Dwarka: Exploring India's Submerged Ancient City Through Underwater Archaeology
Introduction
Dwarka has a special significance. It is the only place that is contemporary with the events mentioned in the Krishna story told in the Mahabharata. The city of Dwarka was built on reclaimed land, but when the sea level started rising, the city of Dwarka gradually became submerged.
I'm an underwater archaeologist exploring submerged archaeological sites in Indian waters. One of the major excavations conducted by the Underwater Archaeology Wing was at Dwarka, a site famous for its historicity, religious importance, and archaeological significance.
Early Archaeological Excavations
In the second half of the last century, archaeologists made attempts to find material evidence that could prove its historicity beyond doubt.
The first excavation was conducted in the 1960s by the Deccan College, Pune. In 1979, the Archaeological Survey of India carried out another excavation where the excavators found pottery that they believed belonged to the second millennium BC.
Excavation and exploration conducted in and around Dwarka have revealed a variety of archaeological remains. We have nicely painted wares, polychrome pottery where many colors are used, and bichrome pottery where black paintings appear on a red surface.
More than 500 antiquities were recovered from the site. Samples and dating materials firmly established the cultural sequence spanning almost 2,000 years.
Discoveries Beneath the Sea
Underwater, we found remains of stone structures made using blocks. However, we did not find associated pottery or other objects because they were exposed on the surface and the area experiences very strong currents.
The work on marine archaeology of submerged Dwarka started with excavations near the present Dwarkadhish Temple. A series of temples were excavated, indicating that temples were gradually shifting toward the land as sea levels continued rising.
This encouraged Dr. S. R. Rao, a renowned Indian archaeologist, to conduct a survey in the offshore area to determine whether evidence of the submerged city existed.
Later, in 2007, a detailed excavation was conducted, and I was the director of the entire project.
Location and Scientific Survey
Dwarka is located on the westernmost tip of India. Its location matches descriptions found in ancient literature.
A small stream known as the Gomti joins the sea here, and the town of Dwarka is situated nearby.
We selected an area measuring approximately 200 meters by 200 meters and explored it scientifically, following standard archaeological methods.
Within this area, we discovered a section of nearly 50 meters that contained more structural remains. These remains were larger in size and better preserved.
A thick archaeological deposit of nearly 10 meters was found, suggesting that the settlement was eventually destroyed by the sea.
Hydrographic Survey and Diving Operations
We carried out a hydrographic survey covering approximately two nautical miles by one nautical mile and prepared a detailed hydrographic map of the area.
The survey revealed a shift in the position of the Gomti stream. We measured these changes very precisely and marked the area carefully for diving operations.
Grids were laid underwater and numbered systematically. Divers explored each grid one by one.
When you descend underwater, the structures are covered with marine vegetation. Once the vegetation is cleared, the shapes of the ancient structures begin to emerge.
Some of these structures consisted of multiple stone courses, indicating substantial construction.
Evidence of an Ancient Port
A large number of stone anchors have been discovered from this area. This firmly establishes that Dwarka functioned as an ancient port, and there is no doubt about this conclusion.
Sea-Level Changes and the Submergence of Dwarka
At the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), we reconstructed the history of sea-level fluctuations over the last 15,000 years.
Around 15,000 years ago, sea level was approximately 100 meters lower than it is today.
Sea levels gradually rose, and around 7,000 years ago they crossed the present sea level.
Approximately 3,500 years ago, during the period when the city of Dwarka was built, sea levels continued to rise. As a result, the city eventually became submerged beneath the sea.
Historical Importance
If we are able to locate the exact location of the ancient settlement, it will be of immense significance for the history of India.
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