Happy TravellerWelcome to Vrindavan, a city with a rich religious heritage located in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India. This ancient city holds immense importance in Hinduism, as it is believed that Lord Krishna spent his childhood days here. Vrindavan is home to over 5,500 temples dedicated to the worship of Lord Krishna and his beloved Radha. It is a significant part of the Krishna pilgrimage circuit, which also includes Mathura, Barsana, Gokul, Govardhan, Kurukshetra, Dwarka, and Puri.
The name Vrindavan has its roots in Sanskrit, with ‘Vrinda’ meaning holy basil and ‘van’ meaning grove or forest. The city is located in the Braj Bhoomi region and is situated on the banks of the Yamuna river, with an average elevation of 170 meters (557 feet). It is located 125 km away from Delhi and 15 km away from Mathura City.
Vrindavan is considered to be a sacred place for the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism. The other prominent areas surrounding Vrindavan are Govardhana, Gokul, Nandgaon, Barsana, Mathura, and Bhandirvan. Along with Vrindavan, all these places are considered to be the center of Radha and Krishna worship. Millions of devotees of Radha Krishna visit Vrindavan and its nearby areas every year to participate in numerous festivals. The common salutation or greetings used in the Braj region by its residents is Radhe Radhe, which is associated with the Goddess Radha or Hare Krishna, which is associated with Lord Krishna.
Vrindavan is considered to be the place where Lord Krishna spent part of his childhood. Devotees of Lord Krishna believe that he visits the town each night to adore Radha. The city has an ancient past, associated with Hindu culture and history, and was established in the 16th and 17th centuries as a result of an explicit treaty between Muslims and Hindu Emperors. Of the contemporary times, Vallabhacharya, aged eleven, visited Vrindavan. Later on, he performed three pilgrimages of India, barefoot, giving discourses on Bhagavad Gita at 84 places. These 84 places are known as Pushtimarg Baithak and since then are the places of pilgrimage. Yet, he stayed in Vrindavan for four months each year. Vrindavan heavily influenced his formation of Pushtimarg.
Vrindavan, the land of Radha Krishna, has about 5,500 temples dedicated to them to showcase their divine pastimes. Some of the important pilgrimage sites are Shri Radha Madan Mohan Temple, Sri Radha Raman Mandir, Banke Bihari Temple, Radha Vallabh Temple, Radha Damodar Temple, Sri Krishna-Balarama Temple, Prem Mandir, and Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir.
The city is well connected by roads and is connected to Delhi by National Highway (NH) 44 of the Golden Quadrilateral network. Vrindavan is on the Mathura-Vrindavan MG link, and Vrindavan Road is on the Agra-Delhi chord. The nearest airports are Agra Airport and New Delhi International Airport.
Vrindavan is also known as the city of widows due to the large number of widows who move into the town and surrounding area after losing their husbands. There are an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 widows who come from states of West Bengal, Assam, and Odisha. Many spend time singing bhajan hymns at bhajanashrams. An organization called Guild of Service was formed to assist these deprived women and children. According to a survey report prepared by the government, several homes run by the government and different NGOs for widows.
Come and immerse yourself in the rich religious and cultural heritage of Vrindavan. Visit the ancient temples, witness the grand celebrations of the festivals, and experience the magic of a city that holds a special place in the hearts of millions of devotees.
