| FACTS &
FIGURES
Population : 4,74,746
Languages : Hindi, Braj, and English
Best Time to Visit : October to March
STD Codes : 0565
LOCATION
Vrindavan is situated in the north Indian state of
Uttar Pradesh around 151 km south of Delhi. It extends
latitude 27°33¢ in the North to longitude 77°44¢
in the East. The place is just 10 km off Mathura, the
place where Lord Krishna is said to have spent his childhood.
Vrindavan is situated on the New Delhi–Chennai
and New Delhi–Mumbai main railway line. A meter-gauge
line connects Vrindavan to Mathura. There are quite
a good number of passenger trains plying between these
two places.
CLIMATE
Being a part of the Gangetic plain, Vrindavan faces
extreme climate with hot and humid summer and chilly
winter. The maximum temperature during the summer can
reach a high of around 45°C and a low of around
5°C during the winters. Monsoon reaches this region
in the first week of July and continues till the second
week of September. The ideal season to visit Vrindavan
is during winters (October to mid-March).
PAST
The name ‘Vrindavan’ is said to have been
derived from ‘Vrinda’, another name for
the sacred tulsi (basil) plant. A legend has it that
the entire place was a tulsi grove at one time. According
to another tradition, it was named after Vrinda Devi,
one of Krishna’s playmates. Whatever may be the
case, Vrindavan is primarily a place of temples. Nearly
4,000 in number, which include several private shrines
and sattras (houses for the distribution of alms), they
are spread on a 10 km stretch. The earliest known shrine
in Vrindavan is said to have been built by the local
gosains in a large garden called Nidhiban, later named
Seva Kunj. According to tradition, Emperor Akbar was
taken blindfolded inside the grove where he had some
kind of a spiritual experience. As a result, he acknowledged
the spot as being holy ground. The four temples that
were built in honour of his visit are Govind Deva, Madan
Mohan, Gopinath, and Jugal Kishore. The first is an
impressive edifice built in red sandstone. Architecturally
this temple is one of the finest in North India. The
beautiful tower that exists has lost some of its upper
stories. A mutilated inscription on one of its walls
records that Raja Man Singh of Amber built the temple
in 1590. At the time of Aurangzeb, the principal image
was removed from Vrindavan to Jaipur.
However, apart from its history, what keeps Vrindavan
alive in the popular imagination of the people is its
rich legend and mythology. Vrindavan is considered the
place where Lord Krishna spent his early childhood.
It was here that Krishna indulged in adolescent pranks
with the gopis (milkmaids) in the forests and stealing
their clothes while they bathed in the river. Little
now remain of the legendary forests and the river has
meandered away from most of Vrindavan’s bathing
ghats, but the Krishna effect is still there in the
large number of pilgrims visiting this town.
SITES TO VISIT
The Pagal Baba Temple has eleven stories in all and
is one of the more modern pieces of architecture. The
temple’s creator, Pagal Baba, died only a few
years ago. His infectious spirit lingers on in the playfulness
of his disciples who are ready to welcome one into the
temple interior. It is possible to ascend to the ninth
story if the monsoon heat and one’s constitution
allows.
One of the most important and vibrant temples is the
Bankey Bihari Temple, where one can expect to see devotees
engaged in simple acts of worship such as ecstatically
clashing small cymbals together as they move in time
to ancient rhythms. The Bankey Bihari Temple houses
a sacred image of Krishna known as Thakkur Ji, which
shows Krishna with an almost blackened body. Devotees
enter the shrine room carrying garlands of flower petals
and offer them to the spirit of the statue as Brahmins
move back and forth in front of the icon, occasionally
drawing across the curtain to shroud the object of devotion
for a moment.
The Govind Dev Temple was built in 1590 by Raja Man
Singh and now lies empty, its upper layers having been
torn down during the time of the Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb,
who doubtless considered the place one of idolatry.
What remains of this red sandstone edifice is impressive.
If one takes the time to examine the artwork and in
particular, the vaulted ceiling, one may experience
a lot of the devotional fire that inspired it in the
first place.
The Rangaji Temple dates from 1851 and is a mixture
of architectural styles, including a Rajput entrance
gate, a soaring south Indian gopuram (gateway tower),
and an Italianate colonnade.
One of the most impressive temples is the ISKCON Temple,
which was built with funds from devotees overseas. Here,
the marble buildings almost glow with a light of their
own and there is evidence of intricate carving.
SITES NEARBY
Mathura is the place where according to Hindu mythology,
Lord Krishna born. The place is closely linked with
many episodes in the early life of Krishna. The main
places to visit are Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi, Vishram
Ghat, Sati Burj, Kans Qila, Jama Masjid, Dwarkadheesh
Temple, and the Archeological Museum.
Gokul and Mahaban nearby are the places where Krishna
was secretly raised. Thousands of pilgrims visit these
places during the birthday festival of Lord Krishna
(Janmashtami) in July/August.
Barsana is the place where Krishna’s consort
Radha was born. The place is especially interesting
during the festival of Holi when the women of Barsana
attack the men of nearby village Nandgaon with sticks
and play the Lathmar Holi.
An eighteenth-century stronghold of the Jat rajas with
its picturesquely contrived garden-cum-water palaces,
Deeg is a popular tourist rendezvous today. It is situated
around 21 km off Vrindavan.
Agra, the capital of great Mughals and city of Taj
Mahal is around 67 km off Vrindavan.
FAIRS AND FESTIVALS
Celebrations are, in fact, a way of life in Vrindavan.
Any occasion is a time to celebrate and remember the
name of God. Chanting of the names of Radha and Krishna,
dancing, singing, etc., are the ways that are considered
to take a devotee from this physical world to the heavenly
abode. Janmashtami in the months of July/August is celebrated
as the birthday of Lord Krishna and thousands of devotees
throng the place from all over the country. Holi is
also celebrated with as much enthusiasm.
Almost everyday there is a festival in Vrindavan, but
the major ones include Govardhan Puja, Guru Poornima,
Holi, Govardhan Puja, Jhulan Yatra (swing festival),
Radhashtami, and Basant Panchami.
SHOPPING
Vrindavan is famous for its marble and alabaster products.
These products are embossed with semi-precious stones
or synthetic gems. Other important product that one
can purchase in this region is the glass bangle. The
region is noted for lovely glass beads, stringing glass,
and wooden beads in necklaces together with Rudraksh
and Tulsi.
WHERE TO STAY
There are not many options for accommodation in Vrindavan
barring some hotels and rest houses. The place does
have around 200 dharamshalas where one can stay, but
the services are very simple or nonexistent. There are
many ashrams also that provide accommodation to the
devotees.
HOW TO REACH
By Air
The nearest airport is Agra around 67 km away from
Vrindavan. There are regular flights to other important
tourist destinations of India such as Delhi, Mumbai,
Varanasi, and Khajuraho. The nearest international airport
is Delhi, which is connected to almost every important
city in the world with major airlines.
By Rail
Though Vrindavan itself is a railway station, the major
railway station nearby is Mathura on the Delhi–Chennai
and Delhi–Mumbai main line. Several express trains
connect Mathura from other major cities of India like
Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Calcutta, and Agra.
Three local trains leave Mathura Junction each day (6.30
am, 3.40 pm & 7.40 pm) for the station in the south
of Vrindavan.
By Road
Vrindavan is connected to Mathura and all other places
of interest in Braj by bus services and is on direct
road link from Delhi and Agra. Getting to Vrindavan
from Mathura is very easy as there are frequent buses,
shared tempos, and taxis available throughout the day.
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