“Never measure the height of a mountain until you reach the top. Then you will see how low it was.” – Dag Hammarskjold
If you thought you have seen the whole city of Udaipur, then you are mistaken. Neemach Mata is indeed a place to visit in your itinerary. Located on the banks of Lake Fateh Sagar in the Dewali region of Udaipur, it is christened as the Vaishnao Devi of Udaipur. A place where you can date, worship and soak in nature all together-the grandeur of the city, the splendor of the beautiful Aravalli hills and the majesty of the Mata herself. Standing tall on a green hill the mandir resembles a crown on the head of the king.
About the Temple
Built in the year 1652-1680, Shree Neemcha Mata (Amba Mata) is the clan Goddesses of the Royal family of the Maharanas. The temple has a shikar and outside the inner temple is a hawan kund for performing Yajna. The idol of Mata is made up of stone and is 56” in height and 23” in width. The shrine also has a Ganesh idol which is 22.1” high and 12.1 wide. Also there is the three faced lion stone. As the phrase goes. .. “the journey is more important than the destination”, but here both the journey and destination are of great importance and experience. To reach the shrine, you need to tighten up your shoe laces. The shrine is nearly 900 metres high, which can be reached by climbing the steep steps or a relatively easier walkway. The entire way is surrounded by natural mountain forest and copious greenery. Whichever path you prefer, you will ultimately run across to the panoramic view of the city and the lakes which is truly bravura. And by chance if you get tired you can briefly rest on porches made at regular intervals. The temple adores so much faith that devotees climb twice a day to worship. The stone idol here is known to have a connection with the Neem tree; hence a belief is that people who visit this temple regularly will never get a skin problem. The story behind building the path way is also interesting, it is said that people used to carry sacks of stones and sand to create the way. The captivating beauty of the temple draws huge tourists also.
The walk keeps you fit. The faith keeps you alive.
Festivals
The Neemach Mata is the Kul devi of the Dakot khandan of the Kayasths. They all assemble on Hariyali Amavasya to perform puja along with the locals. Navratri is the main festival celebrated with great enthusiasm. Devotees visit the temple to offer special prayers and seek blessings during this 9 day long festival dedicated to Goddess.
Darshan Timings
The temple opens every day from 6.00 am-8.00 pm. But the timing may vary on festivals or on special occasions. Aarti Timings of Neemach Mata Mandir:
Morning Aarti at 5.30 am
Afternoon Aarti at 12.00 Noon
Evening Aarti at 5.00 pm & 6.30 pm
Best time to visit
Early mornings are the best time to visit. You inundate into the nature with minimal pollution. Countering the argument, the early evenings are also good to climb if you are looking for a visual treat with the city shinning in galore. If you are tourist, the best time to visit is from November to March every year.
So make sure you visit this temple in your next trip…