RAS question
The idol of Shrinathji was moved from Mathura to Nathdwara during whose reign?
Correct answer: (B) Maharana Raj Singh.
Shrinathji's idol was moved to Nathdwara during the reign of Maharana Raj Singh of Mewar, who provided refuge to it before it was placed at Sihad, now Nathdwara, in 1672.
Explanation
Maharana Raj Singh is the right answer because the episode belongs to late-17th-century Mewar, not the earlier Sisodia rulers. Raj Singh ruled from 1652 to 1680 and sheltered the idol in 1672 when Aurangzeb was destroying Hindu temples. The Rajasthan Tourism account supports the core sequence: Shrinathji's idol was brought to Rajasthan from Govardhana near Vrindavan to protect it from Aurangzeb's campaign against temples; other princes hesitated, but Maharana Rajsingh of Mewar gave refuge; after the journey to Mewar, the chariot stopped at Sihar, where the temple and township of Nathdwara developed. In 1672, Lord Shrinathji was placed in the new temple at village Sihad, now Nathdwara.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Maharana Kumbha belongs to the 15th century, whereas Shrinathji's establishment at Sihad/Nathdwara is tied to 1672 and Raj Singh's 17th-century reign.
- (C) Maharana Sanga ruled in the 16th century, so his period is too early for the 1672 relocation and refuge episode described for Maharana Raj Singh.
- (D) Maharana Pratap also belongs to the 16th century, while the idol's placement at Sihad, now Nathdwara, occurred in 1672 under Maharana Raj Singh.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan's religious-cultural history under Mewar, especially how temple traditions and political patronage intersected during the Mughal period. RAS asks such questions often because Nathdwara and Shrinathji are central to Rajasthan's art, pilgrimage and regional identity.