Rukmini Temple | Timings, History & Carving of Temple

So far, you have done a virtual tour of some of the key Krishna temples in India, like Dwarkadheesh Temple and Sri Krishna Temple in Udupi. The moment has come for us to take you to another temple, but it belongs to Lord Krishna – Rukmini Devi Temple Dwarka. It is one of the two temples dedicated to Rukmini, the wife of the Queen of Dwarka & Lord Krishna. Rukmini Temple Timings are from 6 AM to 9:30 PM.

Rukmini Temple

The Rukmini Temple, a few kilometres away from the Dwarkadheesh Temple, Dwarka, amazed me with its magnificent architecture.

I am sure it will fascinate you not only with the architecture but also with the various legends that surround it.

Dwarka Rukmini Temple tops the list of places we must visit in Dwarka. Certainly, it is not as big as the Dwarkadheesh temple, and its rituals are not as extensive as the main temple.

However, the intricate and elusive Rukmini Devi stories in its designs made me fall in love with this heritage site.

Rukmini Devi Temple I am going to perform through this tour in Dwarka. I hope you are ready to embark on this journey of stories and legends.

History of Dwarka 

Lord Krishna of Dwarka is very famous all over the world. His witty deeds as a child, his justice and successes as an adult and his teaching as a teacher are all stories told worldwide. Little is known about his chief queen, Rukmini, no matter how popular he was.

Her story is equally interesting, and Rukmini Devi Temple Dwarka is a place that echoes many chapters of her life. One such chapter led to the construction of this unique Dwarka Rukmini Mandir.

Rukmini Devi Temple

According to mythology, Rukmini was an incarnation of Lakshmi Devi, the wife of Vishnu. As you know, Krishna was one of the ten incarnations of Vishnu, and to be by his side, Lakshmi was born as the princess of Vidarbha. She was with Lord Krishna in Dwarka for some time after their marriage.

After their marriage, Lord Krishna and his wife Rukmini were invited to the palace to bless Durvasa Maharshi Yadava, the guru (clan guru) and honoree of the Yadava kingdom. The sage Durvasu agreed, but with one condition – the couple had to pull his chariot.

Lord Krishna and Rukmini started pulling the chariot towards Dwarka. A few kilometres before, Dwarka Rukmini was thirsty. No well or river was visible in sight. Krishna pushed his right toe into the ground, and Ganga came out.

Thankfully, Rukmini drank a little before Durvasa Maharshi got angry that he had not given her water before. He cursed that she could not stay with her husband, and on that spot, she got her new residence in the form of Krishna Rukmini Temple Dwarka.

The temple is believed to be over 2500 years old, but the present structure dates back to the 12th century. It is in a slightly arid region about 2 km from the main Dwarkadheesh temple. There is still no fresh water around it.

Dwarka Architecture 

Like the main Dwarka temple, the Rukmini Devi Temple was in an urban style. North Indian temples generally adopt the Nagara style I mentioned earlier, this style. These temples have a long, complex dome.

Rukmini Temple is the highlight of the dome, as far as Dwarka is concerned. Although the Dwarka Rukmini Devi Temple is much smaller than the Dwarkadheesh Temple, it is very artistic.

Every inch of its dome had been carved like its walls. The sanctum sanctorum, or inner sanctum, is below the main ridge. The perimeter (perimeter) surrounds the outer walls – unlike other temples with a perimeter inside the temple.

The entire temple was built of porous sea stone that withstands the salty climate of Dwarka. There has been some distortion, but its carved beauty remains intact.

Carving of Temple

The walls of Dwarka Rukmini Temple take you back to Belur and Halebid temples. The Hoysala temples in these places have many stories carved on the walls, including the Dashavataras. The Belur Chennakesava Temple also has sculptures of Madanikala (a beautiful woman).

Similarly, the Rukmini Devi temple also has stories. There is a share of stories on the walls, from the courtyards or elephants circling the temple to different nobles or young men in different poses.

There are large nests with different dimensions. They had painted a central image of Rukmini with four hands on one side. One arm has a cone, and the other has a gada, lotus and wheel.

Another of hers was sitting in the back on a lotus spire. If you look carefully, the text with the script will also appear on the walls. Rukmini Temple Dwarka Swamiji also mentioned more scriptures on the peak.

Rukmini Temple Timings

The Rukmini temple timings are that the temple opens at 6 AM and closes at noon; again, the temple opens from 5 PM to 9:30 PM. The Rukmini temple timings may differ on special days and festivals.

Best Time to Visit Rukmini Temple 

Dwarka is best visited from September to February when it is not too hot. If you are interested in seeing the Krishna-Rukmini wedding, it is usually celebrated on Ekadashi. It takes place in March.

During this time, you can see a huge procession from the Jagat Temple in Dwarka to the Rukmini Temple.

Where to stay in Dwarka?

There are many affordable and budget hotels near the Dwarkadheesh Temple in Dwarka. These can be booked online using the booking resources below.

Of the few luxury hotels, you can consider the hotel. Hawthorne Resorts, however, is 7 km from the same city. The resort has ample parking space and a lot of green space for children to play. It also has a beautiful pool where you can relax.

Travel Tips

• Rukmini Devi Temple Photography of the main sanctum sanctorum in Dwarka is not permitted.
• A few shops near the temple if you have to grab water or snacks.
• Please follow the general rules of visiting a Hindu temple while here.

How to reach

By Rail:

Dwarka has a railway station and is well-connected by road to all the major cities in Gujarat.

By Air:

There are two airports to Dwarka. The first is at Porbandar, 105 km from Dwarka. You can reach Dwarka by train or use the following route by road from the airport. The 2nd airport was located at Jamnagar, 131 km from Dwarka.

Address and Contact