The sacred land of India is home to many beautiful temple towns that are visited by millions of devotees every year and one of them is Nathdwara which lies approximately 48 kilometers North-East of Udaipur. The town is popular because it is home to the idol of Shri Nath Ji which is a child form of Lord Krishna. He is the main presiding deity of the Nathdwara temple and is worshiped by many devotees throughout the year.
He is mainly worshiped in the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan by the devotees of the Pushtimarg sect of Vaishnavism which was founded by Shri Vallabhacharya and follows the Bhagavat Purana. It is believed by devotees that the face and arms of Shri Nath Ji emerged from the Govardhan Hill itself. A temple was built for the deity in a nearby village called Jatipur. Later the temple was moved to the top of the Govardhan Hill by Shri Vallabhacharya.
When religious intolerance grew in India, the idol was shifted again in order to protect it. When it reached near Sinhad, the wheels of the chariot that was transporting the idol got stuck and refused to budge. This was taken as a divine signal that the Lord had chosen that spot to reside.
After that, the idol of the deity was finally moved to the place that came to be known as Nathdwara and became so revered by devotees that the town itself came to be known as Shri Nath Ji.
Initially, the deity was worshiped by the name of Devadaman which means One Who Conquers All Gods. Later Shri Vallabhacharya’s son Shri Vitthal Nath Ji named the deity Shri Nath Ji.
The city of Nathdwara is also famous for breathtaking Picchhwai paintings which depict various images of Shri Nath Ji. They are made on cloth, walls, and paper as well. The artists pour all their love and devotion for their beloved Thakur Ji while creating these mesmerizing works of art. Many of the Picchhwai paintings also adorn the interiors of the Shri Nath Ji temple.
Lord Krishna is also worshiped as Shri Nath Ji in Nathdwara in Rajasthan. It is the 7-year-old child form or bala swarup of Lord Krishna because that is the age at which he lifted the Govardhan hill. The idol of Shri Nath Ji in the temple of Nathdwara is made of black marble and has a big diamond encrusted in it. The idol is adorned with the finest jewels and attire made from the most exquisite silk. It is in the posture of one hand raised depicting the Lord lifting the Govardhan Hill to protect the residents of Vrindavan from the fury of Lord Indra who poured continuous torrential rains over the region.
The Pithika which is square has carvings of a lion, 2 cows, a snake, 2 peacocks, and a parrot, and images of 3 sages are placed next to it. The deity is addressed as Thakur Ji.
The Shri Nath Ji temple is a pleasant departure from the traditional architectural style of most of the temples. It is constructed like a palace and is lovingly called Shrinath Ji ki Haveli. Seven flags can be seen waving at the top of the temple. The Sudarshan Chakra is also placed there. There are other shrines in the temple complex as well as housing idols of various other forms of Lord Krishna.
It functions as a household would and is equipped with various rooms like a Doodhghar which is a storage room for milk, a Paanghar which is a storage room for betel leaves, Mishrighar to store the sugar, Pedaghar to store the sweets, the Phoolghar is to house the flowers, an Ashvashala which functions as a stable for horses, a Rasoighar to prepare the blog, a Gahnghar which is to store the ornaments, a Kharcha Bhandar or the treasury, a Baithak which functions as a drawing room, and a Chakki or grinding wheel made of gold and silver.
✔ A very disciplined and strict routine is followed by the Pujaris and the sewaks of the temple. There are 8 darshans of Shri Nath Ji.
✔ The first darshan is the Mangal darshan which happens after the Lord wakes up and it lasts for almost 45 minutes. He is served a bhog of buttermilk, mishri, sheera, and milk. Bhajans are sung and composed by Shri Parmananda.
✔ Half an hour later the Shringar darshan takes place in which Shri Nath Ji is dressed in beautiful clothes and ornaments. A bhog of sweets and dry fruits is served to the Lord. Shri Nanda Das Ji’s bhajans are sung during this time.
✔ One and a half hours later the Gwal darshan takes place. In this darshan the Lord is presented to the public in his cowherd or Gwal form. A bhog of milk, kheer, rabdi, etc is served to the deity. Shri Govind Swami Ji’s kirtans are sung during these darshans.
✔ The fourth darshan is the Rajbhog darshan and the most elaborate one. The Lord is adorned with a fresh garland and an idol of Lord Shiva is placed in front of Shri Nath Ji who is served a royal feast along with an offering of triangular betel leaves. Songs by Shri Kumbhan Das Ji are sung in praise of the Lord.
✔ The next darshan called the Utthapan takes place after 3 hours when Shri Nath Ji is woken up from his sleep. Dairy products and fruits are served to the deity as bhog. Songs composed by Kavi Surdas Ji are sung.
✔ After an hour the Bhog darshan takes place. During this, the Lord is adorned with flowers and an offering of Thor, light snacks, and fruits are served and Shri Chaturbhuj Ji’s kirtans are sung in honor of the Lord.
✔ Immediately after the Bhog darshan the Sandhya Aarti takes place. It is an ode to the aarti that Yashoda Ji would perform for Lord Krishna. During this bhog is served not only to the Lord but also to the Sudarshan Chakra. Kirtans of Kavi Shri Chitta Swami are sung.
✔ The final darshan for the day is the Shayan darshan. Here Lord Krishna is put to bed with a lullaby of bhajans. His bed is made of gold and water, laddoos, and paan are offered to him. Keertans composed by Shri Krishna Das Ji is sung.
✔ Shri Nath Ji’s attire and food are always prepared according to the season. For instance, he wears light clothes in summer and warm ones in winter. His food and water are cool in summer and warm in winter. In fact, the Lord never repeats his clothes during a year.
Annakut is one of the most famous festivals of the Shri Nath Ji temple. Annakut means a mountain of food. During this festival Chhappan Bhog or a feast consisting of 56 food items is offered to the deity and the Govardhan aarti is performed. It is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Bal Krishna over Lord Indra.
Janmashtami is another festival that is celebrated with a lot of grandeur. It is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Krishna with the idol being bathed with panchamrit and being cradled at midnight. The Shri Nath Ji temple is decorated beautifully and bhajans are sung in praise of everyone’s beloved Thakur Ji.
The Hindu religion has many scriptures that are revered and in many of them, one can find instances of Lord Krishna’s leelas or divine plays. One of them was when he lifted the Govardhan parvat on the little finger of his left hand at the tender age of 7. It is a representation of this that is the idol at the beautiful temple at Nathdwara in Rajasthan.
The temple adorned with many images of Shri Nath Ji is beautifully constructed like a Haveli for a beautiful idol of Shri Nath Ji who is treated like a divine child and royalty with priests and devotees showering their love on him every day. He gives darshans to his devotees 8 times a day and every time his form is a visual and a spiritual treat for devotees coming from all over the world.
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