240 NATAGARH-NATHDIVARA. TON 1 Gaekwár of Baroda. The chief is styled Thákur. The Aswan river divides the estate into two nearly equal parts, an open plain on the north, but somewhat hilly and thickly wooded in the south. Nátágarh.— Village in the District of the Twenty-four Parganas, 1. Manufactures of brass and iron work. Aided vernacular school. Náte-puta.- Town in Sholapur District, Bombay Presidency; situated in lat. 17° 53' 40" N., and long. 74° 47' 36" E., 42 miles north-west of Pandharpur, 66 miles east by north of Satára, and 78 iniles west by north of Sholápur town. Náte-puta is situated on the Poona-Sholapur road, and is said to have been founded or raised from a village to a market-place by Malik Sundar, a Báhmani minister (1342–1490). The weekly market is held on Wednesday, at which about £19,500 worth of goods are estimated to change hands annually. About 1oo looms prepare blankets valued at £500 a year. Population (1881) 2261. Dispensary. Náthdwára.–Town in the State of Udaipur (Oodeypore) or Meywár, Rájputána; situated 22 miles north-north-east of Udaipur city, on the right bank of the Banás. Population (1881) 8458, namely, Hindus 7906, and Muhammadans 552. Náthdwára is one of the most famous Vishnuite shrines in India, possessing the original image of Krishna which was worshipped at Muttra (Mathurá). When Aurangzeb endeavoured to root out the worship of Krishna at Mathurá, the Ráná Ráj Singh of Udaipur, about 1671, obtained perinission to bring the renowned idol to Meywar; and it was escorted with vast pomp by the route of Kotah and Rámpura, until at length, after entering the territory of Udaipur, the chariot-wheels of the god stuck fast in a place called Siarh, in the fief of Dilwára. The Ráo of Dilwara, one of the sixteen great nobles of Meywár, declared that by this omen Krishna had intimated his wish that this should be his residence, and immediately conferred on Nathji (the idol) all the lands of the village; and the pious gift was subsequently confirmed by his overlord the Ráná. Náthji was removed from his chariot; in due time a temple was erected for his reception, and a great town of many thousands of inhabitants grew up around it, and was called Náthdwára, 'the portal of the Lord Krishna.' From the ridge of hills on the east, where large herds of cattle graze, to the banks of the Banas on the west, these precincts of the god have always been a sanctuary, within which no blood can be shed, no arrest made, and the criminal is free from pursuit. Rich offerings are sent here from every corner of India, and crowds of pilgrims flock to the sacred shrine. The guardians of the shrine belong to the Valabhacharya sect; and the image is one of the seven famous images possessed by this division of the votaries of Krishna. (For further account, see Tod's Annals of Rújísthún, vol. i. pp. 419–159, 2nd edition ; Madras, 1873.) Náth
