Dwarkadhish Temple (Jagat Mandir) stands in Dwarka, Gujarat, is dedicated to Lord Krishna, worshipped as Dwarkadhish (the King of Dwarka). It is also known as Jagat Mandir, Dwarkadheesh Temple.
One of the four Char Dham established by Adi Shankaracharya and one of the Sapta Puri (seven ancient holy cities). The flag atop the temple is ceremonially changed three times a day, a centuries-old tradition, with the flag bearing symbols of the sun and moon. It is also one of the 108 Divya Desams, the Vishnu temples glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, worshipped here as Dwarakadheesha alongside Rukmini. According to tradition Krishna established his kingdom at Dwarka after leaving Mathura, and the temple is said to have originally been built by his great-grandson Vajranabh over Krishna's residential palace (Harigriha).
Gujarat carries a distinct temple identity of its own: Gujarat's sacred coast and hills hold the first Jyotirlinga at Somnath, Krishna's kingdom at Dwarka, a Shakti Peeth at Ambaji and the temple-crowned heights of Girnar.
Darshan hours and daily worship
| Session | Timing (as published) |
|---|---|
| Morning | 6:30 AM - 1:00 PM |
| Evening | 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM |
Confirmed directly on the temple's own official website (dwarkadhish.org/jagad-mandir/time-table/), which publishes a full minute-level darshan timetable. Morning: Mangla Arti 6:30 AM, Mangla Darshan 7:00-8:00 AM, Abhishek Pooja/Snan Vidhi 8:00-9:00 AM (darshan closed), Shringar Darshan 9:00-10:15 AM (with a brief Snanbhog closure), Shringar Arti 10:30-10:45 AM, general darshan continues with a Gwal Bhog closure around 11:05-11:20 AM, then darshan until Rajbhog closure at 12:00-12:20 PM, brief darshan again until Anosar (midday closure) at 1:00 PM. Evening: temple reopens with Uthappan at 5:00 PM, darshan continues (with a short Uthappan Bhog closure) until Sandhya Bhog closure 7:15-7:30 PM, Sandhya Arti 7:30-7:45 PM, more darshan with a Shayanbhog closure, Shayan Arti 8:30-8:35 PM, final darshan until Bantabhog and Shayan closure 9:00-9:20 PM, last darshan 9:20-9:30 PM, temple closes 9:30 PM. Site notes timings may change on festival days.
Poojas and daily rituals
Mangal Aarti (6:30 AM), Mangal Darshan, Sringar Darshan and Sringar Aarti (10:30 AM), Sandhya Aarti (7:30 PM) and Shayan Aarti (8:30 PM); various sevas offered
Daily aarti and pooja schedule
| Ritual | Time |
|---|---|
| Mangla Arti | 6:30 AM |
| Mangla Darshan begins | 7:00 AM |
| Abhishek Pooja (Snan Vidhi) | 8:00 AM |
| Shringar Darshan begins | 9:00 AM |
| Shringar Arti | 10:30 AM |
| Rajbhog (darshan closed) | 12:00 PM |
| Anosar (temple closes for afternoon) | 1:00 PM |
| Uthappan (temple reopens) | 5:00 PM |
| Sandhya Arti | 7:30 PM |
| Shayan Arti | 8:30 PM |
| Temple closes for the night | 9:30 PM |
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Janmashtami | August/September | The birth of Lord Krishna, the temple's grandest celebration. |
| Holi / Dwarka festivals | March | Celebrated with devotion at Krishna's city. |
| Diwali and Annakut | October/November | Winter festivals that draw many pilgrims. |
History and architecture
Architecture
A five-storey structure in Chalukya style supported by carved pillars, topped by a tall spire and a large flag (dhwaja). The sanctum houses the black-stone idol of Krishna in royal attire, with shrines to Radha, Balarama, Subhadra and Revathy in the complex.
History
According to tradition Krishna established his kingdom at Dwarka after leaving Mathura, and the temple is said to have originally been built by his great-grandson Vajranabh over Krishna's residential palace (Harigriha). The temple has been renovated and reconstructed over the centuries, with the present Chalukya-style structure dating to around the 16th century. Archaeological evidence points to an ancient city in the area.
Planning your visit
How to reach
Dwarka is on the Gujarat coast, well connected by rail (Dwarka railway station) and road; nearest major airports are Jamnagar and Rajkot. Bet Dwarka island lies about 30 km away by road and boat.
Dwarkadhish Temple (Jagat Mandir) in photographs
5 freely-licensed photographs of this temple, from Wikimedia Commons. Each is credited to its photographer.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: High. Darshan and aarti schedule now confirmed directly from the temple's own official website (dwarkadhish.org), which publishes a full minute-level daily timetable matching the previously listed approximate ranges. No entry fee or paid darshan tier is mentioned anywhere on the official site, so entryFee is left as a general free-darshan statement. Note: a similarly named domain, dwarkadhishtemple.org, was checked and found to belong to an unrelated Dwarkadhish temple in Sayreville-Parlin, New Jersey, USA, not the Dwarka, Gujarat temple - it was not used as a source.