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Sonali Agrawal

Must Visit Places in Nathdwara- The City Of Shreenath Ji

Introduction

The Indian state of Rajasthan holds great significance historically, culturally, and traditionally. The main attractions here are the vast forts, temples, mansions, and other ancient structures, which tourists from all over the world travel to. One such historical place is Nathdwara, which has great historical and cultural importance. Nathdwara is 48 km from Udaipur.

You can definitely try your budget trip to Nathdwaraa, as we have mentioned some of the best places. This beautiful place is situated in the Aravalli mountain range. Nathdwara Dham is considered supreme among the significant pilgrimage places of the Vallabh sect of the Vaishnav religion. The grand form of Shri Nathji, the form of Lord Shri Krishna, is situated in this Nathdwara temple.

How to reach Nathdwara

nathdwara

Marwar Junction is on the Ahmedabad-Delhi line of the Western Railway. A line from Marwar goes to Mavli. Nathdwara is 15 kilometers before Mavli. Kankroli railway station is at a distance of 15 kilometers from Nathdwara. The town is about 6 kilometers away from Nathdwara station. Buses run from the station to the city. The distance from Udaipur to Nathdwara is 48 kilometers. Udaipur can reach Nathdwara by air, rail, or road. Nathdwara can be easily reached from Udaipur by bus or taxi.

There are many beautiful and well-arranged Dharamshalas in Nathdwara for a stay. Apart from this, there are also good hotels here. There is also an online booking system for stays in the temple. The season from October to March is most favorable to visit this place. People get a different feeling after coming to this place. One must visit this place once in life and take advantage of the darshan of Lord Shrinath.

What is Nathdwara famous for?

how to reach nathdwara

Nathdwara is mainly famous because of the Shree Nath ji mandir situated here. The Deity of Lord Shrinathji in the Shrinathji temple shows the child form of Lord Krishna, which is a seven-year-old child. The word Nathdwara is formed by mixing two words, Nath+Dwar, in which Nath means God. The meaning of the war is from the gate. Thus, Nathdwara means “the door of God.”

Shrinathji’s temple is huge, but no detailed architectural style can be noticed inside the temple. People of the Vallabh sect consider their temple as the house of Nandarayji. There is no peak in the temple. The temple is built in a very simple manner. The roof of the place where the idol of Shrinathji is installed is also made of simple tiles. The festival of Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated with great pomp in Shrinathji temple. Apart from Krishna Janmashtami, the festivals of Holi and Diwali are also celebrated with great enthusiasm in the temple.

shrinathji temple nathdwara

The idol of Shrinathji installed in the Shrinathji temple of Nathdwara is considered to be another form of Lord Krishna. The idol of Lord Shrinathji, located in the temple, is made of rare black marble stone. The left hand of the deity is raised in the air, and the fist of the right hand is placed on the waist. There is also a diamond placed below the lips of the Lord. Along with the idol of Shrinathji, a lion, two cows, a snake, two parrots, and two peacocks are also seen. Apart from all these, pictures of three sages are also kept near the idol.

Nathdwara Temple Darshan Time and Method

The place to visit Nathdwara is very narrow. Therefore, the visitors are given darshan one by one. Regarding the idol of Lord Shrinathji in the temple of Shrinathji located in Nathdwara, there is a belief among the devotees and priests that the idol of Shrinathji is alive. Therefore, the worship of God in Shrinathji’s temple is different from other temples. In the Shrinathji temple, the daily routine (worship) of Lord Shrinathji is like that of a small child.

In the daily routine of Lord Shrinathji, from waking him up early in the morning to bathing the Lord, feeding him, making him rest, and putting the Lord to sleep at night, all these tasks are pre-determined. The Prasad offered to Lord Shrinathji at mealtime is called Bhog.

History of this temple of child form of Lord Krishna

The story of Dwapar Yuga lifting Govardhan mountain is still alive. All over the world, Hindus celebrate this festival on the first day of Shukla Paksha of Kartik month. This festival, which comes a day after Diwali, is also known by the name of ‘Annakoot.’ It is said that when the Islamic rulers were destroying the temples, two sages of the Vallabhacharya sect brought this idol from Braj while hiding there. The Lord was installed here because the wheels of the chariot had sunk here.

Shrinathji temple was established at Nathdwara on February 10, 1672. The painting style developed during the reign of Maharaja Raj Singh (1652-1680). Maharana gave shelter to the two sages of Vallabhacharya who had brought this statue. Their names were Govind and Damodar. A new temple of God was built in Sihar village. This combination of Braj and Mewar also gave birth to a style of painting, which was called the Nathdwara style or ‘Haveli style.’

This was the time when Aurangzeb was continuously demolishing temples and constructing mosques in their place. At such a time, Maharana Raj Singh took an oath to protect Shrinathji, even beheading. Maharana Raj Singh in Rajasthan faced Aurangzeb in the same way as Guru Gobind Singh in Punjab and Chhatrapati Shivaji in Maharashtra. Rana took it as a challenge and protected this idol when no one was ready to give shelter to those sadhus due to fear of Aurangzeb.

Eight places to visit in Nathdwara

Here, we have enlisted the top places to visit in Nathdwara where you can make the most of your vacation.

1. Shreenathji Temple

shrinathji

A prominent Vaishnavite shrine, Shrinathji temple is home to the 7-year-old ‘infant’ incarnation of Lord Krishna. Originally worshiped at Mathura, the deity was moved here along the Yamuna in 1672 AD. You can feel the divine presence as you enter the sanctum sanctorum and gaze at the enchanting & beautifully sculpted black stone statue of the Lord Krishna. 

Specialty: Dedicated to Shrinath Ji, the temple is an important pilgrimage center for Vaishnavas

Location: NH 8, Shiv Nagar, Nathdwara, Rajasthan 313301.

Timings: Seven-time slots are starting from ‘Mangla’ (5:45 am-6:30 am) and the final evening ‘Arti’ (5:15 pm-6:00 pm)

2. Haldighati

haldighati

Haldighati is famous for the Haldighati battle fought between Maharana Pratap and Akbar’s army on June 18, 1576. It is at a distance of 18 kilometers from Eklingji in Rajasthan. This is a historical narrow natural pass between Khamnor and Balicha villages in the Aravalli mountain range.

Specialty: The place is best known for its historical significance.

Location: Near Rakt Talai, Maharana Pratap Stadium Road, Haldighati, Khamnore, Udaipur, Rajasthan, 313322

Timings: 9 AM – 6 PM

Entrée Fee – 20 Rs.

3. Vishwas Swaroopam (Statue of Belief)

Statue of Belief

The Statue of Belief (Vishvas Swarupam), at 351 feet (107 m) tall, is the largest Shiva statue of Lord Shiva in the world. This statue is so tall that it can be seen even from a distance of 20 km. This 369-foot-high statue is the only statue in the world that has a lift, stairs, and a hall of devotion. The 3D projection mapping show starts at 8:00 pm daily and lasts about 25 Minutes, and it is worth watching.

Specialty:  This place is best known for its tallest statue in the world.

Location: 120 Feet Road, Nathdwara, Rajasthan 313301.

Phone: 1800 120 0351

Timings: 05:00 am – 12:30 pm 03:00 pm – 08:30 pm.

Entry Fee– 200 Rs.

4. Shri Eklingji Temple

eklingji temple 1

Shri Eklingji is an ancient temple of the adorable God Lord Shiva, and he is the family deity of Mewar Rajputs, Maharana Pratap, and his ancestors used to worship him. There are faces built around the idol of Shivalinga; there are small temples of 108 gods and goddesses located in the temple complex.

Specialty: Intricate architecture.

Location: Udaipur, Delwara Marg, Eklingji, Rajasthan 313202.

Timings: 4:30 to 7:00 am, 10:30 am to 1:00 pm, 5:00–7:30 pm

Phone: 0141 220 9860

5. Ranakpur Jain Temple

Ranakpur Jain Temple

Th Ranakpur temple, built in the Aravalli mountain range, is known for its grandeur. This temple is famous all over the world for its huge shape, architecture, and beauty. It is one of the five major temples of Jainism, dedicated to Jain Tirthankara Adinath Ji. Surrounded by forests on all sides, this temple is also known for its natural beauty. You will be surprised to see the carvings and design of this beautiful temple; you will not feel that you are standing in a temple, but you will feel like a palace.

Specialty: The beautiful architecture of the temple with marble.

Location: Desuri, Ranakpur Rd, Sadri, Rajasthan 306702.

Timings: 6.30 am – 8 pm

Phone: 086964 53616

Entry Fee– NA. However, this is a small fee for cameras and cell phones, which is around Rs 100. 

6. Kumbhalgarh Fort

kumbhalgarh fort

There are 360 temples within the perimeter of the famous 36 km long wall of Kumbhalgarh Fort, out of which 300 temples are of Jainism, and the rest are of Hindu religion. This fort is very important from both religious and historical points of view. Kumbhalgarh is also the birthplace of the great warrior Maharana Pratap of Mewar.

Specialty: The fort is famous as the second-largest wall after the Great Wall of China

Location: Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan 313325.

Timings: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm

Phone: 0294 241 1535

Entry Fee – 10 Rs.

7. Charbhuja Temple

charbhuja mandir 1

Charbhuja means ‘four hands,’ i.e., Lord Vishnu. Charbhuja Temple is the temple of Lord Vishnuji, which Shri Ganga Dev built after he received divine instructions from Lord Vishnu in his dream. Following your dream, Ganga Dev built an 85 cm high statue of Shri Charabhuja Ji. The Pandavas also worshiped this Sri Charbhuja idol.

Specialty: Beautiful interiors and exteriors.

Location: Tehsil, Mandir Chauraha Kumbhalgarh, Garhbor, Rajasthan 313333.

Timings: 5:00 to 10:15 pm

Phone – 077374 68994

Entry Fee– NA

8. Dwarkadheesh temple

dwarkadish temple kankroli

Specialty: A serene pilgrim site designed like a haveli.

Just 18 km from Nathdwara is another Krishna shrine that is visited by thousands of devotees every month, along with the Shrinathji temple. Exuding positive vibes and aura, the beautiful statue of the deity is a sight to behold. Designed like an ornate haveli, the huge temple along the Rajsamand Lake is a peaceful spiritual retreat for spending some tranquil moments in divine presence.

Location: JK Rd, Mahadev Colony, Kankroli, Rajsamand, Rajasthan 313324

Darshan timings: 7:00 am -11:00 am; 4:00 pm-7:00 pm

Entry Fee– NA

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