Udaipur >> Excursions >> Nathdwara

Distance from Udaipur: 48 Kms

Nathdwara is situated on the right bank of the Banas and is famous all over Rajasthan as the residence of Shri Nathji, one of the most popular icons of Lord Krishna.

Located 48 Kms, from Udaipur city, on the main road from Udaipur to Jaipur, the town of Nathdwara is also known as the Apollo of Mewar. The town may be small but has gained prominence as a great place of pilgrimage for the Pushtimarga sect of the Vaishnava community, devoted to Lord Krishna. The temple of Shri Nathji dating from 17th century is a simple structure built like a house, but has ample grace and harmony in design.

Shri Nathji actually the original form of Lord Krishna, also known as Nikunja Nayaka (Lord of the Celestrial Bower), when he lifted the Goverdhana Hill. The Lord is shown with his left hand raised and the right hand closed ikn a fist, resting on his hip. The idol of Shri Nathji is made from a large black stone and has several animals engraved on it- two cows, a snake, a lion, two pecocks, a parrot by the god’s head, three seated sages, one on the Lord’s left and the other two on his right, and a snake below the sages. A flower garland made of stone around the deity’s neck resembles a black snake.

Shri Nathjis idol was initially placed by Vallabhacharya in a small temple at Mathura in 1495 and was brought to Rajasthan from Goverdhana to protect it from the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. When the Mughal army came to Goverdhana, the devotees of the Lord showed them titles and gifts given to the temple by the previous Mughal rulers. The army commander then ordered the deity to be taken away from Goverdhana. Foralmost six months the statue stayed in Agra after which it went on a journey to Mewar, which took 32 months to complete. Rana Singh of Mewar later brought the deity to Nathdwara around 1669.

The decision to settle the Lord here at Nathdwara involves an interesting story. When the wheel of the chariot carrying the Lord got stuck in the mud at a place called Siyad, the Rana saw it as a divine sign that Lord Krishana wished to settle here. Thus a temple was built at this spot and the hamlet of Siyad became the town of Nathdwara. There are eight Darshans (sights) of the Lord Krishana during the day, at appointed hours. At each Darshan the idol is dressed in new cloths. Nathdwara is also famous for its Nathdwara school of paintings and Pichwais.