One of the most visited Hindu pilgrimage sites in Rajasthan – the Shri Khatu Shyam Ji Mandir in Sikar district – is set to get a railway station bearing its name within 12 months, as Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnau inspected the proposed site in Sundarpura, 11 km from the temple city, and reviewed the design and construction plans.
How will the new station help visitors?
Once built, the station will greatly facilitate access to millions of devotees. The nearest railway line to the temple is currently located at Ringas, 17 km away, leaving pilgrims to depend on road transport for the final leg. The proposed Sundarpura station will reduce that distance to 11 km, Vaishnao said in a video posted on the ministry’s official X handle, where he is seen explaining the plan to former Sikar MP Sumedhanand Saraswati of the BJP.
Addressing an event after the Khatipura (Jaipur)-Darbhanga Amrit Bharat Express line was halted from Khatipora station earlier on Sunday, June 21, Vaishnau said that the land for the Khatu Shyam station project has already been identified and the construction will be completed within 12 months.
He also unveiled the proposed design of the station.
The importance of the temple
Vaishnao said 50-60,000 devotees visit the temple every year, with the footfall rising to 30-40,000 during the 15-day Phalguna Mela alone. The Rajasthan Tourism Department describes the temple as one of the most important pilgrim destinations in the state.
The push for dedicated rail access dates back to April 2023, when Saraswati, then a member of the Lok Sabha, met Vaishnau and formally requested a new railway line from Ringas to Khatu Shyam ji.
Built of white Makrana marble, the temple is dedicated to Barbarika – the grandson of the Pandava Bhima – who, according to Hindu mythology, is worshiped here as a manifestation of Lord Krishna. The temple’s large prayer hall is surrounded by walls depicting painted scenes from religious epics, while the shutters of the sanctum sanctorum are covered with silver sheets.
Adjacent to the temple is Shyam Kund, a sacred pond from which, according to belief, the head of Barbarica was extracted, and where taking a dip during the Phalguna Mela ritual is considered particularly auspicious, according to Rajasthan Tourism.
Currently, pilgrims traveling by rail must get off at Ringas Junction – served by trains from Delhi and Jaipur – and arrange road transportation. Air travelers use the airport in the state capital, Jaipur, about 80 kilometers away by road. Directly by road, the temple can be reached via the Jaipur-Sikar Road and NH-11, with government and private buses connecting Khatu (also spelled Khatu) to major cities, and auto-rickshaws are available from the bus stand for the final stretch.
Vaishnau’s announcements came on the same day he and Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma launched the Jaipur-Darbhanga Amrit Bharat Express from Khatipura station and inaugurated the Khatipura Mega Training Station, which was built at a cost $205 crore with the capacity to handle the maintenance of approximately 450 trains per month.
