Dwarka in Hindu Scriptures: The Real-Life Atlantis of the East

 

Dwarka Atlantis

The lost city of Atlantis

The story of Atlantis is a mythological tale that has fascinated people for centuries. According to the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, Atlantis was a powerful and advanced civilization that existed around 9,000 years before his time. The story of Atlantis has been passed down through various ancient texts, and although it is considered a myth, it continues to captivate the imagination of people around the world.

Atlantis


Plato first mentioned Atlantis in his dialogues "Timaeus" and "Critias." He described it as a large island nation that was situated beyond the "Pillars of Hercules," which are believed to be the modern-day Strait of Gibraltar. Atlantis was said to have been a prosperous and technologically advanced society that was ruled by a powerful king named Atlas.

The story of Atlantis has captured the imagination of people throughout history. Many have searched for evidence of its existence, but no conclusive evidence has been found. Some believe that Atlantis was a real place, while others see it as a purely fictional story. Nonetheless, the story of Atlantis has become an enduring legend that continues to inspire writers, artists, and filmmakers to this day.

 

The lost city of Dwarka

On the other hand, according to the ancient Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, Dwarka was founded by Lord Krishna himself after he defeated his evil uncle Kansa. The city was built on the banks of the Gomti River and was said to have been surrounded by a massive wall made of gold. It was also known for its grand palaces, beautiful gardens, and bustling markets.

Dwarka


The people of Dwarka were highly skilled in agriculture, trade, and metallurgy. They were known for their excellent shipbuilding skills and had a thriving maritime trade with other ancient civilizations. Dwarka was also known for its advanced irrigation system, which allowed the city to prosper even in the arid climate of the region.

The story of Dwarka has been passed down through generations and is still celebrated in India today. The city is believed to have been a symbol of prosperity, knowledge, and advanced technology in ancient times. Its story continues to inspire people around the world to this day.

The connection between Atlantis and Dwarka

On the onset, both were prosperous cities whose technologies were way ahead of their times. Both the cities boast as the residences of advance civilizations and both the cities were submerged by the flood which took with it the entire population of the cities and the stories also revolve around the same time. So lets discuss the reasons of downfall of both the great cities.

The Downfall of Atlantis

As per the folklore the Atlanteans eventually became corrupt and greedy, which led to their downfall. They became aggressive and began to conquer neighboring lands. Eventually, the gods became angry with them and decided to punish them. A catastrophic event, such as a great earthquake or a massive flood, destroyed Atlantis and caused it to sink into the ocean, never to be seen again.

The Downfall of Dwarka

As per the Mahabharata (Ancient Hindu Text), after the war of Kurkshetra, Sri Krishna was cursed by Queen Gandhari that Yadu vansha (clan of Sri Krishna and residents of Dwarka) will perish just like all her 100 sons were perished in the great war. Sri Krishna smilingly obliged and accepted the curse. Just like in the tale of Atlantis, it was believed that the people of Dwarka become corrupt and greedy and one day the soldiers after extreme inebriation started killing the fellow soldiers. This escalated into an in fighting and soon the people also started killing each other. The gods become angry at this behavior and punished the people of Dwarka with massive floods which sunk Dwarka into the Arabian Sea.

Dwarka Sri Krishna Gandhari


The further connection

Well, the only proof of Atlantis existing is Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias, all other knowledge about Atlantis is derived from them. But in 1960s archaeological findings near the coast of Gujarat (the place near which Dwarka was established) into the Arabian Sea, unearthed some rare findings such as ancient Hindu artefacts which prove the existence that there was indeed a city at that place. Still, underwater archeologists are looking for the foundations of the city walls to further the proof of its existence.  

Through ancient times India and Greece both have been very strong, dominant and thriving civilizations. The trade between the two countries existed even then. Through trade various cultures, traditions also get traded and with them the stories. Conclusively, it is highly likely that the story of Atlantis is only the story of Dwarka retold through the trade routes in ancient times and when again retold through Plato it gained recognition.

This relationship between Greece and India sounds to strange to be true but historical records prove otherwise. India and Greece have long established relationships. When Alexander the Great attacked the subcontinent many of its army soldiers chose to stay in the country. The village Malana in the state of Himachal Pradesh in India is said to have been established by them. Megasthenes, a Greek historian and diplomat visited Patliputra during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya (around 250 BCE) gave a detailed account of his visit and documented the same in his book Indica. He also wrote about the prehistoric arrival of God Dionysus in India which Indians named as Nysian. It is well established that there was a great communication between the two countries even during the ancient times.

Thus, travelling of the most famous story of the India subcontinent to the west is not at all surprising. However, it is upto debate and perception of the reader to draw their own conclusions based on the information provided in the blog post.

Thank you for reading.

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