Importance of Nathdwara
Shreenathji’s (Krishna’s) city of Nathdwara is located in the Rajsamand district of the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is 48 kilometres to the northeast of Udaipur and situated in the Aravalli Hills on the banks of the Banas River. A manifestation of Lord Krishna called Shrinathji resembles the 7-year-old “infant” form of Krishna. The god was initially revered at Mathura and moved from Govardhan Hill, close to Mathura, along the holy river Yamuna in 1672 after being held in Agra for over six months. Nathdwara’s name translates to “Gateway to Shrinathji (God)” The Vallabha Acharya-founded Pushti Marg, the Vallabh Sampradaya, or the Shuddha Advaita, which is associated with Nathdwara, is a famous Vaishnavite shrine that is mostly worshipped by people in Gujarat and Rajasthan. The devotion of Shrinathji at Nathdwara was institutionalized by Vitthal Nathji, the son of Vallabhacharya. The current Royal family of Nathdwara is descended from Vallabhacharya Mahaprabhuji. The Tilkayat or Tikaet of Nathdwara are their names.
History Of Nathdwara Temple
The Nathdwara shrine was constructed in the 17th century exactly where Shrinathji himself had directed. To keep the Lord Krishna idol safe from the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, it was moved from Vrindaban. The bullock cart’s wheels were stuck in the mud when the idol arrived at its destination in the village of Sihad or Sinhad and was unable to be moved any further. When the accompanying priests realized that the location was the Lord’s preferred location, a temple was subsequently constructed there under the direction and protection of the Maharana Raj Singh of Mewar at the time. Another name for Shrinathji Temple is “Haveli of Shrinathji” (mansion).
