The Lost City Poem by Asit Kumar Sanyal

Lord Krishna developed Dwarka City
And shifted kingdom from Mathura
Mahabharata says this in Mausala Parva
and in appendix Harivansa.
Dwarka was extended up to
Bet Dwaraka, Okhamadhi and Pindata
It sank in the sea during natural calamity.

Dwarka city is under investigation
By Indian historians
since the beginning of 20th century
The first archaeological excavations
done by Deccan College, Pune
The Department of Archaeology,
And the Govt. of Gujarat, in 1963
It revealed artifacts centuries old
The ASI conducted second excavation in 1979
And found a distinct pottery
known as lustrous red ware
Three thousand years old.

The results inspired researchers in 1981
the search began for the sunken city
in Arabian Sea
Marine Archaeology Unit (MAU) formed
Jointly by NIO and ASI
with expert underwater explorers,
trained diver-photographers
and archaeologists
They started geophysical survey
used echo-sounders, mud-penetrators,
sub-bottom profilers,
underwater metal detectors
and other latest equipment.

The team carried out
Twelve marine archaeological expeditions
in ten years
between 1983 to 1992
And recovered many artifacts and antiquities
including pottery, iron stakes,
Triangular three-holed anchors
and a seal engraved with
the image of a three headed animal.

Using thermo-luminescence, carbon dating
and other modern scientific techniques
Physical Research Laboratory said
the artifacts belong to
the period between 15th to 18th century B.C.
Pottery 3,528 years old
and inscriptions on the pottery
carries late Indus Valley civilization script,
The foundation of boulders
on which the city's walls were erected
was reclaimed from the sea 3600 years ago.

The team discovered
The area of the submerged city
built in six sectors
along the banks of a river
As described in ancient texts
The seal with three headed animal
Also same as described in Mahabharata
It was given to the citizens of Dwaraka
as a proof of identity
when the city was threatened
by King Jarasandha
Seven islands mentioned in epic
also discovered submerged
in the Arabian Sea.