The Shrinathji temple is dedicated to Shree Krishna, an incarnation of God who narrated the Divine Geeta. It is situated in Nathdwara, which is in the Rajsamand district of Rajasthan in India. I visited this temple by getting off the train at a halt on our way to Udaipur.

Trip to Nathdwara: How to Reach?

This city is nearly 50 km from Udaipur and around 30 km from Mavli. The best way to reach there is by train to Mavli Junction and then an hour-long bus trip to Nathdwara.

If you don’t find a train for Mavli from your city, you can go to Udaipur and then take a bus. The bus ride from Udaipur takes a couple of hours to reach Nathdwara. The bus fare in 2026 has been ₹40 from Mavli and ₹50 from Udaipur. After that, you can use shared auto rickshaws to reach the Shrinathji temple for a nominal fare of ₹20.

Trip to Nathdwara: Shrinathji Darshan

The Shrinathji temple is just at 10 minutes’ walk from the auto rickshaw stand, so we walked. As we reached near the temple, we realised that it was closed as it opens in slots of 30-45 minutes. Therefore, we went to explore the city for another hour and returned when it was about to open.

There was a large queue of devotees, and luggage had to be submitted in the free-of-charge cloak room. Not even phones are allowed to enter the temple premises, and it became a great ease for me. I could chant the name of God without any distraction for those 30 minutes while I was in the queue. As I reached the entrance of the temple, I observed the ambience around well.

The entrance is named Goverdhan Chowk with paintings on the walls flanking it. It has a painting of decorated elephants carrying a king and a mahaavat, I guess. Another painting possesses gatemen and women dancers. On the wall above the gate, it had the painting of Krishna lifting Govardhan hill.

A few moments later, we entered the temple and got a sight of Lord, physically resembling Shri Banke Bihari Ji. He was all black, having big eyes with golden reflections, wearing a green frock-style costume with pink touches.

I stayed there staring at him for around five minutes, and then I was asked to vacate the space for other devotees. After exiting from that main temple of Shrinath ji, I entered an open-roof area with a small Shiva Family temple. I bowed my head before Mahadev and then exited from the temple premises.

Trip to Nathdwara: Enjoying Rabri

Just after visiting the temple, we went straight to a restaurant-like shop that was offering Radri for ₹30 per plate. I am very fond of this sweet dessert as I have been eating it since my childhood. My mother used to prepare this North Indian dessert by slowly simmering full-fat milk until it thickens and reduces significantly. The process creates layers of creamy malai (clotted cream) that are scraped back into the milk. It then results in a dense, sweet pudding flavoured with sugar, saffron, cardamom, and nuts like almonds or pistachios. You may find this at most sweet shops in India, and at places like Mathura, Vrindavan, Nathdwara, etc.

Trip to Nathdwara: Visiting Statue of Belief (Vishwas Swaroopam)

Vishwas Swaroopam is a 369-feet statue of the Shiva form of God in Nathdwara, Rajasthan. While the Shrinathji temple was closed in the morning, we walked to the statue of belief. It was not very far and took only 15 minutes to reach a point from where we could get a sight of it. It was morning time when the sun had just risen, and it was beautifully making the statue glow. We clicked a few pictures and moved forward.

It took 30 minutes’ walk to reach the entrance of the premises where it was situated. After reaching there, we realised that it was situated in an amusement park but was not a traditional temple. Therefore, we decided not to enter the park as we had to reach the Shrinath Ji temple in the next hour. We decided to plan a trip to Varanasi later, to visit the traditional temples dedicated to Mahadev.

Trip to Nathdwara: Beautiful Statue of Krishna Holding the Govardhan Hill

The entrance of the Statue of Belief amusement park is located closer to a crossing that houses a beautiful Krishna statue. It seems to have been created as a photography and selfie point. It houses a grey-coloured shining statue of Shri Krishna holding the Govardhan hill on his small finger.

The statues of animals and humans beneath it give a picturesque view of the story of the lord. This statue is surrounded by a small man-made water body, perhaps, which is a fountain. The walls of this fountain incorporate the statue of the hands in the Mudra of Yog. We clicked a few pictures there before going to Shrinath Ji Temple.

Trip to Nathdwara: Banas River and Nandsamand Dam

Nathdwara is situated on the banks of the Banas River that houses the NandSamand Dam. This Dam offers a scenic ambience and a beach for playful activities.

Even if you don’t go to this spot, a drive or walk on the road adjacent to the river offers a mesmerising view of nature. It offers beautiful views of hills on one side and water on the other. The only problem is that most parts of the river in Nathdwara remain waterless due to the Dam. I could not go to this place because if I went there, my trip to Udaipur would be shortened.

Trip to Nathdwara: Final Words

Nathdwara is a great place for a one-day trip for those who are devotees of Shri Krishna and those who love to stare at hills and waters. This is a pilgrimage to the famous Shrinathji temple and a peaceful gateway with hills, river, and a beautiful beach at Nandsamad Dam. If you love to do amusement activities, the Statue of Belief amusement park is in place for you. Keep Exploring!