Dvaravati Sila

Dvaravati Sila

The Dvararvati Sila is a type of Sila or coral stone obtained from the Gomati river in Dvaraka. Dvaraka is located in the Jamnagar District of Gujarat at the mouth of the Gomti River as it debouches into the Gulf of Kutch. The city lies in the westernmost part of India. In ancient Sanskrit literature Dvaraka was called Dvarawati and was rated as one of the seven most prehistoric cities in the country. Thus, the Sila or the stone obtained at the mouth of the Gomati river is called the Dvaravati Sila and is worshipped.

Dvaraka Silas are coral with chakra (wheel) markings and the chakra-mark is the most distinguishing feature of these stones, and hence they are called ‘chakrankita-sila’.

Aniconic representation of God is by a symbol rather than an image. Indian art overwhelmingly prefers the iconic image, but some aniconism does occur in folk worship, in early Hinduism in the form of Vishnu's Saligrama Sila (murthi) (fossil stone), Dvaravati Sila (coral stone), Govardhana Sila (stone from the Govardhan hill), etc. They have solar significance, and their use in worship is very common among all sects of Vaishnavites of Hindu religion.