"ShriVallabh"
The prime sevak of Shree Vallabhacharya - Shreenathji's mandir is in Nathdwara which was not made on the basis of religious sentiments but more on the basis of emotional sentiments.From every corner of this temple you can feel the religious sentiments and values of the devotees.
Places like - Yamunaji of ''Ninadini Sarita Banas'', ''Badamgra Giriraj Govardhan'', VrindavanBaug- Vrindavan, The kund of Vrindavan Baug, Bimal kund, Lalbaug garden, Chowki of Sinhad, ''Dan Khati'', Sinhad's lake - ''Mansi Ganga'', the other temples of village - ''Hadash Har Dwadash Nikung'',''Suraj poal'', The respected Pushti Navadbhakti of ''Gholi Patiya'', The 24 feathers of Kamal Chowk, The 24 words of Gayatri Mata, ''Sinha poal'',''Ratna poal'', ''Char Sinha'', ''Char Ved'', ''Dol Tibari'', Nand Bhavan, Dol Tibari's three door- Raag, Bhog, Shringar, ''Sapt Dhwaja Gopi Swaroop'', the clothes of Dhwaja, The ''Annapat''of Gopis, ''Sapt Baans'', The Sapt Patras'', of Shree Gusainji, Chakraraj, Sudarshan-the two bhakts of Kamal Chowk, Ashwa - Ashwini Kumar, ''Gholi Pat Ke Shwet Darshan'', less but not the least ''Lakshna Bhakti ke Ghotak'', Kamal Chowk ke Gawaksh are made with sentiments of Gopigeet''. All these places are symbols of Braj Vedas and are very inspiring.
''Nikunjnayak'' Bhagwan Shree Krishna had done many of his enchanting Rasleelas at Nand Bhavan, Gardens (Nikunj), and at the banks of Yamuna. As soon as a persons enters Nathdwara he can feel Shreenathji residing among the Braj.
As a result the residence of Shreenathji is not called as a mandir but as Nandbhavan.
Shreenathji's mandir is surrounded by many routes, ther are three main ways to enter the mandir. The main route is through Chowpaty Bazar via ''Prasad Marg'' via Lal Darwaja via Nawkar khana and leads to Govardhan pooja chowk.
The second route for entering the mandir is through Motimahal via Shree Navneet Priyaji Mandir via Shree krishna mandir and leads out at Govardhan pooja chowk.
The third route is through''Surya poal'' which is just outside Govardhan Pooja Chowk.
THE IMPORTANCE OF SHREE NATHDWARA PILGRIM
(''TIRTH YATRA'')
In the Vaishnav dharam among all the important pilgrim centres, Nathdwara is considered as the most important. It is situated at a distance of 48 km from the beautiful city Udaipur. Over here the idol of Bhagwan Shree Krishna is huge and famous throughout India. Devotees from different parts of country come overhere for the darshan of God. People from different parts of the country constantly keep coming for darshan.
The Swaroop of Shreenathji was first at Govardhan Girirajji Parvat near Mathura. This is the place where Shreeji emerged. But during the reign of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb when he tried to demolish the temples and murtis at that time The Vallabh Goswami Pariwar, Goswami Shree Daoji, Shree Govindji, Shree Balkrishnaji etc thought it was impossible for Prabhu to stay over there and took him silently from there to Mewad - Sinhad gram via Agra, Kota, Boondi, Kota, Pushkar, Krishnagad & Jodhpur. The name of village Sinhad was changed to Shreenathji after the arrival of Shreenathji.
Though the sacred place of Shreeji was small but was made very beautiful with the imagination of Shree Vallabhacharya as if there was moon seen among the stars in the sky.
The natural location over here is very beautiful. The routes coming from Manyana Railway station (small line), Udaipur (Bus route)- both these routes meet at Nathdwara. there is a small water stream overhere.
In the past the route to enter Nathdwara was the'' Purana Darwaza'' but now the route is through ''Rashtriyarat marg''. Thus there is a road route to come through private buses, private cars and now due to the helipad made for the helicopters the people can do the darshans with ease.
To facilitate the pilgrimers various dharamshalas & cottages are available where there are many comforts that can be availed.
There is a entrance from Govardhan pooja Chowk after climbing one staircase that leads ''Ghole Patiya'' where the way to the third entrance to the mandir meets. Through ''Priyatam Poal'' all the men who want to the darshans can enter the Kamal Chowk. From ''Kamal chowk'' they go through ''Haati poal'' via ''Ratna chowk'' and reach Dol Tibari''. Even from Kamal chowk via Kirtaniyapangli you can go to ''Dol Tibari'' for darshan. this the only place where people can stand at a distance of more than thousand kilometres and have the darshan of Shreenathji and thus fulfill their desire to see God.
Beyond 'Dol Tibari' ther is Mani kota''. In the next section after Manikota Shreenathjis idol is placed . Nobody accept the Goswamijis family and the head of the village are allowed to enter over there.
Shreenathji's mandir is not like the other hindu mandirs . there is no peak on this mandir. The whole mandir is made of concrete cement but only the section where Shreeji is placed is made of raw twigs of coconut. There is Chakraraj Sudarshan and ''Sapt Dhwaja'' on that ceiling.
There is no dhwaja on the other mandirs of Vallabh Sampraday. There is dhwaja only on the main part of the mandir.
There are precautions taken to see that no birds sit on the ''Chakraraj Sudarshan'' and the ''Sapt Dhwaja''. No devotee can touch the Chakraraj Sudarshan, they can do its darshan only from a distance. Everyday the Chakraraj Sudarshan is given a bath with uttar (scent). Cleanliness & holiness is essential in all its functions.
There are gold & silver grinders (where kesar & kasturi is grinded) ,wells of oil & ghee, ''Panghar'', ''Phoolghar'',''Shakghar''
Doodh ghar'', ''Khaja ghar'', Prasadi ghar'', Mewaghar'', ''Pedaghar'','' Patal ghar'', ''Gulabghar'', Balbhog, 'Khaas ghar'', ''Gehna ghar'',''Vastra ghar'', ''Darji ghar'', Shree Krishna bhandar, '' Kharch ghar'' etc.
In India Shreenathji's mandir is different from other mandirs and considered above all the one's in the Vallabh family.
The place where actually Prabhuji is placed is best place in Braj as many mountains and streams of water are surrounded on all the four sides. This place has a very pleasant climate. During the rains the sight of the whole place changes and becomes beautiful.
This is the main pilgrim place of the Vallabh Sampraday followers and the other Vaishnavs where not only people from India but many people outside India come every year for the darshans. and also offer many gifts to God. In the times of festival people come in large quantities for darshan and suprisingly inspoite of being such a small place the arrangements for food, shelter etc are made very quickly. There are also arrangements for police protection made when required.The manmdir has got a very royal image. Other than the kings of Mewad, the Rajput & sardars etc offer many donations to God. The annual income of this temple would be around lakhs as well as the expenditure would be in lakhs.
the importance of Nathdwara pilgrim is more than the importance of the pilgrim of four dhams.
