Nathdwara

State

Nathdwara is a holy town located in the Aravalli hills on the serene banks of the Banas River. It is famous for its temple of Krishna which houses the Shrinathji, a 12th century "infant" incarnation idol (murti) of Krishna. The idol was moved in the 17th century from Govardhan hill, near Mathura along holy river Yamuna, to protect it from the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's campaign against Hindu worship in his empire.

History

Nathdwara is a popular Hindu pilgrimage site. This is one of the most celebrated pilgrimage shrines of India, enshrining Krishna as Govardhana Giridhari. Nathdwara is situated 48 km north east of Udaipur in Rajasthan, on the banks of the Banas River. Nathdwara enshrines Shrinathji - an image of Krishna, which was originally, enshrined at the Vraja Bhoomi at Mount Govardhana near Mathura.The name Nathdwara means Gate of the Lord. The image was brought to Mewar, for the sake of protection during the period of Aurangazeb, the Moghul monarch.

The chariot carrying the image is said to have gotten stuck here, and hence a temple was established with the permission of the then Rana of Mewar, at Nathdwara. Nathdwara is very closely associated with the Vallabha Sampradaya of Vaishnavism. Prior to his visiting the Shrinathji shrine, Vallabhacharya is said to have described Puri,Pandharpur , Srirangam and Tirupati as four great centers of Vaishnavism, in his work Tatvartha Deepa Nibhandha.

Accessibility

Air: Nearest airport to Nathdwara is Udaipur, which is at a distance of about 48 km away. Regular buses and taxis ply to Nathdwara from Udaipur. Many domestic airlines connect the city to most of the major cities in India including Kolkata, Jaipur, Delhi and Mumbai. Regular flight services are available from Udaipur to Delhi and Mumbai. Taxi services are offered at a rate of Rs 700 from airport to Nathdwara city.

Rail: Udaipur is the nearest railhead, well connected to Jaipur, Delhi and other parts of Rajasthan and North India. Udaipur is located in the main broad gauge railway line and the railway station is connected to all other railway stations in India. Passenger and express train services are available from Udaipur to nearby cities like Jaipur and Jaisalmer.

Road: Nearest airport to Nathdwara is Udaipur, which is at a distance of about 48 km away. Regular buses and taxis ply to Nathdwara from Udaipur. Many domestic airlines connect the city to most of the major cities in India including Kolkata, Jaipur, Delhi and Mumbai. Regular flight services are available from Udaipur to Delhi and Mumbai. Taxi services are offered at a rate of Rs 700 from airport to Nathdwara city.

Shopping

Nathdwara shopping destinations offer you a number of items to shop for. The main shopping places in Nathdwara, Rajasthan consists of the various markets surrounding the main Haveli. This Nathdwara shopping guide provides you with a list of the popular shopping items of Nathdwara:

Sweets
You can buy some mouth watering and delicious sweets from Nathdwara. The best place to buy sweets is from the temple itself.

Paintings
A range of paintings is available at Nathdwara, from the ok types to some truly fascinating ones. The paintings are done on paper, cotton, silk and ivory. Don't forget to bargain while buying these truly beautiful works of art.

Attars
Attars are basically oil based natural perfumes. They come in a range of flowery scents.

Tie and dye clothes
Tie-dye saris of Nathdwara are quite popular.

Other Items
Handmade gold and silver jewelry
Gold and silver toys
Enamelware
Filigree boxes

District
Rajsamand
STD Code
02953
Termperature
Summer 22-40°C, Winter 0-23°C
Best time to visit
October to march