Bet Dwarka

The island off Okha that devotees revere as the residence of Shri Krishna, now reached by the Sudarshan Setu as well as by boat.

Bet Dwarka is a small island in the Gulf of Kutch, a short distance from the port of Okha at the north-western tip of Saurashtra. Its old name, Shankhodhar, is linked to the conch (shankha); the waters around the island have long been known for conch shells, and tradition connects the name with the conch of Bhagavan Vishnu. Devotees regard Bet Dwarka as Shri Krishna's own residence, while Dwarka on the mainland is remembered as the seat of his royal court. That is why a pilgrimage to Dwarka is felt to be incomplete without crossing over to Bet.

The main shrine is the Dwarkadhish temple of Bet, which feels more like a palace than a single temple. Within its complex are shrines of Krishna together with his principal queens and family, and the seva here has the warm, homely feeling of a household caring for its beloved Lord. The island is also known for the Hanuman Dandi temple, where by tradition Hanuman ji is worshipped together with his son Makardhwaj.

According to popular tradition, it was here that Sudama, Krishna's poor childhood friend, arrived with a small bundle of rice (tandul) and was received with overwhelming love. In memory of this meeting, many pilgrims offer rice at the temple.

For generations pilgrims reached the island by boat from the Okha jetty, and that short sea crossing is a fond memory for many. In 2024 the Sudarshan Setu, a cable-stayed bridge more than two kilometres long, was opened between Okha and Bet Dwarka, making the journey much easier for elderly devotees and in rough weather. Okha is reached by road from Dwarka, so most pilgrims combine Dwarka, Nageshwar and Bet Dwarka in a single day.

District

Devbhumi Dwarka