SHRINATHJI TEMPLE
Sacred temple housing a highly venerated idol that attracts thousands of worshippers, visit to see the devotional spectacle
This sacred temple shelters a very venerated idol. It would have been moved from Mathura, the cradle of Krishna, in the XVIIth century, in order to protect it from the Moghuls. The Moslem sovereigns did not make district and very often razed the Hindu temples present on their passage. By sending Krishna to the heart of Rajasthan, guarded by the proud Rajput warriors, the faithful were reassured. The idol continues to attract devotees by the thousands and the spectacle of their devotion is well worth the visit. Krishna is shown at fixed times during different ceremonies.
Mangla at 5:30 am : Krishna wakes up
Shringar at 7:15 am : Krishna puts on his first outfit of the day
Gwal at 9.15 am : Krishna takes his cows to graze.
Rajbhog at 11:15 am : Krishna takes his first meal of the day.
Utthan at 3:30 pm : Krishna fell asleep while watching his cows and wakes up from his nap.
Bhog at 4:30 pm: Krishna takes his second meal of the day.
Arti at 5pm: Krishna prays just after sunset.
Shyan at 6:30 pm: Krishna goes to bed.
Devotees wait, men and women separated, in separate rooms, in front of heavy doors of chiseled silver. There is a third room for VIPs, which you can access by paying a fee to one of the many temple guards. In the women's room, you will see elderly ladies busy peeling vegetables. They will be used for the priests' and guards' meals. There are 3,600 of them in total working in the temple, although not all of them are present at the same time. At the appointed hour, the doors open, starting with those of the VIPs and then the women. They are invited to take a seat in a tiered room from where the beautiful black idol, richly dressed, can be seen. People jostle to see and pray, raising their arms to the sky in celebration of Krishna. After 5 minutes, the men are invited to return, chasing away the devotees already present. They then move to another room where a priest officiates and re-enacts the symbolic scene of Krishna being cradled by Vasudeva. A basket covered with rhinestones and flowers swings while the priest passes a top. It's a bit like a merry-go-round! The devotional ritual is then over but you can of course buy milk or prasad, a kind of sweet bread. Normally, they are used as offerings to Krishna, who then redistributes them to the devotees after the prayer.
A visit to the temple of Krishna is an incredible moment, mixing fervor, mysterious rites and exuberant joy of the pilgrims.