Nathdwara Shrinathji Temple
(IPLTOURS)
Shrinathji Temple
Nathdwara is at a distance of 48 km on the North East corner of Udayapur in Rajasthan State. The temple in which Srinath Ji, another form of Lord Krishna is most beloved hold place to Vaishnava. The temple constructed by the King of Mevar 300 yrs ago in which the idol of Srinath Ji resided in Govardhan engraved with Black Granite Stone. Devotees will be in queue from the early morning for darshan of Sri Krishna. It is believed that Krisha in his childhood used to come to Mevar to play chaupar with Princess Ajab Kunwari and the princes feel sad whenever Krishna returned to Vrundavan.
Shreenaadh Ji is the form of Sri Krishna manifest as a seven-year-old child. Srinath Ji is the main deity in the temple. Srinath Ji is the principle deity to the Vaishnava practice devotion following the Vallabha tradition established by Vallabhacharya among the other people of Gujarath and Rajasthan States. Vital Nath Ji, son of Vallabhacharya started to worship Srinath Ji. The popularity of Srinath Ji leads to call Nathdwara with the name of Srinath Ji. People feel Srinath Ji as Baba and Nathdwara also called as Baba Nagari. Vallabhacharya primarily named Krishna as Gopala and the holy place also called as Gopalpur. Later Vital Nath Ji named the deity as Srinath Ji. The seva to Srinath Ji will be performed eight times daily. The followers of Vallabhacharya describe that the arm and face of the deity first emerged from the Govardhan hill and Madhavendra Puri find the deity at Govardhana Hill. Madhavendra Puri primarily worshiped the raised hand and later face of the diety and the local people under the leadership of Madhavendra Puri started the worship of the Gopala. The deity later named as Srinath Ji.
It is believed that Srinath Ji appeared to Vallabhacharya in Vikramaditya year 1549 (nearly in the year of 528 in English calendar), and instructed to worship him at Govardhana Hill. The culture started by Vallabhacharya continued with his son Vitalnath Ji. Nathdwara is the holy place and Srinath Ji is their principle deity to Vaishnava. Tilakayath Maharaj is the successor of Nathdwara after Sri Vallabhacharya and his son. Sri Indraman Ji succeeded as the 17th head of Nathdwara after Sri Vallabhacharya Prabhuji. The head called as Tilakayat and he is the Chief Priest of Srinath Ji.
As per legend, Srinath Ji emerged from a stone of the Govardhan Hill as self manifested. The idol primarily worshipped at the Govardhan Hill and shifted in the year 1672 to Agra on the bank of Yamuna River from Madhura and kept at Agra for a period of six months to protect from the Moghal Emperor Aurangajib who desire to kept the idol with him. The idol further shifted to a safety place towards south from Agra to protect from the invasions of Aurangajib in a Chariot. The wheels of the Chariot struck in the mud at the place Sihadb in Mewar and could not move further. The Priests follow the Chariot felt that the place was selected by Srinath Ji and established the idol in a temple under conquer and protection of Maharana Raj Singh, king of Mewar. The Idol was shifted to Udayapur under the ruling of Maharana Bheem Singh to protect from the burglars named Pindars in eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Thus the Srinath Ji idol reached to the Nathdwara temple near Udayapur.
The local people say that Srinath Ji given direct appeared to the devotees. Srinath Ji appears with stay calmed eyes similar to lilies and attracts pilgrims. Perhaps the appearance of the Deity is due to concentrated looks on the deity in the temple and come outside and devotees feel that Srinath Ji is with them.
