Vrindavan Places of Attraction

Posted On January 11, 2012

Situated in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, and ensconced in the surroundings of the memories of the Indian God Lord Krishna, Vrindavan is a much favoured pilgrim spot amongst all devotees. This is a very important pilgrim spot for all devotees of Lord Krishna across the world. Lord Krishna was born in Mathura and he spent his entire childhood inVrindavan. More than 5,000 temples are found in Vrindavan and the entire city lying in the middle of Brajbhumi and is situated around 140 km from the south eastern part of Delhi and lies a little to the west of Agra.

The name Vrindavan comes from the word Vrinda which means tulsi and van which means grove. It is said that this place was once upon a time a tulsi grove. Vrindavan has a lot many temples for worship and the Banke Bihari temple is one of the most famous temples. The temple was constructed in the year 1864 and has the best kind of construction. Curtains cover the front portion of the idol which is decorated with rich colours and looks resplendent. There is a mangala aarti here that is held annually and devotees throng to see the lotus feet of this deity as it is seen only once a year on the day of Akshaya Trithiya. All devotees come in the Indian month of Shravan and experience the bliss of the Jhulan Yatra, the swing festival.

Then you have the Madan Mohan temple which lies on the riverside and is the oldest structure in Vrindavan. This popular temple was founded by the Srila Sanatana Gosvami and is incidentally the first temple built here in Vrindavan. This area was a forest in ancient times. It is said that the original deity of Madana Mohana was found at the base of an old banyan tree. Today this temple is much revered by all and it is a greatly popular spot for all pilgrims who come to this part of the world.

Then of course there is the Govind Dev temple which is a great seven storey structure and has an altar of silver, gold and marble. The temple is one of the finest architectural constructions in the northern part of India. There is a beautifully sculptured lotus that weighs a lot and decorates the ceiling of the main hall. This temple was destroyed during the rule of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb sometime in the year 1670 when it was plundered and eventually destroyed. Only three storeys of the entire temple remained. Today the temple is much revered and visited by all the devotees who come here in Vrindavan to pay respects to their favourite lord.

Then there is the Sri Ranganatha temple which is a magnificent construction and is an absolutely beautiful representation of South Indian architecture. This 30 m high temple has three gateways or gopurams and a lovely shikhara or crown. There are decorations of gold and the entire look is resplendent and magnificent. Built by the Seth family in Mathura, this temple is dedicated to Sri Ranganathan or Rangaji who is believed to be another form of Lord Vishnu. He is seen lying down on the divine serpent Shesh Naga. The entrance gate is built on the Rajput style and there is a trace of Italian construction too.