From the architectural angle, this temple is very simple unlike other temples of Mewar. Made of brick and lime it has big halls, ‘garbhagraha’ and ‘varandaha’ in front of the idol of Shrinathji. The Nathdwara Temple, enshrining a 600 year old image of Lord Krishna, is sculptured out of a single slab of black marble. Shri Krishna’s Gopal ‘swaroop’ (form) of a seven-year-old child is worshipped as Shrinathji. The idol, considered self-manifested or ‘swayambhu’, had appeared in Govardhan Mountain in twelfth century. The idol was brought from Mathura in 1660 AD. The chariot that carried it would not move after reaching this spot. That was taken as a sign of the deity's desire to remain here. Around these buildings are quarters for the priests and other staff of the temple.
Historical facts relate to the installation of the idol of Shrinathji on the invitation of Maharana Raj Singh in 1671 A.D., which was brought from Brijmandal with a view to avoiding destruction at the hands of the Mughal tyrant Aurangzeb. A village named Ghasyar was also set apart for meeting the running expenditure in connection with the ‘puja’ of the Lord. The present temple was erected in due course and to the south, a town Nathdwara (the portal of the Lord) sprang up. According to the tradition, the chief of the Vallabh Sect and this temple has been a Goswami Tilkayat.
Festivals of Annakut, Diwali and Janmashtami are celebrated in Nathdwara Temple. A Rathyatra of Shrinathji is also carried out in every summer.
Aarti & Darshan Timings in Nathdwara Temple:
| Aarti | Start Time | End Time |
|---|
| Mangla Aarti | 5:15 AM | 6:00 AM |
| Shringar Aarti | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM |
| Gwal Aarti | 9:15 AM | 9:30 AM |
| Rajbhog Aarti | 11:15 AM | 12:05 PM |
| Uthapan Aarti | 3:30 PM | 3:45 PM |
| Bhog Aarti | 4:45 PM | 5:00 PM |
| Sandhya Aarti | 5:15 PM | 6:00 PM |
| Shayan Aarti | 6:50 PM | 7:30 PM |