Dwarka

Dwarka, the legendary island city of Lord Krishna, occupies a central and luminous place in Premanand's *Okhaharan*. As the divine capital where Krishna holds court as king, it serves not merely as a geographical backdrop but as an emblem of celestial splendour and royal power. Premanand, drawing on the Bhagavata Purana and folk traditions, paints Dwarka with vivid strokes — its golden ramparts, its bustling harbours, and the grandeur of Krishna's palace where queens and courtiers move in an atmosphere of devotion and worldly magnificence.

The city becomes dramatically significant when Aniruddha, Krishna's grandson, is abducted and held captive in Shonitpur, setting the entire heroic action of the poem in motion. Dwarka's warriors, its anxious royal household, and ultimately Krishna and Balarama themselves must rise to reclaim family honour. Through Premanand's characteristically warm and accessible Gujarati verse, Dwarka emerges as both a sacred ideal and a living community — a place of love, loyalty, and divine purpose that anchors the poem's emotional and spiritual world.