The Golden City
Dvārakā (Sanskrit: dvāra = gate, kā = goddess/city — the city of many gates, or the city of Kā/Lakṣmī) was the divine kingdom established by Kṛṣṇa after he moved from Mathurā. According to the Bhāgavatam, Kṛṣṇa moved to the western coast (modern Gujarat) to protect the Yādava clan from Jarāsandha's repeated attacks, and then miraculously created Dvārakā on an island in the ocean — a golden city designed by the divine architect Viśvakarmā.
Kṛṣṇa as King
At Dvārakā, Kṛṣṇa's role shifted from the cowherd child of Vṛndāvana to the sovereign king. He married his principal queens (Rukmiṇī, Satyabhāmā, and others) and ruled with dharmic wisdom. The Dvārakā period of Kṛṣṇa's life corresponds to the Mahābhārata narrative.
The Sacred City
Dvārakā is one of the sapta-purī (seven sacred cities) of India and one of the four dhāmas (divine abodes). The Dvārakādhīśa (Lord of Dvārakā) temple is one of the most important Vaishnava pilgrimage sites.
According to the Bhāgavatam, after Kṛṣṇa's departure, the ocean submerged Dvārakā — a fact that modern archaeology has sought to investigate through underwater exploration near Bet Dwarka.
The Dvārakā Śilā
Certain sacred white stones (śālagrāma of a particular type — the Dvārakā śilā) are associated with Dvārakā and are worshipped as Kṛṣṇa's presence.