Temple of Shreenathji

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City: Nathdwara
State: Rajasthan
Location: North India
Type of Building: Temple
Managed By: Temple Board Trust
Dedicated To: Lord Krishna
Religion: Hinduism
Accomodation: Accomodations are available in Nathdwara.
Accesibility: Udaipur is the nearest city which is very well connected to the other cities by air, rail and road.
Nearby Cities: Udaipur

Temple of Shreenathji :

Shrinathji represents the form of Krishna, in which he lifted the Govardhana hill and subdued Indra the king of Devas who was sending an incessant downpour of rain, causing immense hardship to the cow herds of Gokul. The image of Srinathji is believed to have been a self manifested one. It was originally worshipped in a humble shrine and then moved to a larger temple in its vicinity. Vallabhacharya made arrangements for the worship of this deity and this tradition was continued by his son, Vittalesh Goswami.

It is believed that Taj Bibi, a wife of Akbar had visited this temple. It was during the 17th century that this image was shifted to Rajasthan. Nathdwara is a place of Hindu pilgrimage; it contains a 17th-century Vaishnavite shrine that is one of the most famous in India. Within the temple is a celebrated image of the god Krishna, popularly said to date to the 12th century BC. The town is an agricultural market and has a government college affiliated with the University of Rajasthan.

The Legend of Shreenathji Temple :

The legend has it that during the reign of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, the statue of Lord Krishna was moved from Vrindaban to enshrine it at a safe place. However, when the vehicle carrying the statue passed through the particular spot where the temple now is, its wheels got stuck in the mud. The priest accompanying the image interpreted it to be an indication from the Lord himself. It was comprehended that the Lord did not wanted to move any further. Thereafter, the statue was placed in the Lord Krishna temple, Nathdwara along with proper Vedic rites and tradition. The temple has three entrances, one (Surajpol) being exclusively for women. The temple priests daily change the clothes and ornaments of Shrinathji.