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Shri Sanwaliya Seth Temple (Sanwaliya Ji Dham)

Mandaphia, Chittorgarh district, Rajasthan (on the Chittorgarh–Udaipur highway, about 40 km from Chittorgarh)

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Shri Sanwaliya Seth Temple (Sanwaliya Ji Dham)
Photo: Dr. NITEESH KUMAR, CC BY-SA 4.0

About

The Sanwaliya Seth temple at Mandaphia, on the Chittorgarh–Udaipur highway, is one of the best-known Krishna temples of Mewar. Here Shri Krishna is worshipped as Sanwaliya Seth: the dark-skinned Lord, whom devotees also think of as their 'seth', or great merchant. The murti is of black stone, and the large temple is built of pink sandstone. For many Vaishnav families it is the most important Krishna dham of the area after Nathdwara. Many traders here have a custom of treating Sanwaliya Seth as a partner in their work and offering him a share of their earnings.

The story

Local tradition says that in 1840 a cowherd named Bholaram Gurjar dreamt that three divine murtis lay buried at Chhapar, on the border of Bhadsoda and Bagund villages. When the villagers dug there, they found three beautiful murtis of Shri Krishna, just as he had seen in the dream.

One murti was kept where it was found, and the temple there is called the Prakatya Sthal, the place of appearance. The second was installed in Bhadsoda village, and its temple is counted as the oldest of the three. The third was taken to Mandaphia, where the grandest temple now stands, known as Sanwaliya Ji Dham. The three temples are only a few kilometres apart, and many pilgrims visit all of them.

Over time the Mandaphia shrine grew from a small temple into a large complex. Every year on Bhadrapad Shukla Ekadashi, called Jaljhulni Ekadashi, the Lord is taken out in a rath (chariot) procession and a big fair is held.

Visiting

October to March is the most pleasant time. The temple is on the main highway, so a visit can be joined with Chittorgarh Fort, about 40 km away, or with Udaipur and Nathdwara. The other two Sanwaliya temples, at Bhadsoda and at the Prakatya Sthal, are a short drive away.

Festivals

  • Jaljhulni Ekadashi fair and rath yatra (Bhadrapad Shukla Ekadashi)
  • Shri Krishna Janmashtami
  • Holi and Phooldol Utsav
  • Diwali and Annakut

Devta dhams

Sources