Nageshwar stands on the coast of Saurashtra in Gujarat, on the route between Dwarka city and Beyt Dwarka Island. The district administration of Devbhumi Dwarka describes it as one of the 12 swayambhu (self-existent) jyotirlingas, enshrined in an underground sanctum. This guide follows the visit in the order you meet it, using what the district says about the site.
The site and its legend
The district says the temple is enshrined by one of the 12 swayambhu jyotirlingas and that its sanctum is underground. It notes that some archaeological excavations claim five earlier cities at the site. The district says Nageshwar is believed to have been known as Darukavana, which it describes as an ancient epic name of a forest in India.
The district tells the Darukavana legend this way. A group of dwarf sages, the Balakhilyas, worshipped Shiva in Darukavana for a long time. To test their devotion, Shiva came to them as an ascetic with no clothes, wearing only serpents. The sages' wives followed the ascetic and left their husbands. The sages were outraged, and they cursed the ascetic to lose his linga. The linga fell to the earth and the world trembled. Brahma and Vishnu asked Shiva to save the earth and take back his linga. Shiva consoled them and took back his linga, and he promised his presence in Darukavana as a jyotirlinga forever. The district cites the Vamana Purana, chapters 6 and 45, for this account.
The district says Dwarka is well connected to other major cities by regular trains, and gives the station as Dwarka, code DWK. From the station, the temple is 16 km away by road.
For flights, the district states plainly that there are no regular flights from other major cities to Dwarka. The nearest airports it names are Govardhanpur Airport (JGA) at Jamnagar and Porbandar Airport (PBD). Its how-to-reach page gives distances of 95 km and 110 km from Dwarka, but the way the sentence runs does not make clear which distance belongs to which airport, so check before you book. From either airport, you travel the rest of the way by road or rail.
By road, regular buses reach Dwarka from other major cities by the NH151. From Dwarka, the district says to take the NH 947 and then travel 16 km along the Nageshwar road.
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The district describes the temple as enshrined by one of the 12 swayambhu jyotirlingas, in an underground sanctum. It does not describe the darshan itself, the queue or how long a visit takes, so ask locally on the day.
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The district names two major attractions: a 25 m tall statue of a sitting Lord Shiva, and a large garden with a pond. It calls the place a rather serene spot.
The district places Nageshwar on the route between Dwarka city and Beyt Dwarka, and this site's temple record pairs it with Dwarkadhish in one day. The district history calls the Dwarkadhish Temple of Dwarka city one of the four holy places in Hindu mythology, says Dwarka is believed to have been the first capital of Gujarat, and its name means "gateway to heaven" in Sanskrit. The district's name, Devbhumi Dwarka, is derived from the Dwarkadhish Temple, which is dedicated to Krishna. The district history says the original temple was built around 2,500 years ago, was destroyed by Mahmud Begada's rulers and was rebuilt in the 16th century.
For a wider look at the area, the nearby page lists the other shrines and sights the district names, including a gurdwara at Beyt Dwarka and the Indreshwar Temple at Bhanvad.
Planning the visit
- Getting there: the district's route details are in the listicle above. The full route guide is on the how to reach Nageshwar page.
- Staying: this site's temple record lists Dwarka city hotels and a trust guest house. The district pages read for this guide do not list stays. More options are on the hotels page.
- Best time: November to February, and Shivratri, per Gujarat Tourism. This site's record lists the temple as open all year.
- Other temples on the route: the circuit page shows how Nageshwar fits with the other jyotirlingas.