Vrindavan attracts thousands, if not millions, of Hindus and Hare Krishnas every year as it is a major place of pilgrimage. Vrindavan is a town most known for the numerous temples of which seven are key to visit for Gaudiya Vaisnavas. "Vrindavan" is derived from the word "Vrinda" (another name for the sacred tulsi) and is named after Vrinda Devi, one of Krishna's dear friends.
The area of Vraj is steeped with legend as it is where Lord Krishna spent his early childhood playing pranks on the gopis (milkmaids) with his sakhas (friends) and wooing sweetheart Radha in the forest.
Religious Tours in Vrindavan
For those visiting Vrindavan for the first time it can be helpful to have a guide or use a bus tour to see temples and holy places as a group. This can save time and it can be enlightening to spend time with Krishna devotees. Three Vraja Darshan tours are run by Krishna Balaram mandir and is a guided tour for pilgrims with following routes:
- Govardhan: Radha Kunda, Shyama Kunda, Govardhan, Kusum Sarovara.
- Barsana, Nandagram, Vrinda Kunda
- Mathura, Gokul: Krishna Janmasthan, Raval, Dauji, Brahmanda Ghat, Gokula. Nandagram
Alternatively devotees can choose to hire a cycle rickshaw or taxi to see the religious spots which can end up being more peaceful and flexible.
Major Krishna Temples and Deities in Vrindavan
There are numerous temples in Vrindavan and the seven main temples were established by the six Gosvamis or their disciples; who followed the traditions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Here are the seven major temples in Vrindavan:
- Radha Madana Mohana Temple - Sanatana Goswami discovered the deity of Madana Mohana and this was the first temple to be built in Vrindavan. The original deity of Madana-mohana was taken to Karauli for protection during the Muslim attacks led by Emperor Aurangzeb in 1670.
- Radha Damodara - The original deity was carved by Rupa Gosvami and gifted to disciple, Jiva Gosvami, who built this temple.
- Radha Syamasundara - This is one of the lesser known but very important temples as the deity was manifested from Srimati Radharani's heart and given to Syamananda to worship.
- Radha Ramana - "Radha Ramana" means "one who gives pleasure to Radha", andRadha Ramana is one of the few original deities still left in Vrindavan. Radha Ramana is said to be self-manifested from one of the Goswami’s saligram silas in 1542.
- Radha Govinda - This temple was built by Maharaja Man Singh and the original Govindaji was reinstalled in Jaipur during the Muslim attacks.
- Radha Gokulananda - This temple has a Govardhana shila gifted by Lord Chaitanya to Raghunath Dasa Gosvami and is believed to contain the thumbprint of Lord Chaitanya. The temple also has Radha-Vinoda deities of Lokanatha Gosvami, Vijaya Govinda of Baladeva Vidyabhusana and Viswanath Chakravarti's Radha-Gokulananda deities.
- Radha Gopinatha - Gopinatha was first installed 5,000 years ago by Vajranaba, Lord Krishna’s grandson, and rediscovered at Vamsi-vata by Paramananda Goswami.
Other Popular Temples in Vrindavan
Banke Bihari was built in 1864 and is one of Vrindavan's most popular temples. It is said that Swami Haridasa discovered the Bank Bihari deity in Nidhuvana.
The Krishna Balarama Mandir is also known as the Hare Krishna temple as it was built by the International Society for Shri Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). The deities house here are Krishna and brother Balarama, Radha Shyamasundara and Gaura Nitai. The samadhi of Swami Prabhupada is also built here.
When to Visit Vrindavan Temples and Holy Places
Most temples in Vrindavan are open for darshan in the morning between 7:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. with some having a mangala aarti at around 4:30 a.m. Banke Bihari is one of the few temples that opens late in the morning. Most temples are closed in the afternoon when the deity has some rest and reopen in the late afternoon at around 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 or 9:00 p.m.
Throughout the day, several aartis are offered along with food offerings (bhoga) which is then offered to devotees as sanctified food (prasadam). Many temples now have websites so the timings can be checked prior to visiting (they can also vary in times in the winter and summer season).
The temples in India are stunning and notable examples are in Vrindavan, where many deities are self-manifested and the whole area is considered holy due to the history of Krishna's pastimes. ISKCON or the Hare Krishna temple can be very helpful to those on pilgrimage, and a visit to their Information Centre is highly recommended.
Related Articles:
The Hare Krishna Movement (ISKCON)
Spiritual Benefits of Spending Kartik Month in Vrindavan
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