Shrinathji Temple

The Shrinathji Temple has a story behind its establishment. According to the legend, the image of Lord Shrinathji was enshrined in Vrindavan (land of Lord Krishna), but to protect the idol from the destructive rage of Aurangzeb. In 1672, Rana Raj Singh was the only gallant, who made an effort to rescue the idol from the domain of Aurangzeb. It is said that when the image was being shifted to an impervious place then at a particular place, the wheel of vehicle sank deep down in mud. The image refused to move further, so the escorting priest apprehended that this was Lord’s chosen spot. Thus, a temple was built on the same spot.

It is believed Shrinathji used to travel to Mewar to play dice with a Princess by the name of Ajab Kauri. She was upset whenever her beloved Shrinathji would go back to Vraj and asked him to stay with her in the palace. Lord Shrinathji said that one day He would make her palace His home. This palace is the current temple of Shrinathji.

Presently, Shrinathji is worshiped by priests from this kul (genealogical descendants) of Vallabhacharya, in all Havelis around the world, which have also been established exclusively by them.Economy and livelihoods in Nathdwara town revolve around the Haveli, the term used for the temple probably because it was situated in a fortified mansion, or Haveli, once a royal palace of the Sesodia Rajput rulers of Mewar.

Shrinathji was quite popular with other medieval devotees, as well, as there were preachers who founded Shrinathji temples in present-dayPakistan (Dera Ghazi Khan). This was done by Shri LaljiMaharaj and his deity of Shri Gopinathji and Shri Dauji of Dera Ghazi Khan, earlier a part of undivided India and not far from here. Shrinathji was even worshiped as far away as Russia and other places on the Central Asian trade routes. Tradition holds that Shrinathji would return to Govardhansomeday with a new temple at Puchri in Govardhan.

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.