas re-conquered Okhamandal in the 2nd Century A.D next a Syrian Sukkur Belium conquered this region and during this time Dwarka submerged by the sea. He was driven out by another Syrian named Mehem Guduka. Again Kalas now know as Vaghers.

It was 13th century when the Rathods came and took advantage of the Herule-chavada quarrels. The few surviving chavadas and Herules were absorbed by the Vaghers. Veravalji, the Rathod now became the sole ruler of Okhamandal. During the periods of Bhimji, Mahmud Begada who was sultan of Gujarat, conquered Okhamandal destroying the temple at Dwarka. Later the Vaghers drove out the Muslim.

The history of Okhamandal upto 1800 seems to be uneventful but since this date, until their final extermination or submission the Vadhelas and Vaghers came up repetedly against to the British and the Gaikwads.

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Popular Myths

• Dwarka was considered as Capital at Shree Krishna hile Bet Dwarka as residence. Shree Krishna used to conduct his religious assembly at Dwarka.

• Gopi Lake is located 14kms. A way from Dwarka. Soil of Gopi talav is yellow in color while it is extremely smooth. There is myth that after leaving ' Vruj' , Krishna never gone back to 'Vruj'. During Krishna's Childhood, he played ras leelas many times with gopies (young female inhabitant of Vruj). They traveled from 'Vruj' to Dwarka, to meet Shree Krishna. They after playing Ras Leelas again with Shree Krishna, on night of 'Sharad Purnima', they offered their lives to soil of this land and hence this land has become popular as 'Gopi Talav'.

• Rukhmini Temple (Temple one of Shree Krishna's Patranis), is located 2 kms a away from Dwarka There is a myth associated with it once Krishna and Rukhmini went to 'Durvasha rushi' to invite him at Dwarka. He was agreed on the condition that they (Krishna & Rukhmini) have to carry the chariot instead of any animal. Krishna & Rukhmini happily agreed to do so. While driving the chariot, Rukhmini became thirsty. Then Krishna stopped the chariot and made water of Holy River Ganga. 'Durvasha' annoyed by the action and curse Rukhmini to stay away from Shree Krishna Hence Rukhmini temple is located 2 kms. Away from Dwarka's Jagat Mandir.

Airlift technique was adopted for digging within the caisson to dig trenches on the sides of structures. All drawings were prepared underwater.