Sri Nathji
Arrived in Nathdwar this morning at 8.30 am having travelled from Ajmer to Udaipur over night and two hours from Udaipur to Nathdwar this morning.
This is the hometown of Sri Nathji, one of the most popular deities of Krishna in India. The deity is said to have been originally installed by Vajranabha, Krishna’s great-grandson about 5000 years ago and is depicted holding Govardhana Hill He was rediscovered about 500 years ago and worshipped on Govardhana Hill before old Aurangzeb, still afflicted by CTSD (Compulsive Temple-Smashing -Disorder) caused him to be moved to Mewar first and then to Nathdwar around 1669.
The priests of the temple are followers of Vallabhyacarya (1479) and despite its simple architectural style, the temple is said to be the second richest in India, after the Balaji temple in Tirupati.
I managed to make two darshans this morning and sit in with a group of local ladies preparing vegetables in the temple courtyard. The temple is packed at these times with everyone endearingly running in high spirits to see and be seen by him. Understandably no photos were allowed anywhere inside the beautiful simple homestead style temple.
Being the only Gauri (white one) there that day I received handfuls of blessings from all the ladies to send me on my tirtha yatra way stuffed with maha prasadam (food offered to the deities.)
I leave for Amedebad at 2pm and from there will travel overnight to Dwarka.
Anuradha in India 