While visiting places in Vrindavan one should not forget that there are 5000 different temples in this holy place related to Lord Krishna. Still you will not have time to visit all of them. You might have difficulties to decide which sites to visit. To help you decide where to go, we present to you 7 Must-See Places in Vrindavan.
by Gourkeshava das
Please note that we do not want to undervalue the other sacred sites which are not mentioned here. This will be a 4 hour long parikrama touching 7 of the most holy places in Vrindavan.
Meaning of Parikrama
The sanskrit meaning of the word Parikrama means “the path surrounding something“. Another term is Pradakshina, which means „to the right“, representing circumambulation.
Parikrama is a form of meditation. While walking towards or around a holy site, you absorb yourself in prayer to the particular deity or sacred place. The goal is to become more absorbed and connected with Krishna.
Visiting Must-See Places in Vrindavan
Before you start with your parikrama, do not forget to remove your glasses. There are quite a few monkeys in Vrindavan, who will be very eager for them. If a monkey steals your glasses, ask a local to help to retrieve them. They are experts and it could be dangerous if you try it yourself.
Gopeshwar Mahadev
We will start our Parikrama at Gopeshwar Mahadeva temple. He is the gatekeeper of Vrindavan, and we pray for him to let us enter real Vrindavan.
Ranganath temple
After we finish our prayer, we exit the Gopeshwar Temple, turning left. We will pass by beautiful Lal-Babu temple, which is also a beautiful place to visit. If time is short we will proceed directly to the Ranganath temple. You will find it right next to Lal-Babu temple.
Ranganath temple is south indian style with Dravidian structure and a fancy Gopuram functioning as the gate. Do not miss the water tank at the backside gate of the temple. We included Ranganath temple amongst the Must-See Places in Vrindavan, because of the south indian architecture and sheer size of the temple complex.
Govindaji temple
Now we will continue to Govindaji Temple, which is just across the street to the left. It is one of the Original temples in Vrindavan. It was built almost 500 years ago. This temple was partially destroyed by Aurangzeb. After that, the original Govindaji deity was transferred to present Jaipur in Rajasthan.
Radha Raman temple
Exiting Govindaji, we turn left and proceed through Gopinath Bazar. Ask for directions if you get lost, or take a riksha. Before entering the temple, please remember to take of your socks. This temple houses the beautiful, self-manifest deity of Radha Raman. The temple is also known for the beautiful bhajans, which the locals and pilgrims enjoy in the evening time. Definitely one of the Must-See Places in Vrindavan.
Banke Bihari temple
To reach Banke bihari temple, you have to walk through Loi Bazar. This is the main market in Vrindavan and worth a visit. At the end of Loi Bazar you turn right and soon enough you will reach Banke bihari temple area. From there you will have to ask for the directions. It will take around 15 minutes from Loi Bazar to reach. This temple is very popular in Vrindavan and around India.
Madan Mohan temple
Madan Mohan temple is located nearby Banke Bihari temple. It is a 10 minute walk. This ancient temple is located at the top of the hill. From here you will get a nice overview of the Vrindavan parikrama and Yamuna area. The temple complex is being maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Keshi-ghat
To reach Keshi ghat from Madan Mohan, walk down to the parikama marg and turn right towards Keshi ghat. You will have a spectacular walk next to the Yamuna river. The river originally flowed right next to Parikrama marg. Keshi ghat is the main bathing ghat of Vrindavan. The best time to visit is early morning during Yamuna puja or at sunset time during the Yamuna arati.
Conclusion on Must-See Places in Vrindavan
Here we are ending our parikrama. We hope that you will enjoy this route. Please do not forget to give a little donation to each holy place you visit. The temples will be very happy for any support.
These Must-See Places in Vrindavan are especially helpful for those, who will just spent a day here. Note that the best time for Parikrama is during morning time or after 4 p.m.
