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| Edited By: Riddhi Doshi |Source: |Updated: Nov 19, 2013, 11:17 PM IST
Nathdwara, a small town next to Udaipur, is like a second home to me, well, almost. I don’t know who began the tradition to visit there but I know that my late grandfather was very fond of the place and so is my mother. Since ages, the only attraction of the place is Shrinathji’s (Lord Krishna’s) temple that is known for its grandeur. Worshippers just do one thing here, walk in and out of the temple at least seven times every day as darshans are split into seven different moments of the day. One, when the lord wakes up, then when He gets ready, when He goes to the grasslands to feed His herd of cows, when He has lunch, when He wakes up in the afternoon after a short nap, when He has His evening meal and lastly when He goes off to sleep.
The worshippers of Shrinathji push each other and even end up almost walking over each other, but they will not miss a single darshan. The rush during the aartis is unbelievable. But for those who belong to this place, like my mother, me and about a other hundred worshippers, the hordes of people are no cause for concern; what is important is one jhanki (glimpse) of the lord who looks stunning in various ornaments, colourful clothes and other elaborate decoration.
Shrinathji is everybody’s God, of the rich who go there from Mumbai and Ahmedabad and even of the local Rajasthanis and Marwaris who live in Nathdwara. But unfortunately the temple management has been giving the less fortunate with fewer privileges. So much so that the local people hardly ever get a chance to catch a glimpse of the Lord’s aarti. The reasons are obvious. They can’t pay the guards nor afford the expensive events that entitles one to a pass to the VIP gate.
And mind you there are about three VIP gates. Within the VIP gate is the show of big money and large egos and each person trying to flaunt his influence in the temple and make his way to the lord. Well, you may have made your way to the front but it’s for those who await His glimpse, singing bhajans way out of the gates, for whom God actually awaits.
