Nearly twenty years after the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) conducted excavations in Dwarka, a group from the ASI’s Underwater Archaeology Wing (UAW) has plunged into the waters off the Gujarat coastline, seeking to uncover the secrets of a 4,000-year-old urban settlement. This forms a component of the ASI’s goal to investigate and safeguard India’s abundant underwater cultural legacy.
The sunken historical city of Dwarka, a topic of both curiosity and enigma, is considered Krishna’s karmabhoomi or ‘land of action’ in Hindu mythology.
The initiation of exploration at Dwarka and Bet Dwarka (an isle near Okha) occurs twenty years after the previous excavations took place from 2005 to 2007.
ALSO READ: Manipur Governor Calls for Surrender of Illegal Arms to Restore Peace
This pioneering underwater investigation, directed by the ASI’s Underwater Archaeology Wing, signifies the revival of the wing’s efforts to uncover the secrets of the material artifacts from the submerged city, which is thought to date back about 4,000 years.
A group of five ASI archaeologists, headed by Additional Director-General (Archaeology) Professor Alok Tripathi, commenced underwater investigations near Dwarka’s coast, as announced in a press release by the Ministry of Culture on Tuesday.
The team headed by Tripathi, which includes a notable contingent of women archaeologists such as Aparajita Sharma, Poonam Vind, and Rajkumari Barbina for the first time, has chosen a site near Gomati Creek for preliminary research.
The Underwater Archaeology Wing (UAW) of the ASI has led marine archaeological research in India since the 1980s, revitalizing offshore surveys and studies in Dwarka and Bet Dwarka.
Since its formation, the UAW has investigated and examined numerous archaeological and ecological locations throughout India, such as Bangaram Island in Lakshadweep, Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu, Dwarka in Gujarat, Loktak Lake in Manipur, and Elephanta Island near Mumbai in Maharashtra.
The final offshore and onshore excavations at Dwarka by the ASI’s UAW occurred from 2005 to 2007.
ALSO READ: Mohd Shami becomes quickest Indian to take 200 ODI wickets
The Legend Of Dwarka
Dwarka, one of the Sapt Puris in Hinduism, is said to have been brought back from the sea by Lord Krishna after his relocation from Mathura to Gujarat. As per legends, the city sank into the Arabian Sea when Krishna left, marking the beginning of the Kali Yuga.
PM Narendra Modi emphasized Dwarka’s association with spirituality during his visit to the Dwarkadhish Temple in February 2024. He posted pictures of himself submerged, dressed in diving equipment, as he investigated and prayed in the famed “lost city” of Lord Krishna.
