Nathdwara
Nathdwara is a small town in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Situated at a distance of 48kms in the north-east of Udaipur and is sited on the right bank of Banas River. Nathdwara is famous for its 17th century temple that is dedicated to Lord Shrinathji (Lord Krishna). The term ‘Nathdwara’ suggests the ‘Gate of the lord’. Shrinathji Temple is also known as ‘Haveli of Shrinathji’ and makes a prominent pilgrimage of the Hindus / Vaishnavas. Nathdwara is also famous for the Pichhwai paintings – the most famous Rajasthani art. This art portrays the Lord Shrinathji & their activities.
Connectivity
By Air : Nathdwara does not have an aerodrome. Though the nearest airport to Nathdwara is Udaipur, which is at a distance of about 60 km away. Many bus and taxi services are available from the airport that drop you to Nathdwara.
By Train : Nathdwara does not have a railway station of its own. The nearest railway heads are Mavli Jn., 30 Kms and Udaipur City Railway Station, 50 Kms from the town of Nathdwara. Mavli Jn isn’t a major railway station, though all trains halt at Udaipur City Railway Station.
By Road : Nathdwara can be accessed by state owned buses from neighboring cities. Volvo buses are available from major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur and Ahmedabad up to Udaipur. The roads are traversable and hence travelling via roadways is not an issue.
Best Season to Visit
September to February are the best months to arrive here. The climate is at the extremes here. The summers are unbearably hot with temperatures reaching up to 42. degrees. The winters are relatively cooler with the days having an average temperature of 26 degrees while the nights are as cool as 9 degrees. The best time to visit this place would be during the months of September to February.
During the times of Holi, Diwali and Janmashtmi, people throng in large numbers and the place gets overcrowded. Apart from festivals like Holi and Janmashtmi, Annakutta is a major festival that is celebrated in the temple with full gusto and fervor.
Shri Nathji Temple: This temple is the only major attraction at Nathdwara. This 17th century temple house the original statue of Shrinathji or Lord Krishna. According to history, the statue was brought to Mewar kingdom for the sake of safety in the period of Aurangazeb the Moghul monarch. The chariot shipping the statue was jammed here, and consequently a shrine was established with the permission of the then Rana of Mewar at Nathdwara. The structure of this temple is simple, but the aesthetic appeal of this temple is ceaseless. The image of Shrinathji is worth seeing and feeling the celestial beauty of the God. Lord Shrinathji symbolizes a form of Lord Krishna, when he lifted the ‘Govardhana’ (a hill). In the image, the lord is revealed with his left hand raised and the right is bunged in a fist. The idol is carved out of a large black stone. Images of two cows, a snake, a lion, two peacocks and a parrot by the god’s head are imprinted on the idol.
