One of the oldest cities on the banks of Yamuna, Vrindavan is considered to be one of the most important places of pilgrimage for the devotees of Krishna. It is said that Lord Krishna had spent his childhood in Vrindavan. The name of the city has been derived from Vrinda (meaning basil) and van (meaning grove) which perhaps refer to the two small groves at Nidhivan and Seva Kunj. Since Vrindavan is considered to be a sacred place, a large number of people come here to abandon their worldly life.
The city of Vrindavan hosts hundreds of Lord Krishna and Radha temples scattered throughout, the most famous ones being Banke Bihari temple and the world-famous ISKCON temple. The vibrant surroundings perfectly depict the playful and benevolent nature of Lord Krishna. Located along the waters of River Yamuna, the numerous temples set amidst the thick woods and lush greenery of Vrindavan are the major attractions here.
Places to Visit
Banke Bihari Mandir
Shri Banke Bihari Mandir is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Krishna in the holy city of Vrindavan in the Mathura district. One of the most revered shrines in the country, this temple is among the 7 temples of Thakur of Vrindavan which also include Sri Radhavallabh Ji, Shri Govind Dev Ji and four others. As you come in the presence of the Banke Bihari Temple, you are confronted with the stunning Rajasthani- style edifice of the temple, which is adorned with arched windows and meticulous stonework. The image of Lord Krishna in the temple appears in the form of a child and is seen standing in the Tribhanga position. One interesting fact about the Banke Bihari temple is that there are no bells or conchs in the premises, as the Lord does not like the sound of these instruments. Divine invocations are performed by peaceful chants of ‘Radha Naam’.
The word ‘Banke’ means bent in three places, while the word ‘Bihari’ means supreme enjoyer. The idol in Banke Bihari Temple was originally worshipped under the name of Kunj- Bihari which means enjoyer of lakes. The sewa of the Bihariji is unique in its own way. It is performed in three parts every day ie Shringar, Rajbhog and Shayan. While Shringar (which includes bath, dressing and adornment with jewellery like crown and necklaces) and Rajbhog (feast) are offered in the forenoon, Shayan Sewa (Shayan means sleep) is offered in the evening. One of the holiest places when it comes to the worship of Lord Krishna, the Banke Bihari Temple is thronged by devotees all through the year.
Prem Mandir
Imbued with elegance and grandeur, the Prem Mandir is a massive temple that was shaped by Jagadguru Shri Kripaluji Maharaj in the year 2001. Known as “Temple of God’s love”, this grand religious place is dedicated to Radha Krishna as well as Sita Ram. Located in Vrindavan, the holy city in the district of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, the temple is enveloped with piousness and serenity. This newly constructed temple is the most beautiful in the entire Brij area and is crowded with devotees during the time of the Aarti.
Made out of white marble and adorned with very intricate carvings, this temple is also famous for its architectural beauty. Statues of Shri Krishna and his admirers, portraying essential occasions surrounding the Lord’s life, cover the main temple. Various scenes from Krishna’s life, like raising the Govardhan Mountain, have been depicted on the periphery of the Prem Mandir. The lighting of the temple further glorifies its spectacular look, especially during the night. The colored water twists and twirls to the tunes of the kirtans of Radha Krishna being played nearby and are an audio-visual delight.
Radha Raman Temple
Located about 2 kilometers from the Vrindavan Railway Station is one of the most revered early modern Hindu temples in Vrindavan, the Radha Raman Temple. It is dedicated to Lord Krishna, who is considered to be Radha Raman, meaning one who gives pleasure to Radha. The temple is known to have the original Shaligram deity of Krishna alongside Radharani, which is the self-manifested deity from Shaligram Shila and has a mystical smile on his face. The Radha Raman temple complex also has the samadhi of Gopal Bhatta, located right next to the appearance place of Radha Raman.
Radha Raman Temple is said to be one of the most significant among the 7 temples of Thakur of Vrindavan. It holds importance especially among the followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. The temple was beautifully crafted when it was established in 1542 but was renovated later in 1826 by Shah Behari Lallji. Another interesting fact about this temple is that even though it is dedicated to and named after Radha, there is no deity of Radha Rani in the temple. There is only a crown kept next to Krishna to signify her presence.
ISKCON Vrindavan
Also known as Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir, ISKCON Vrindavan is a dream fulfilled of Swami Prabhupada (the founder-acharya of ISKCON), who wished to build a temple for the brothers – Krishna and Balaram – in the same holy city where they played together several centuries ago. Located in the Raman Reti area of Vrindavan, ISKCON temple has become the major attraction in the city and is thronged by devotees from nearby Delhi and all over the world. People visiting the divine temple are spellbound by the Aarti and Bhagavad Geeta classes held here every day.
The three altars at ISKCON Vrindavan are the seats of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, Shri Krishna and Balaram and Sri Sri Radha Shyamasundara along with Lalita and Vishakha. The presiding deity of the temple, however, is Lord Krishna-Balaram. There are two idols on the central slab of the temple which depict Krishna and Balarama, who were brothers. On the right dais are the idols of their friends. On the left side is a statue of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu with Nityananda, and of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and his spiritual coach Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. Krishna-Balaram Mandir implements great ethics of hygiene and deity adoration in the whole of Vrindavan.
Sri Ranganatha Temple
Vrindavan is popularly known as the “town of temples” and the “Land of God”. The Sri Ranganatha Temple is a prominent and famous temple located in this beautiful town. It is also the largest temple in the vicinity. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and his consort, Lakshmi. The Sri Ranganatha Temple also showcases the idols of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana along with Lord Narasimha, Venugopala and Ramanujacharya. This ancient temple is a stunning example of the Dravidian style of architecture. Devotees come here in huge numbers to worship the several deities who preside over this temple.
Katyayani Peeth
Being one among the 51 Shakti peeths, the Katyayani Peeth in Vrindavan is also known as Uma Shakti Peeth. The Katyayani Peeth temple in Vrindavan, also known as Uma Shakti Peeth is one of the 51 Shakti peeths in the country and is a must-visit for anyone who comes to Vrindavan. One should definitely come to Katyayani Peeth at least once in a lifetime to celebrate Navratri or Vijaya Dashami. The grand celebration is a sight for sore eyes. Take a stroll in the nearby sacred groves and enjoy street food at the nearby bazaars. You will definitely have a wonderful day. You can go solo or go with your family and dear ones, the excitement does not reduce.
Shahji Temple
The Shahji temple was built in the year 1876 by Shah Kundan Lal and is dedicated to Lord Krishna. The main deity here is known as Chhote Radha Raman. Its impressive marble structure features 12 beautiful spiral columns of a height of 15 feet each and also the Basanti Kamra which is a hall with Belgian glass chandeliers and intricate paintings placed within. Shahji Temple is mainly visited by religious devotees and tourists to admire the stunning architecture.
Sri Sri Radha Gokulnanda Temple
Situated between Keshi Ghat and Radha Raman Temple in Vrindavan, Radha Gokulananda Temple was created by Lokanath Goswami and contains idols of Radha Vinoda, Radha Gokulananda and Lord Chaitanya. Although the temple has no elaborate structure, it still holds great significance amongst Hindus and Lord Krishna devotees. For god-lovers, it is a perfect place to be as the eternal chants of aarti and immense purity fills the atmosphere and one can feel the calmness around.
The Radha Gokulnanda temple houses a Govardhana-shila that was given by Lord Chaitanya to Raghunath Dasa Gosvami. This shila bears the thumbprint of Lord Caitanya. Originally, there was no Deity of Radharani in this temple. Jahnava Devi had a deity of Radha made in Jagannatha Puri and installed it next to Radha-Vinoda. This original deity of Radha-Vinoda is now being worshipped in Jaipur.
Sri Govind devji Temple
Sitting on the laps of the very town where the Hindu God, Lord Krishna is believed to have spent his childhood, the Govind Devji Temple stands as an architectural marvel since the past five centuries. The temple, built of red sandstone, is dedicated to Lord Krishna in his childhood home. Vrindavan is a twin town to Mathura, where Sri Krishna was born and adjacent to Gokul, where he is believed to have spent the initial years of his childhood.
The Govind Devji Temple is a shrine revered as one of the holiest in the said place, set amongst the many other sanctums dedicated to the Lord. Although the original idol no longer exists in the temple, it is said that the idol of Lord Krishna in Govind Devji Temple resembled the face of the lord when he was born.
The magnificent temple is a wonder for the Hindu pilgrims as one can witness the purity of the place where the Lord was once believed to have been resided and performed all his miracles. James Hastings points out in Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics; the Govind Devji Temple is one of the four temples of particular interest among the thousand within the periphery of Vrindavan town.
Gopeshwar Mahadev Temple
Gopeshwar Mahadev Temple is one of the oldest temples in Vrindavan, located in close vicinity to the holy Yamuna River. The temple is revered for the Shiva Linga which was established here by the great-grandson of Lord Krishna, Vrajanabha. Thousands of devotees visit this shrine in Vrindavan to worship Lord Shiva as this temple is one of the few in town that is associated with Shiva.
The temple holds the confluence of the masculine and feminine powers of nature – Shiva Linga which is the symbol of male power worshipped during the day (6:00 AM – 10:00 AM) and Shiv Linga dressed as a gopi with special shringar ceremonies which is worshipped at night (5:00 PM – 9:00 PM) at the time of Raasleela.
Gopeshwar Mahadev Temple is located near Vamshivat and anyone who wishes to explore the bliss of Raas Leela must visit the temple and pray to Gopeshwar for inducing him into Sakhibhav. The legends of Vrindavan consider Lord Shiva as the first Vaishnav ever and the guru of all Vaishnav since he was a devotee of Lord Vishnu of whom Lord Krishna was an avatar.
Must Try Food in Vrindavan
1. Vrindavan Vegetarian Restaurant
2. 11 FLOWERS Rooftop & AC Restaurant
3. MVT Restaurant
4. Pizza Olive
5. Sri Govindas Restaurant
6. Sagar Restaurant
7. Swastika Vyanjan & Tiffin Center
8. Food Art Fine Dining
9. Bharti Foods Restaurant
10. Bharti Vyanjan
How To Get Here
By Air
Vrindavan does not have an airport of its own. The nearest airport to Vrindavan is the Kheria Airport in Agra located around 55 km away. The Agra Airport is connected to major cities in India like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Varanasi through limited flights.
The nearest international airport to Vrindavan is the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, located about 130 km away.
For travelling from the airport to Vrindavan, pre-paid taxis are the best option. If looking for alternative mode, one can find a bus from Agra town to Vrindavan.
Nearest Airport: Agra Airport (AGR) – 54 kms from Vrindavan
By Road
Located on NH 2, Vrindavan is easily accessible by road, especially from the major cities in Uttar Pradesh. Since most of the roads are well-planned, the road journey to Vrindavan is doable. This is a comfortable though costlier means of transport for travelling to Vrindavan.
By Train
The railway station serving Vrindavan is the Mathura Railway Station. Falling on the Northern and South-Western Railway Line, it is connected to all parts of the country through regular trains.
One can easily find autos and taxis from Mathura Railway Station to Vrindavan.