Vrindavan - The Destination
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An exciting getaway from the city
of the Taj Mahal, Vrindavan is located only 67 km
from Agra. Vrindavan is the land of kadamb groves,
where Krishna courted his beloved Radha and played
pranks on the gopis or milkmaids, a land immortalised
by the major festivals like Janamashtami,
Holi and Radhashtami.
It is estimated that half a million pilgrims visit
the town every year, mostly during the festivals.
Vrindvan is a city of temples. One of the most important
and sacred temples is the Bankey Bihari
Temple , where one can expect to see
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engaged in simple acts of worship such as happily
clashing small cymbals together as they move in time
to ancient rhythms.
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. 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 by the devotees
of Krishna overseas. Here, the marble buildings
almost glow with a light of their own and there
is evidence of intricate carving. |
It is a beautiful experience, visiting the town and
taking in all the different kinds of architecture
and stone carvings -some intricate, others spectacular.
Big temples, small temples, elaborately decorated
shrines… they all offer overwhelming avenues
for exploration, both for the devotee and the casual
visitor.
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Vrindavan - Facts
at a Glance
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| State
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Uttar Pradesh |
| Area : |
2.25 sq kms |
| Temperature
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22°C - 48°C (Summers)
6°C - 26°C (Winters) |
| Altitude : |
175mts |
| Rainfall : |
65cms |
| Language
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Hindi, Braj, English |
| Best Season : |
October - March |
History of Vrindavan
Legends
say that the name 'Vrindavan' is 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. 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. Popular belief says that 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. |
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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 considered one of the finest in North India.
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.
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