The narrow and colourful lanes of Vrindavan shriek of the man who had once painted this town red. The presence of Lord Krishna is something you will instantly grasp from the very moment you step foot into Vrindavan. From the walls to the gardens, to the roads, everything here feels as if it has been touched by Lord Krishna.
With such a powerful presence, there is no doubt that Vrindavan will have many temples. One of the holiest cities of India, Vrindavan is blessed with some of the most gorgeous yet humble temples that you will ever see.
If you are truly seeking God, looking for a path or just visiting, then you must try and visit all the temples that Vrindavan has to offer.
Take a peak into some of the best listed below:
Prem Mandir
source: Goibibo
If you don’t visit the breathtaking Prem Mandir in your Vrindavan Tour then you are seriously missing out.
The beautiful Prem Mandir emanates exactly what it is named as. Love or Prem, this temple is located on the outskirts of Vrindavan. This regal temple is dedicated to Shri Krishna and to Sita and Ram. Goddess Sita and Lord Ram are said to be the epitome of love and thus, the temple is only a fitting devotion to their love and bond.
Prem Mandir is truly an architectural marvel in their own right, and you must visit it to experience it in your own way. Prem Mandir is built with white marbles, and you can almost hear the walls echo the history of Sanatana Dharma.
Once you enter the Prem Mandir, you will find it hard to leave. This 54-acre pious complex has a wonderful way of captivating you and making you feel loved.
There are stunning detailed carvings all around the temple, and the mesmerizing sculptures of Krishna are breathtaking.
There are also elegant portraits of Krishna Leela, Parwat Leela, and Krishna Kaliya Naag Leela. The feeling and idea of love are radiated throughout this temple, and you genuinely feel blessed just by visiting this temple.
Nidhivan Temple
source: Shri Mathura Ji
The Nidhivan Temple is an obvious place to visit in your Vrindavan Tour. This temple is not only a sacred place for pilgrims, but also for nature lovers. Nidhivan Temple is almost built in the laps of nature. The place actually feels like you have walked into yesteryear Vrindavan, when Lord Krishna used to run around wildly- stealing clothes and butter.
The Temple is surrounded by trees. The branches of these trees are either intertwined with the other trees or they face downwards. Locals believe that these trees are actually gopis – or querns of Lord Krishna.
You must visit this temple before the sun goes to sleep. Once the nightfalls, no one is allowed into this temple. This because, locals strongly believe that at night Krishna and Radha, along with the Gopis perform the enchanting Raas Leela in this temple. The folklore suggests that if anyone visits the temple after the sun goes down either goes blind, deaf or dumb. That is, they are not in a condition to narrate what they saw when they went inside the temple.
If you do visit the Nidhivan Temple in your Vrindavan Tour, then you can also visit other places nearby. Places like Rang Mahal, Lalitha Kund, Bansi Chori Radha Rani are great sightseeing treasures. There are also some temples around Nidhivan like Gita Mandir, Shahji Temple, Kalki Mandir, and Swami Hari Das Temple.
Shri Rangji Mandir
source: brajdiscovery.org
It is almost blasphemous to come to Vrindavan and not visit the Shri Rangji Mandir. This temple is the largest temple in Vrindavan, and was built in 1851. This temple is a little different from all the other temples you will find in Vrindavan. The architectural style of Shri Rangji Mandir is Dravidian, which makes it quite fascinating.
This temple is devoted to Lord Ranganatha. However, once you visit this temple you will also find other deities like Lord Rama, Lord Lakshman, and Goddess Sita along with Lord Narasimha, Lord Venugopala and Lord Ramanujacharya.
This temple is only fully open for Indian Hindus. If you are a non Hindu visitor then you can only visit till the courtyard. If you are non Indian you can there the first two gates only.
Shri Rangji Mandir has a wonderful and divine confluence of South and North Indian style of architecture. You will find Jaipur styled gates and five rectangular enclosures around the sanctum sanctorum. This rare mix of these two architectural styles is a testimony to the diversity of India. It is lovely to watch this diversity and blissful merger of the two.
Shri Krishna Balaram Mandir
source: Goibibo
The next temple on your Vrindavan itinerary should be the Shri Krishna Balaram Mandir. Said to be one of the most important ISKCON Temples in India, Shri Krishna Balaram Mandir is truly a sight to behold.
From the moment you step inside this elegant and regal temple, you will be mystified. It feels like you are entering into a royal palace rather than a temple. Such is the beauty of this temple. The entire structure is built by sparingly white marbles. There are large archways with winding peacock stairways on each side of the archways. It is like walking into a fairytale.
The temple is extremely significant when it comes to the life of Lord Krishna. It depicts the life of Lord Krishna and all the phases in his life.
Make your way to the three alters to know more about these phases in Lord Krishna’s life.
- In the first alter you will find an idol of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, the incarnation of Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
- And in the second alter you will see the deities of Sri Krishna and Balaram, the holy brothers.
- And in the third alter you will find the idols of Sri Sri Radha Shyamasundara and the gopis, Vishakha, and Lalita.
The temple is a treasure trove of stories about Lord Krishna. Just walk through the complex and feel the divine stories of Lord Krishna.
Jugal Kishore Temple
If you are on a pilgrimage tour in Vrindavan then you must visit the hugely popular Jugal Kishore Temple.
The beauty of this temple lies in the location rather than the shrine. It is located by River Yamuna, and overlooks the River. It is built with red sandstone, and a sight for the sire eyes in the Kesi Ghat.
Kesi Ghat is one of the most revered bathing places in Vrindavan. The Ghat is also filled with people who are all devoted to the Lord. There is something so electric in the location, which makes the temple so alluring.
You must visit the temple after sun down. People throng the temple and something mystical and magical feels the air. Diyas and lamps are lit as the dark paths are illuminated. The holy songs and chants fill the air as the River Yamuna also joins in the festivities. The lights from the lamps make the River look so regal. It is truly a visual treat. Just attend the evening Aarti and you will feel your soul being touched.
The songs will fill your heart with so much love and devotion and you will find yourself entering a trance. Your Vrindavan Tour will be incomplete if you do not experience this epiphany.
Banke Bihari temple
source: Inspirock
The stunning Banke Bihari Tempe is dedicated to Lord Krishna, and is one of the top visited temple in Vrindavan. The locals believe that Lord Krishna is bent in three places, from which the temple also gets its name. Banke Bihari means The Bent Enjoyer.
The original temple is extremely ancient, but the one that you will get to visit was made in the 19th Century. The temple also opens its gate later than other temples. Prayers at this temple start at 9 am, whereas in every other temple it starts latest by 5 am.
Banke Bihari Temple is one of the most important temples in Vrindavan. It is also one of the seven temples of the Thakur of Vrindavan.
Janmabhoomi Temple
If you truly want to finish off your Vrindavan trip on a high, then you cannot forget this temple. Even though this temple is located in Mathura and not Vrindavan, this is one of the most iconic temples.
The Janmabhoomi Shrine is one of the holiest places in Uttar Pradesh and in India as a whole. The temple was initially a prison. King Kans, or Lord Krishna’s uncle was kept in this prison. Later Raja Veer Singh Bundela ( Grandson of Lord Krishna) converted the prison into a temple.
The Janmabhoomi Temple also has the cell wherein Lord Krishna was born. This extremely holy and sacred place is something you must not miss on your pilgrimage trip.
To really feel the essence of this temple and of what really Mathura is, then you must come here during Janmashtami. The shrine just gets a whole new meaning during this festival.
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