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CULTURE PLUS Nathdwara, second Vrindavan By Deepak Kumar Rath in Nathdwara Sasanka Chakram Sakirita Kundalam Sapeeta Vastram Sarasiruhekshanam Sahara Vakshsthala Kuasthabhasriyam Namami Vishnum Sirasa Chaturbhujam Krishna is the eternal love of every Hindu. His maya, His avatar and His swarup is boundless. He is loved by people of every age, every region and every religion. One would need a full life to understand the philosophy of Krishna. How charming He is, how loving He is and how He is loved by all, can be seen in different parts of Bharat and abroad. Although Mathura is His birthplace and He spent his childhood in Vrindavan, Lord Krishna has a different lilabhumi. There are several temples all over Bharat dedicated to Krishna. Considered to be one of the supreme manifestations of divinity in the Bharatiya belief systems, Krishna is the subject of much of the classical music repertoire in the Bharatiya tradition and there is a plethora of poetry in almost all Bharatiya languages celebrating the childhood of Krishna. Guruvayur in Kerala enshrines Krishna-Guruvayurappan, an image of Krishna from Dwarka, said to have been installed by Guru and Vayu when the great deluge engulfed the earth. Udupi in Karnataka is another of the foremost shrines dedicated to Krishna. Srinathji represents another form of Krishna and Nathdwara is a popular Hindu pilgrimage site. We can say this is one of the most celebrated pilgrimage destinations of India, where Krishna is Govardhana Giridhari. Nathdwara enshrines Srinathji--an image of Krishna, which was originally at the Braja Bhoomi at mount Govardhana near Mathura. As most Hindu idols represent symbolically the various aspects of Hindu philosophy, the icon of Srinathji is indicative of the need for shedding ego and surrendering to him completely for getting out of worldly miseries and holding on tight to God to unite with Satchitananda and reach the Ultimate. This is the fundamental principle of Vaishnav ism. Srinathji represents the form of Krishna and Nathdwara is a popular Hindu pilgrimage site. We can say this is one of the most celebrated pilgrimage destinations of India, where Krishna is Govardhana Giridhari. Chief Minister has made special arrangements to promote Nathdwara as a spot for religious tourism. She has made grants to the tune of Rs 69 crore for the development of the Nathdwara town. Historical background Nathdwara, a small town in Rajasthan, is famous for its association with gods and royals. In the district of Rajsamand, 50 kms from Udaipur, Nathdwara is situated on the banks of the river Banas. The term Nathdwara means Gate (dwar) of the Lord (nath). During the 17th century, the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb banned idol worship as part of his campaign to persecute Hindus, forcing them to convert to Islam. So, Hindus moved idols from prominent temples to kingdoms beyond the Mughal control. As per available information, a Telugu Brahmin Shri Vallabhacharya founded the Vallabh sect in Mathura in the 16th century. The follower of the sect found a black stone image of Krishna. They sought sanctuary in Mewar where they got a place for continuing their religious activities under Maharana?s regime. The image of Krishna was mounted on a chariot and accompanied by a priest, set off for Chittaurgarh. However, well within the kingdom, at Sihar, one of the wheels of the chariot sank into the sand and despite all efforts, could not be pulled out. So the idol was placed in a temple at Sihar. Overtime, Sihar was renamed as Nathdwara and became a pilgrim town of importance. The temple architecture resembles the haveli architecture. The inside boundary wall of the temple depicts beautiful paintings. When one enters the temple, the fragrance of flowers and incence fills the air. Nathdwara--an old cultural temple town While travelling from Rajsamand to Udaipur, Nathdwara falls on the right side of the road. The town is full of havelis. The temple is one of the wealthiest temples in Bharat. Nathdwara is famous for its exuberant festivals, miniature paintings, jewellery and its sweets. For most visitors, the temple, from outside, offers little by way of interesting architecture. A tradition of painting cloth called pichwais emerged with the establishment of the temple in Nathdwara, and survives to this day. Pichwais are painted cloth depicting scenes from the life of Krishna. There are 24 stylised iconographic paintings that are used as curtains in the sanctum-sanctorum--each of these has a special significance, and are used on special occasions. Now, the Chief Minister of Rajasthan has made special arrangements to promote Nathdwara as a spot for religious tourism. She has made grants to the tune of Rs 69 crore for the development of the Nathdwara town. The devotees of Srinathji hail mainly from Gujarat. People from different parts of the country also throng the shrine. Foreign tourists visiting the temple, stay in the cottages run by the Temple Board. The Vasundhara Raje government has plans to develop the old temple city under the Nathdwara Temple Extension plan. The town is now full of beautiful, colourful fountains. Many initiatives have been undertaken by the Government to develop beautifully decorated gardens in and around the Nathdwara town. Beyond the sacred temple area, the town has many attractions. One can meander through its lanes, looking for handicrafts. Religious aspects of Srinathji In Nathdwara, the priests spend from early morning to late evening in tending to Lord Krishna. The child Krishna is bathed, clothed, propitiated, has his meals, enjoys a siesta, and is then appropriately dressed to bless his devotees. Therefore, the temple is opened for worship at pre-announced times, for a half-an-hour each time. The temple architecture resembles the haveli architecture. The inside boundary wall of the temple depicts beautiful paintings. When one enters the temple, the fragrance of flowers and incence fills the air. There is a beautiful jhulla inside the temple where child Gopal rests. Srinathji resides in regal splendor, always immaculately dressed and bejeweled. His jewels date back to pre-Mughal era. After the darshan, one can enjoy the mouth-watering ladoo. At regular intervals, classical music is played live in several halls as pilgrims float through its perfumed marble halls and courtyards. Pankhwalas still manually pull on the large fans. Drums and trumpets are played to announce the mid-day royal darshan. Temple servants still wear the clothes and costumes of the bygone era, serving the Lord of Nathdwara as the beloved prince and dear of Nandaraja and Yashoda Maa. Haveli itself employs some 1000 people, while rest of the people in the town thrive on the business derived directly or indirectly by the pilgrims. Nathdwara possesses an air of peace and spirituality. Religious aspects of the temple The Ashtayam pooja of the deity is performed meticulously. Rajbhoga, Shringar, Shyan etc, are the fixed timely poojas by which the deity is served as a living being and , therefore, all what is required for a human being is provided to the deity also. Customs and traditions of the temple The customs and rituals of the temple are performed as per traditions laid down by Goswami, Acharya and Gusainji. Prayers to Lord Krishna are sung alongwith bhajans and padas by the kirtanias (bhajan singers). From season to season, festival to festival and day to day these bhajans and padas, mainly composed by Surdas, Parmanand Das and other poets known as Ashtachhap poets, are sung. Garbhagriha is beautifully decorated in front of which is a sabhamandap (prayer hall) where visitors assemble for darshan. The surrounding buildings give this haveli temple a majestic look. Entire town of Nathdwara is full of dharamshalas. Srinathji is the Lord of this town. This town gives a perfect impression of Braj culture, although it is hundreds of miles away from Braj.

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