Shrinathji
Painting of Shrinathji
Venerated in	Pushtimarg
Affiliation	Krishnaism-Vaishnavism
Region	Nathdwara
Temple	Shrinathji Temple

Shrinathji is a form of Krishna, manifested as a seven-year-old child.^[1] The principal shrine of Shrinathji is the Shrinathji Temple in the temple city of Nathdwara, 48 kilometres north-east of Udaipur city in Rajasthan,India. Shrinathji is the central presiding deity of the Vaishnava sect known as Pushtimarg (the way of grace) or the Vallabha Sampradaya, established by Vallabhacharya. Shrinathji is worshipped mainly by the followers of Bhakti Yoga and the Vaishnavas in Gujarat and Rajasthan,^[2] and Bhatias^[3] amongst others.

Vitthal Nathji,^[4] son of Vallabhacharya institutionalised the worship of Shrinathji at Nathdwara.^[5] On account of the popularity of Shrinathji, Nathdwara city itself is referred to as ‘Shrinathji’.^[6] People also call it Bava's (Shreenathji Bava) Nagri. Initially, the child Krishna deity was referred to as Devadāman ("the conqueror of Gods" referring to the over-powering of Indra by Krishna in the lifting of Govardhan hill).^[7] Vallabhacharya named him as Gopala and the place of his worship as ‘Gopalpur’. Later, Vitthal Nathji named the deity as Shrinathji. Shrinathji's seva is performed in 8 parts of the day.

History

Nathdwara Temple or Haveli

Gate of the Shrinathji Temple

Shrinathji was brought to Mewar region of Rajasthan through Agra and Gwalior, during the reign of Aurangazeb, because devotes like Ajab Kunwarbai called him. The chariot carrying the image is believed to have stuck in mud at Sihad village of Mewar while traveling, and hence the idol was established in a temple built with the permission of the current Rana of Mewar. As per the religious myths, the shrine at Nathdwara was built in the 17th century at the spot as ordained by Shrinathji himself.^[13] The temple is also popularly called Shrinathji ki Haveli (House of Shrinathji) because like a regular household it has a chariot for movement (In fact the original chariot in which Shrinathji was brought to Singhar), a store room for milk (Doodhghar), a store room for betel (Paanghar), a store room for sugar and sweetmeats (Mishrighar and Pedaghar), a store room for flowers (Phoolghar), a functional kitchen (Rasoighar), a jewellery chamber (Gahnaghar), a treasury (Kharcha bhandaar), a stable for horses of chariot (Ashvashala), a drawing room (Baithak), a gold and silver grinding wheel (Chakki). There are several prominent temples around the world that pay homage to Shrinathji. Nathdwara is known as the "Vraj" of the western hemisphere . It is located in Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania. Over 100,000 Hindus visit Nathdwara in a year. The priests and servants within the temple are not paid any cash salaries, receiving simply prasad as a reward for their duties by the tilkayat maharaj. Often this prasad is given or sold to guests who visit the temple for darshan.

Icon at Nathdwara

Nathdwara Srinathji at representing the autumn Annakuta Festival. Late 18th century.

The holy icon is carved in bas-relief out of a monolithic black marble stone,^[14] with images of two cows, one lion, one snake, two peacocks and one parrot engraved on it and three sages placed near it. The idol of Shrinathji wears exquisitely worked jewels, some dating back to pre-Mughal period.^[15] Shinathji is adorned with intricately woven shaneels and silk clothes having original zari and embroidery works. This is to be noted that once the cloth(vastra) is being used by the idol is never taken in use again and every day 8 times the idol changes it's cloth(vastras), and during special occasions like janmashtmi, Holi & Diwali the idol wears dresses which are literally woven by gold wires and diamond studded embroideries. Once the vastras which the idol wears, is then given to the devotees. Even the sacred flag above the temple which is changed every day is also woven by gold and silver wires.

Festivals and rituals at the temple

The Shrinathji temple at Nathdwara celebrates, on an average, three festivals in a week.^[15] As regards to daily routine, the inner sanctum is opened 8 times a day for the devotees undertake sacred darshan of the deity. Very elaborate and complex rituals have emerged around the worship of Shrinathji due to confluence and inter-mixing of cult of Krishna as well as that of Pushti Margi Shri Vallabhacharya.^[16]

The main attractions of Shrinathji are the Aartis and the Shringar, i.e. the dressing and beautifying of the idol of Shrinathji, treating it as a living child, adorning it with the appropriate dresses commensurate with the time of day or night. The formal prayers are offered with diya, flowers, fruit and other offerings, with local instruments and devotional songs of the Shrinathji, according to the demand of the time and occasion. The view of the idol after the parda (curtain) is removed is called jhakhi.

The gadipatis and acharyas in the Havelis of Shrinathji are believed to be from the kul (descendants) of shri mahaprabhuji, Vallabhacharya, the founder of this deity's idol at Govardhan hill, near Mathura. Presently, Shrinathji is worshipped by priests from this kul (genealogical descendants) of Vallabh Acharya. In the rest of the world, a Gurjar of a special sect who has initiation and agya (permission) perform the worship of Shrinathji.

Devotees throng to the shrine in large numbers during occasions of Krishna Janmashtami, Radhashtami, Sharad Purnima, Holi and Diwali. The deity is treated like a living image, and is attended with daily normal functions, like bathing, dressing, meals called "Prasad" and the resting times in regular intervals. Since, the deity is believed to be a child form of Krishna, special care is taken and attention is given to the deity, the same way a mother would to her child.

Shrikrishna Janmashtami, the birth anniversary of Krishna is celebrated with the salute of cannons and guns at Nathdwara temple of Shrinathji in Rajasthan. People not only from the internal regions of Rajasthan but also from Gujarat and Maharashtra, visit Nathdwara to witness Krishna's seraphic festival. Here, important arrangements are made by the temple trust for security at the police and administrative level. The temple is decorated with attractive light decoration for the festival. The entire city of Nathdwara reverberates owing to the melodious sound of drum, trumpet, and clarinet at the main entrance of the temple. A series of congratulatory exchanges began pouring in a month earlier from the Ashtami of Shravan of the Krishna. According to the confirmation order, Shri Krishna Janmotsav is not celebrated as a public exhibition in the night, but on the second day, as the Nandamahotsav, that is, by affirming 'Nand Gher Anand Bhayo, Jai Kanhaiya Lal ki’ in the presence of Tilakayat Maharaj Shree and his family, Brajvasi Sevakgan (Brigadian staff), Mukhiyaji (Headman), and Shrinathji along with spattering of milk and curd while dancing in front of them.

In art and culture

Shrinathji followers have significant influence on Hindu art in the form of the Pichhwais, which are intricate and colourful paintings on cloth, paper, walls and temple hangings which portray Shrinathji. These are devotional textiles that centre on the image of Shrinathji. Nathdwara is the hub of the pichhwai art, Nathdwara Paintings.

Nathdwara is known for the Rajasthani style of the city, which is called "pichhwai Paintings" These pichhwai paintings have been painted on the wall around the Nathdwara temple by famous contemporary artists of Nathdwara.

Worship at other places

Preachers have founded Shrinathji temples in present-day Pakistan (Dera Ghazi Khan), earlier a part of undivided India and not far from Nathdwara. This was done by Shri Lalji Maharaj who was sent to Sindh by Shri Vithalnathji to spread Pushti Marg. Shrinathji is also worshipped at Russia (in the lower Volga region) and other places on the Central Asian trade routes. In the United States, there are eleven Shrinathji temples; New Haven, Connecticut, Parlin, New Jersey, Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania, Phoenix, Arizona, one in the midwest, Florida and California, Houston ( Texas), Lowell, Massachusetts Atlanta, Georgia Charlotte, North Carolina Baltimore, Maryland.

In 2013 the first Shrinathji haveli was inaugurated under the guidance of Shri Dwarkeshlalji (kadi kalol) in Melbourne Australia. Vrajdham Haveli located in Margao, Goa was inaugurated in 2013 for the benefit of all the Vaishnavas residing in Goa. ^{[19][20][21][22]}

There is a Shrinathji Temple in Bahrain, which was constructed in 1817 and is used by the Hindu community of Bahrain.^[23]

There is a shrine dedicated to Shrinathji in the Hindu Temple complex in Dubai, UAE.

See also

• Dwarkadhish Ji
• Charbhuja
• Kankroli
• Sanwaliaji

References and notes

Further reading

• Ambalal, Amit: Krishna as Shrinathji: Rajasthan Paintings from Nathdwara, Mapin, Ahmedabad (1987)
• Gaston, Anne-Marie: Krishna's Musicians: Musicians and Music making in the Temples of Nathdvara, Rajasthan, Manohar, New Delhi (1997)
• Jindel, Rajendra: Culture of a sacred town : a sociological study of Nathdwara, Popular Prakashan, Bombay (1976).
• Jones, Constance & James D. Ryan: Encyclopedia of Hinduism
• Lyons, Tryna: The artists of Nathadwara: The practice of painting in Rajasthan, Indiana University Press (2004)
• PushtiRang.com - Spread Pushtimargiya Articles around the globe via online medium