Vrindavan – The Playground of Krishna
Located just 11 kms from Mathura, Vrindavan is believed to the place where Krishna spent his childhood and early youth, while performing various miracles that are the stuff of epics and legends. This is the place where Krishna played tricks with the gopis and indulged in ethereal romance with Radha and painted the town in myriad colors during spring by playing Holi. Modern-day Vrindavan is a small but busy town still filled with thousands of temples in every lane and famous for its vibrant and colorful Holi celebrations, which is another remainder of its Krishna connection.
Vrindavan is generally clubbed with a visit to Mathura and is well-connected with it. The most popular time to visit Vrindavan is during the time of Holi when the visitors can also take part in the festivities.
Bankey Bihari Temple – Krishna in Tribhanga Posture
Shri Bankey Bihari Mandir is a temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. The image of Lord Krishna stands in the Tribhanga posture. Haridas originally worshipped this devotional image under the name of Kunj-Bihari (“Enjoyer of Lakes”). This idol came into being during the process of digging, a luminous light arose from an object, and this was exposed as an idol of Banke Bihari on the fifth day after the new moon in the month of February, which is now celebrated as Bihari Panchami in Vrindavan. The current temple was built in 1864 AD. This is one of the seven major Krishna temples in Vrindavan where he is worshipped in various forms. Other such temples include Shri Radha Vallabh Ji, Shri Govind Dev Ji, Shri Radha Raman Ji, Shri Radha Madhav Ji, Shri Madan Mohan Ji, and Shri Gopinath Ji
Krishna Balram – The ISKCON Temple
Krishna Balram temple was built during 1975 AD by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKON) and is one of the most beautiful temples in town located at Ramanreti in Vrindavan. The main deities here are Krishna, his brother Balram and Radha (Krishan’s consort). The whole temple is built with pure marble and it attracts Krishna devotees all around the world and adds a cosmopolitan hue to this ancient town. This site was once a large tract of sand and was believed to be the preferred meeting place of Radha and Krishna. There are three passages inside the temple with an idol of Shri Krishna Balram in the center, Shri Gaur Nitai on the left and Radhe Shyam Sundar on the right. There is a statue of Prabhupad near the altar of Shri Gaur Nitai showing the tranquil and the exalted mood. The galley is decorated with the paintings of the life of Lord Krishna.
Prem Mandir – The Temple of Love
Lord Krishna’s romantic escapades are the stuff of legends. So, it is natural to have a temple dedicated to love in Vrindavan. Prem Mandir is maintained by Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, an international non-profit, educational, and spiritual, a charitable trust. The complex is on a 54-acre site on the outskirts of Vrindavan and is dedicated to Lord Radha Krishna and Sita Ram. Figures of Shri Krishna and his followers depicting important events surrounding the Lord’s existence cover the main temple. The presiding deities are Shri Radha Govind (Radha Krishna) and Shri Sita Ram. A 73000 square feet, pillar-less, dome-shaped Satsang hall is being constructed next to Prem Mandir, which will accommodate 25,000 people at a time.
Holi in Vrindavan – Colors of Devotion
Vrindavan is one of the primary centers for Braj ki Holi, which is the most traditional and colorful form of this colourful festival. Apart from the usual Holi, you can find some special types of Holi in the town. Phoolon ki Holi played by locals and devotees in Vrindavan is unique and one of its kind in entire India as it is played with fresh flowers rather than colors. The scent of the flowers adds to the infectious atmosphere of the place. Similarly, the Holi of Widows is also played in Vrindavan. Traditionally, in the ancient times, widows generally did not take part in this festival of colours but in Vrindavan, it was permitted.