Vrindavan
Encyclopedia
Vrindavan (alternatively spelled Vrindaban, Brindavan, Brindavana, or Brundavan) also known as Vraj (as it lies in the Braj
region) is a town in the Mathura district
of Uttar Pradesh
, India
. It is the site of an ancient forest which is the region where Lord Krishna
spent his childhood days.
The town is about 10 km away from Mathura, the city of Lord Krishna's birthplace, near the Agra
-Delhi
highway. The town hosts hundreds of temples dedicated to the worship of Radha
and Krishna and is considered sacred
by a number of religious traditions such as Gaudiya Vaishnavism
, Vaishnavism
, and Hinduism
in general.
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The ancient name of the city, Brindavana, comes from its groves of 'Brinda' Ocimum tenuiflorum (Holy Basil or tulsi) with vana (Sanskrit
: वन) meaning a grove
or a forest. Two small groves still exist at Nidhivan and Seva Kunj
It is believed that the essence of Vrindavan was lost over time until the 16th century, when it was rediscovered by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. In the year 1515, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu visited Vrindavana, with purpose of locating the lost holy places associated with Lord Sri Krishna's transcendent pastimes. Chaitanya wandered through the different sacred forests of Vrindavana in a spiritual trance of divine love. By His divine spiritual power, He was able locate all the important places of Krishna's pastimes in and around Vrindavana.
In the last 250 years, the extensive forests of Vrindavan have been subjected to urbanization, first by local Rajas and in recent decades by apartment developers. The forest cover has been whittled away to only a few remaining spots, and the local wildlife, including peacocks, cows
, monkey
s and a variety of bird
species has been eliminated or are close to it. A few peacocks and monkeys can be seen found but cows are now only found in the goshalas of the Major Ashrams of Vrindavan.
Vrindavan is considered to be a holy place by all traditions of Hinduism
. The major tradition followed in the area is Vaisnavism, and it is a center of learning with many Vrindavan Ashrams operating. Its a center of Krishna worship and the area includes places like Govardhana and Gokul
that are associated with Krishna. Many millions of bhaktas or devotees of Radha Krishna
visit these places of pilgrimage every year and participate in a number of festivals that relate to the scenes from Krishna's life on Earth.
According to tradition and recorded evidence (please site a source), Krishna was raised in the cowherding village of Gokul
by his foster parents Nanda Maharaj
and Yasoda
. The Bhagavata Purana
describes Krishna's early childhood pastimes
in the Vrindavan forest
where he, his brother Balarama
, and his cowherd friends stole butter, engaged in childhood pranks and fought with demon
s. Along with these activities, Krishna is also described as meeting and dancing with the local girls of Vrindavan village, especially Radharani, who were known as gopi
s. These pastimes were the source of inspiration for the famous Sanskrit
poem, Gita Govinda
, by the Sanskrit poet, Jayadeva
(c. 1200 AD).
The most popular temples include:
Other places of interest include Seva Kunj, Kesi Ghat, Sriji Temple, Jugal Kishore Temple, Lal Babu Temple, Raj Ghat, Kusuma Sarovar, Meera-Bai Temple, Imli Tal, Kaliya Ghat, Raman Reti, Varaha Ghat and Chira Ghat, and across the river, a short boat-ride away is the samadhi shrine of Devraha Baba
, a revered saint of the last century.
The Seva Kunj is where Lord Krishna once performed the Raaslila with Radha-Rani and the gopis and Nidhi Van where the divine couple rested. The samadhi of Swami Haridas
, the guru of Tansen
, is situated here. Every year, in his honour, Swami Haridas Sammelan is organized, in which all renowned musicians of India take part. After hundreds of year a historic effort to restore the ancient Seva Kunj is being carried out by The Braj Foundation, a NGO committed for the all-round development of Braj.
Another famous temple of Sri Vrindavan is Sri Kathia Baba
Ka Sthan" at Gurukul Road, the mahanta of which is entitled as "brajobidehi mahanta" and the acharya
of Swabhuram Dwara of Nimbarka
sect, Sri Swami Rash Behari Das Kathia Babaji Maharaj.
The temple is housed in an ultra modern geodesic structure with a traditional gopuram based on khajuraho style of architecture, greeting pilgrims at the entrance.
The major festivals of the temple are Sri Krishna Janmashtami, Sri Radhashtami, Kartik Fest (7 day festival during Govardhan Puja time) and Gaura Purnima. Grand abhishekas are performed for Sri Sri Radha Vrindavan-chandra during festivals such as Radhashtami & Janmashtami. The abhisheka is performed against a special flower backdrop as several hundreds of devotees watch on and tumultuous kirtan goes on in the back ground. It’s a place of pilgrimage and a must visit.
There are around 50 vans transporting the meal from the Akshaya Patra kitchen in Vrindavan every day.
Uttar Pradesh was the second state in India to which Akshaya Patra expanded its operations. The kitchen in Vrindavan is ISO 22000 certified by DNV for Food Safety Management Stystems. The equipment used include a roti-making machine which can make 40,000 rotis/hour, steam generators for cooking rice and dal, vegetable cutting machines which can cut about 300kg of vegetables per hour, grain cleaning machines which can clean 3 tons of grains per hour etc.The children are fed with rotis (chapatis) and dal [lentil soup] with sabji [vegetable dishes] or with a rice item like palav [rice with vegetables] or fried rice with sabji or dal.
, Vrindavan had a population of 56,618. Males constitute 56% of the population and females 44%. Vrindavan has an average literacy rate of 65%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 73%, and female literacy is 55%. In Vrindavan, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age. The number of females is 24,200 including 13% who are under 6 years of age.
Vrindavan is also known as the City of Widows due to the large number of widows who move into the town and surrounding area after losing their husbands. According to some Hindu traditions, upper-caste
widow
s may not remarry, so many of those abandoned by their families on the death of their husband make their way here. There are an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 widows living on the streets, many of whom have spent over 30 years there. In exchange for singing bhajan
hymns for 7–8 hours in bhajanashrams
, women are given a cup of rice and a pittance of money (around Rs.10), which they try to supplement by begging on the streets. An organization called Guild of Service was formed to assist these deprived women and children. In 2000 the organization opened Amar Bari (My Home), a refuge for 120 Vrindavan widows, and a second shelter for 500 widows is expected to open.
Hare Krishna Movement, Vrindavan, is a charitable trust started by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON Bangalore). It feeds 140 widow “mothers” in Mahila Ashraya Sadhan and 200 more in the Mira Shivagani Ashram in Vrindavan. Hare Krishna Movement, Vrindavan is providing a wholesome, nutritious, mid day meal to around 400 widows 365 days a year. The meal consists of rotis, rice, dal and sabzi.
Read More: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/article2344817.ece
companies. Many people from Delhi are purchasing houses in Vrindavan for its relative peace and quiet, and to live in a Holy place. As a result of this demand, many notable real estate and property development companies have launched many new housing projects in Vrindavan.
Braj
Braj is a region mainly in Uttar Pradesh of India, around Mathura-Vrindavan. Braj, though never a clearly defined political region in India but is very well demarcated culturally, is considered to be the land of Krishna and is derived from the Sanskrit word vraja...
region) is a town in the Mathura district
Mathura District
Mathura District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of northern India. The historic town of Mathura is the district headquarters.The district is bounded on the northeast by Aligarh District, on the southeast by Hathras District, on the south by Agra District, and on the west by Rajasthan and...
of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is the site of an ancient forest which is the region where Lord Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
spent his childhood days.
The town is about 10 km away from Mathura, the city of Lord Krishna's birthplace, near the Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
-Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
highway. The town hosts hundreds of temples dedicated to the worship of Radha
Radha
Radha , also called Radhika, Radharani and Radhikarani, is the childhood friend and lover of Krishna in the Bhagavata Purana, and the Gita Govinda of the Vaisnava traditions of Hinduism...
and Krishna and is considered sacred
Sacred
Holiness, or sanctity, is in general the state of being holy or sacred...
by a number of religious traditions such as Gaudiya Vaishnavism
Gaudiya Vaishnavism
Gaudiya Vaishnavism is a Vaishnava religious movement founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in India in the 16th century. "Gaudiya" refers to the Gauḍa region with Vaishnavism meaning "the worship of Vishnu"...
, Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu, or his associated Avatars such as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God....
, and Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
in general.
Etymology
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
: वन) meaning a grove
Grove (nature)
A grove is a small group of trees with minimal or no undergrowth, such as a sequoia grove, or a small orchard planted for the cultivation of fruits or nuts...
or a forest. Two small groves still exist at Nidhivan and Seva Kunj
History
Vrindavan has an ancient past, associated with Hindu history, and is an important Hindu pilgrimage site. One of its oldest surviving temples is the Govinda Deo temple, built in 1590, with the town founded earlier in the same century.It is believed that the essence of Vrindavan was lost over time until the 16th century, when it was rediscovered by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. In the year 1515, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu visited Vrindavana, with purpose of locating the lost holy places associated with Lord Sri Krishna's transcendent pastimes. Chaitanya wandered through the different sacred forests of Vrindavana in a spiritual trance of divine love. By His divine spiritual power, He was able locate all the important places of Krishna's pastimes in and around Vrindavana.
In the last 250 years, the extensive forests of Vrindavan have been subjected to urbanization, first by local Rajas and in recent decades by apartment developers. The forest cover has been whittled away to only a few remaining spots, and the local wildlife, including peacocks, cows
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, monkey
Monkey
A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
s and a variety of bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
species has been eliminated or are close to it. A few peacocks and monkeys can be seen found but cows are now only found in the goshalas of the Major Ashrams of Vrindavan.
Religious heritage
Vrindavan is considered to be a holy place by all traditions of Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
. The major tradition followed in the area is Vaisnavism, and it is a center of learning with many Vrindavan Ashrams operating. Its a center of Krishna worship and the area includes places like Govardhana and Gokul
Gokul
-In Vedic Scripture:-Geography:Gokul is located at . It has an average elevation of 163 metres .-Demographics: India census, Gokul had a population of 4041. Males constitute 55% of the population and females 45%. Gokul has an average literacy rate of 60%, higher than the national average of...
that are associated with Krishna. Many millions of bhaktas or devotees of Radha Krishna
Radha Krishna
Radha Krishna is a Hindu deity. Krishna is often referred as svayam bhagavan in Gaudiya Vaishnavism theology and Radha is a young woman, a gopi who is Krishna's supreme beloved. With Krishna, Radha is acknowledged as the Supreme Goddess, for it is said that she controls Krishna with Her love...
visit these places of pilgrimage every year and participate in a number of festivals that relate to the scenes from Krishna's life on Earth.
According to tradition and recorded evidence (please site a source), Krishna was raised in the cowherding village of Gokul
Gokul
-In Vedic Scripture:-Geography:Gokul is located at . It has an average elevation of 163 metres .-Demographics: India census, Gokul had a population of 4041. Males constitute 55% of the population and females 45%. Gokul has an average literacy rate of 60%, higher than the national average of...
by his foster parents Nanda Maharaj
Nanda (mythology)
Nanda or Nandagopa, according to the Harivamsha and the Puranas, was the head of the gopas .It is said that Nand Baba owned 9 lakhs of cows . Nandvanshis or Ahirs are descendants of Nand. The night of Krishna's appearance or birth, Vasudeva brought Krishna to Nanda for Krishna's childhood years...
and Yasoda
Yasoda
Yasoda/Yashoda was wife of Nanda within the Puranic texts of Hinduism. Within the Bhagavata Purana it is described that Yasoda later became the foster-mother to Krishna, who was born to Devaki but was given to Yashoda and Nanda in Gokul, by Krishna's father Vasudeva on the night of his birth, for...
. The Bhagavata Purana
Bhagavata purana
The Bhāgavata Purāṇa is one of the "Maha" Puranic texts of Hindu literature, with its primary focus on bhakti to the incarnations of Vishnu, particularly Krishna...
describes Krishna's early childhood pastimes
Rasa lila
The Rasa lila or Rasa dance is part of the traditional story of Krishna described in Hindu scriptures such as the Bhagavata Purana and literature such as the Gita Govinda, where he dances with Radha and her sakhis...
in the Vrindavan forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
where he, his brother Balarama
Balarama
Balarama , also known as Baladeva, Balabhadra and Halayudha, is the elder brother of the divine being, Krishna in Hinduism. Within Vaishnavism Hindu traditions Balarama is worshipped as an Avatar of Vishnu, and he is also listed as such in the Bhagavata Purana...
, and his cowherd friends stole butter, engaged in childhood pranks and fought with demon
Raksha
In Hindu mythology, a Rakshas is a kind of evil demon.-Ramayana:According to the Ramayana, the Raksha people were the mythical inhabitants of Sri Lanka who were said to have lived among the Naga, Yakkha, and Deva, and governed Sri Lanka in 2370 BCE...
s. Along with these activities, Krishna is also described as meeting and dancing with the local girls of Vrindavan village, especially Radharani, who were known as gopi
Gopi
Gopi is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning 'cow-herd girl'. In Hinduism specifically the name gopi is used more commonly to refer to the group of cow herding girls famous within Vaishnava Theology for their unconditional devotion to Krishna as described in the stories of Bhagavata Purana and...
s. These pastimes were the source of inspiration for the famous Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
poem, Gita Govinda
Gita Govinda
The Gita Govinda is a work composed by the 12th-century poet, Jayadeva, who was born in Kenduli Sasan near Puri in Orissa. It describes the relationship between Krishna and the gopis of Vrindavana, and in particular one gopi named Radha...
, by the Sanskrit poet, Jayadeva
Jayadeva
Jayadeva was a Sanskrit poet circa 1200 AD. He is most known for his composition, the epic poem Gita Govinda, which depicts the divine love of Krishna-an avatar of Vishnu and his consort, Radha, and it is mentioned that Radha is greater than Hari, and is considered an important text in the...
(c. 1200 AD).
The most popular temples include:
- Madan Mohan Temple located near the Kali Ghat was built by Kapur Ram Das of MultanMultanMultan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
. This is the oldest temple in Vrindavan. The temple is closely associated with the saint Chaitanya MahaprabhuChaitanya MahaprabhuChaitanya Mahaprabhu was a Vaishnava saint and social reformer in eastern India in the 16th century, believed by followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism to be the full incarnation of Lord Krishna...
. The original image of Lord Madan Gopal was shifted from the shrine to KarauliKarauliKarauli is a town lying in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The town is the administrative center of Karauli District, and was formerly the capital of the erstwhile princely state of Karauli.-Geography:...
in Rajasthan for safe keeping during AurangzebAurangzebAbul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
's rule. Today, a replica of the image is worshiped at the temple.
- Banke Bihari TempleBanke Bihari TempleBanke Bihari Mandir is the most popular Hindu temple of Lord Krishna in the holy city of Vrindavan in the Mathura district, especially in the month of Shraavana . Banke Bihari was originally worshiped at Nidhivana. Banke means “bent in three places” and bihari means “supreme enjoyer.” Lord Krishna...
, built in 1862 is the most popular shrine at Vrindavan. The image of Banke-Bihari was discovered in Nidhi Vana by Swami HaridasSwami HaridasSwami Haridas was a spiritual poet and classical musician. Credited with a large body of devotional compositions, especially in the Dhrupad style, he is also the founder of the Haridasi school of mysticism, still found today in North India. His work influenced both the classical music and the...
, the great Krishna devotee, belonging to the NimbarkaNimbarkaNimbarka , is known for propagating the Vaishnava Theology of Dvaitadvaita, duality in unity. According to scholars headed by Prof. Roma Bose, he lived in the 13th Century, on the assumption that Śrī Nimbārkācārya was the author of the work Madhvamukhamardana...
sampradaya.
- Radha Vallabh Temple, set up by the Radha-Vallabh sampradaya, through Sri Hith Harivansh Mahaprabhu, has the crown of Radharani placed next to the Shri Krishna image in the sanctum.
- Jaipur Temple which was built by Sawai Madho Singh II, the Maharaja of JaipurJaipurJaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
in 1917, is a richly embellished and opulent temple. The fine hand - carved sandstone is of unparalleled workmanship. The temple is dedicated to Shri Radha MadhavaMadhavaMādhava may be*a Sanskrit patronymic, "descendant of Madhu ".** especially of Krishna or Parashurama as incarnations of Vishnu, see Madhava *** an icon of Krishna...
.
- Sri Radha Raman Mandir, constructed at the request of Gopala Bhatta GoswamiGopala Bhatta GoswamiGopala Bhatta Goswami is one of the foremost disciples of the Vaishnava saint, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and a leading historical figure in the Gaudiya Vaishnava school of Hinduism...
around 1542 is one most exquisitely crafted and revered temples of Vrindavan, especially by the Goswamis. It still houses the original saligram deity of Krishna, alongside RadhaRadhaRadha , also called Radhika, Radharani and Radhikarani, is the childhood friend and lover of Krishna in the Bhagavata Purana, and the Gita Govinda of the Vaisnava traditions of Hinduism...
rani.
- Shahji Temple, another popular temple at Vrindavan, was designed and built in 1876 by a wealthy jeweller, Shah Kundan Lal of LucknowLucknowLucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
. The deities (images) at the temple are popularly known as the Chhote Radha Raman. Noted for its magnificent architecture and beautiful marble sculpture, the temple has twelve spiral columns each 15 feet high. The `Basanti Kamra' - the darbar hall is famed for its Belgian glass chandeliers and fine paintings.
- Rangaji Temple, built in 1851 is dedicated to Lord Ranganatha or Rangaji depicted as Lord VishnuVishnuVishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
in his sheshashayi pose, resting on the coils of the sacred Sesha Naga. The temple built in the Dravidian style (as a replica of SrivilliputhurSrivilliputhurSrivilliputhur is a semi-urban town and a municipality in Virudhunagar district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu....
) has a tall gopuram (gateway), of six storeys and a gold - plated Dhwaja stambha, 50 feet high. A water tank and a picturesque garden lie within the temple enclosure. The annual festival of Jal Vihar of the presiding deity is performed with great pomp and splendour at the tank. The temple is also famous for its `Brahmotsdav' celebration in March–April, more popularly known as the `Rath ka Mela'. The ten day long celebrations are marked by the pulling of the rath (the chariotTemple carTemple cars are chariots used to carry representations of Hindu gods. The car is usually used on festival days, when many people pull the cart....
car) by the devotees from the temple to the adjoining gardens. The prayers within the temple are performed, following in the style of AndalAndalAndal is the the only female Alvar of the 12 Alvar saints of South India, who are known for their affiliation to Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. She is credited with the great Tamil works of Thirupavai and Nachiar Tirumozhi that are still recited by devotees during the Winter festival season of...
, one of the twelve Vaishnava Saints of South India.
- Govind Deo (GovindaGovinda' and ' are names of Krishna, referring to his youthful occupation as a cowherd. He is regarded as the Supreme Godhead in the Vaishnava tradition and also by much of the pan-Hindu tradition...
ji) Temple was once a magnificent seven storeyed structure built in the form of a Greek cross. It is said that the Emperor Akbar donated some of the red sandstone that had been brought for the Red Fort at AgraAgraAgra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
, for the construction of this temple. Built at the astronomical cost of one croreCroreA crore is a unit in the Indian number system equal to ten million , or 100 lakhs. It is widely used in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan....
rupees in 1590 by his general Raja Man Singh, the temple combines western, Hindu and Muslim architectural elements in its structure. It was destroyed by Mughal ruler AurangzebAurangzebAbul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
.
- Sri Krishna-Balarama TempleKrishna Balaram MandirSri Krishna-Balaram Mandir is a Gaudiya Vaishnava temple in the holy city of Vrindavan. It is one of the main ISKCON temples in India and internationally...
built by the International Society for Krishna ConsciousnessInternational Society for Krishna ConsciousnessThe International Society for Krishna Consciousness , known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organization. It was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada...
(ISKCON) in a location known as 'Raman-Reti', is one of the most beautiful temples in Vrindavan today. The principal deities of this temple are Krishna & Balaram, with Radha-ShyamShyamShyam may refer to:*a name of Krishna*Shyam , a Hindi film actor*Shyam , an Indian music composer from Kerala*Shyam , a Tamil Journalist, Father of Investigative Journalistm from Tamilnadu, India...
asundar and Gaura-NitaiNityanandaImage:Panca-tattva Altar.jpg|thumb|This is interactive image-map. Click! on lotus feet. Sri Krishna Chaitanya , Sri Nityananda Prabhu , Sri Advaita Acharya , Sri Gadadhara Pandit , Sri Srivas Pandit...
alongside. Adjoining the temple is the samadhi of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami PrabhupadaA. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami PrabhupadaAbhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was a Gaudiya Vaishnava teacher and the founder-acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, commonly known as the "Hare Krishna Movement"...
, the founder of ISKCON, built in pure white marble.
- Radha Damodar Mandir Located at Seva Kunj, the Mandir was established in 1542 by Srila Jiva Goswami. The deities Sri Sri Radha DamodarDamodarDamodar can refer to:* Damodar Das Arora a famous Punjabi Poet* Damodar River in India* Damodar * Damodar * Damodar Pande - First Prime Minister of Nepal...
are here. The bhajan kutir of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is also situated at the Mandir.
- Shri Maa Katyayani Mandir, the temple is situated in Radha Bagh, near Rangnath mandir. This is one of suddh Shakti Peetha of ShaktiShaktiShakti from Sanskrit shak - "to be able," meaning sacred force or empowerment, is the primordial cosmic energy and represents the dynamic forces that are thought to move through the entire universe in Hinduism. Shakti is the concept, or personification, of divine feminine creative power, sometimes...
. http://www.katyayanipeeth.org.in/
- Chintaharan Hanuman Mandir, temple of Lord HanumanHanumanHanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
is situated near Atalvan.
- Shree Radha Ras Bihari Ashta Sakhi Temple: In Vrindavan, the “Lila Sthan” (the place of the divine passion play) of Lord Krishna, lies the temple that is a must visit destination for devotees completing the 84 kosh Vraj Parikrama Yatra. The temple is centuries old and is the first Indian temple that is dedicated to the divine couple and their Ashta Sakhi’s - the eight “companions” of Radha who were intimately involved in her love play with the Lord Krishna. The Ashta Sakhis are mentioned in the ancient texts of PuranasPuranasThe Puranas are a genre of important Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religious texts, notably consisting of narratives of the history of the universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and geography.Puranas...
and the Bhagavata PuranaBhagavata puranaThe Bhāgavata Purāṇa is one of the "Maha" Puranic texts of Hindu literature, with its primary focus on bhakti to the incarnations of Vishnu, particularly Krishna...
. The temple is called Shree Radha Ras Bihari Ashta Sakhi Mandir and it is home to the divine Rasa LilaRasa lilaThe Rasa lila or Rasa dance is part of the traditional story of Krishna described in Hindu scriptures such as the Bhagavata Purana and literature such as the Gita Govinda, where he dances with Radha and her sakhis...
of Lord Krishna and Radharani. It is located in close proximity to the Shri Banke Behari MandirBanke Bihari TempleBanke Bihari Mandir is the most popular Hindu temple of Lord Krishna in the holy city of Vrindavan in the Mathura district, especially in the month of Shraavana . Banke Bihari was originally worshiped at Nidhivana. Banke means “bent in three places” and bihari means “supreme enjoyer.” Lord Krishna...
. Legend has it that the Shree Radha Rasa Behari Ashta Sakhi Mandir is one of the two places in Mathura, Vrindavan where the Lord Krishna actually indulges in the Rasa Lila with his beloved Radha and her sakhis. On these nights, devotees have reported hearing the sound of the anklets, beating in tune to a divine melody.
Other sacred sites
Devraha Baba
Devraha Baba was an Indian Siddha Yogi saint who lived beside the Yamuna river in Mathura. He lived on a wooden platform and wore no clothes. A barricade of wooden planks hid his naked body from his devotees. He came down only to bathe in the river...
, a revered saint of the last century.
The Seva Kunj is where Lord Krishna once performed the Raaslila with Radha-Rani and the gopis and Nidhi Van where the divine couple rested. The samadhi of Swami Haridas
Swami Haridas
Swami Haridas was a spiritual poet and classical musician. Credited with a large body of devotional compositions, especially in the Dhrupad style, he is also the founder of the Haridasi school of mysticism, still found today in North India. His work influenced both the classical music and the...
, the guru of Tansen
Tansen
Mia Tansen is considered among the greatest composer-musicians in Hindustani classical music. He was an extraordinarily gifted vocalist, known for a large number of compositions, and also an instrumentalist who popularized and improved the rabab .He was among the Navaratnas at the court of the...
, is situated here. Every year, in his honour, Swami Haridas Sammelan is organized, in which all renowned musicians of India take part. After hundreds of year a historic effort to restore the ancient Seva Kunj is being carried out by The Braj Foundation, a NGO committed for the all-round development of Braj.
Another famous temple of Sri Vrindavan is Sri Kathia Baba
Kathia Baba
Kathia Baba - Contemporary group named after the founder, and following the philosophy of Dvaitādvaita Vaishnava Vedanta.- Introduction:In this line of Gurus the 34th Acharya was Sri Harivyas Devacharyaji, from his time the Sampradaya was divided into two parts. The main line of Gurus is continued...
Ka Sthan" at Gurukul Road, the mahanta of which is entitled as "brajobidehi mahanta" and the acharya
Acharya
In Indian religions and society, an acharya is a guide or instructor in religious matters; founder, or leader of a sect; or a highly learned man or a title affixed to the names of learned men...
of Swabhuram Dwara of Nimbarka
Nimbarka
Nimbarka , is known for propagating the Vaishnava Theology of Dvaitadvaita, duality in unity. According to scholars headed by Prof. Roma Bose, he lived in the 13th Century, on the assumption that Śrī Nimbārkācārya was the author of the work Madhvamukhamardana...
sect, Sri Swami Rash Behari Das Kathia Babaji Maharaj.
- Sri Sri Radha Govinda Temple - was built by Mahamandaleshwar Mahant Sri Krsna Balaram Swamiji from Vrindavan. This newly constructed Radha Govinda Temple, completed in 2004 is based on a famous historic temple built about 500 years ago by Srila Rupa Goswami, a direct Sanyasi disciple of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Sri Vrindavan-Chandra Mandir
Sri Vrindavan-Chandra Mandir (HKM Vrindavan), located some ninety miles southeast of Delhi, is a replica of that supreme Goloka Vrindavana in the spiritual sky. The Sri Vrindavan-chandra Mandir was inaugurated in 2006 on the most auspicious day of Sri Rama Navami day. ]The temple is housed in an ultra modern geodesic structure with a traditional gopuram based on khajuraho style of architecture, greeting pilgrims at the entrance.
The major festivals of the temple are Sri Krishna Janmashtami, Sri Radhashtami, Kartik Fest (7 day festival during Govardhan Puja time) and Gaura Purnima. Grand abhishekas are performed for Sri Sri Radha Vrindavan-chandra during festivals such as Radhashtami & Janmashtami. The abhisheka is performed against a special flower backdrop as several hundreds of devotees watch on and tumultuous kirtan goes on in the back ground. It’s a place of pilgrimage and a must visit.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation
The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a Bangalore based Not for Profit Organization which provides meals to 13 Lakh children everyday to Government School children in 8 states across India. In Vrindavan the Foundation started in 2003 and provides meals for 1,71,624 Government School Children every day in 1655 schools. (Study of Best Practices Adopted in Mid-Day-Meal Scheme In Uttar Pradesh Dr. Kausar Wizarat , Department of Higher and Professional Education National University of Educational Planning and Administration , January 2009)There are around 50 vans transporting the meal from the Akshaya Patra kitchen in Vrindavan every day.
Uttar Pradesh was the second state in India to which Akshaya Patra expanded its operations. The kitchen in Vrindavan is ISO 22000 certified by DNV for Food Safety Management Stystems. The equipment used include a roti-making machine which can make 40,000 rotis/hour, steam generators for cooking rice and dal, vegetable cutting machines which can cut about 300kg of vegetables per hour, grain cleaning machines which can clean 3 tons of grains per hour etc.The children are fed with rotis (chapatis) and dal [lentil soup] with sabji [vegetable dishes] or with a rice item like palav [rice with vegetables] or fried rice with sabji or dal.
Geography
Vrindavan is located at 27.58°N 77.7°E. It has an average elevation of 170 metres (557 feet).Demographics
India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Vrindavan had a population of 56,618. Males constitute 56% of the population and females 44%. Vrindavan has an average literacy rate of 65%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 73%, and female literacy is 55%. In Vrindavan, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age. The number of females is 24,200 including 13% who are under 6 years of age.
Vrindavan is also known as the City of Widows due to the large number of widows who move into the town and surrounding area after losing their husbands. According to some Hindu traditions, upper-caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
widow
Widow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
s may not remarry, so many of those abandoned by their families on the death of their husband make their way here. There are an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 widows living on the streets, many of whom have spent over 30 years there. In exchange for singing bhajan
Bhajan
A Bhajan is any type of Indian devotional song. It has no fixed form: it may be as simple as a mantra or kirtan or as sophisticated as the dhrupad or kriti with music based on classical ragas and talas. It is normally lyrical, expressing love for the Divine...
hymns for 7–8 hours in bhajanashrams
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
, women are given a cup of rice and a pittance of money (around Rs.10), which they try to supplement by begging on the streets. An organization called Guild of Service was formed to assist these deprived women and children. In 2000 the organization opened Amar Bari (My Home), a refuge for 120 Vrindavan widows, and a second shelter for 500 widows is expected to open.
Hare Krishna Movement, Vrindavan, is a charitable trust started by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON Bangalore). It feeds 140 widow “mothers” in Mahila Ashraya Sadhan and 200 more in the Mira Shivagani Ashram in Vrindavan. Hare Krishna Movement, Vrindavan is providing a wholesome, nutritious, mid day meal to around 400 widows 365 days a year. The meal consists of rotis, rice, dal and sabzi.
Read More: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/article2344817.ece
Industries in Vrindavan
These days Vrindavan is becoming a major source of earnings for real estateReal estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
companies. Many people from Delhi are purchasing houses in Vrindavan for its relative peace and quiet, and to live in a Holy place. As a result of this demand, many notable real estate and property development companies have launched many new housing projects in Vrindavan.
See also
- Brindaban SocietyBrindaban SocietyBrindavan Society is a large residential complex in Thane, Maharashtra, India, developed by the Mittal Group. The first building in this 100+ apartment building complex was constructed in 1984 and the project was completed in the early 90s...
- Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji
- Govardhan hillGovardhan hillGovardhan is a hill located near the town of Vrindavan, in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India. It considered as sacred by a number of traditions within Hinduism....
- Hare KrishnaInternational Society for Krishna ConsciousnessThe International Society for Krishna Consciousness , known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organization. It was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada...
- Radha KrishnaRadha KrishnaRadha Krishna is a Hindu deity. Krishna is often referred as svayam bhagavan in Gaudiya Vaishnavism theology and Radha is a young woman, a gopi who is Krishna's supreme beloved. With Krishna, Radha is acknowledged as the Supreme Goddess, for it is said that she controls Krishna with Her love...
- Six Goswamis of Vrindavan
- Svayam bhagavanSvayam BhagavanSvayam Bhagavan , "The Lord" or Lord Himself, is a Sanskrit theological term. The term refers to the concept of absolute representation of the monotheistic God as Bhagavan within Hinduism....