Govardhan Parikrama: the complete guide

By the Vrajraj team, Govardhan · Last verified 7 October 2026

The Govardhan Parikrama is a walk of about 21 km around Govardhan Hill, revered as Giriraj ji, in the Braj region of Mathura district. Pilgrims walk it clockwise, keeping the hill on their right, usually starting and ending at Daan Ghati in Govardhan town. On foot it takes around 5 to 8 hours. It is busiest on every Purnima, at Govardhan Puja and during the Mudiya Purnima mela.

Why devotees walk around Govardhan

The Bhagavata Purana (Canto 10, Chapter 25) tells how Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill on one hand and held it for seven days, sheltering the people and cows of Vraja from Indra's storm. Ever since, Govardhan has been worshipped not simply as a hill but as Giriraj ji, the king of mountains, regarded by devotees as non-different from Krishna himself.

Walking around Giriraj ji is an act of devotion. Some devotees walk it once in a lifetime; many Braj families walk it every month on Purnima. Others undertake the dandavati parikrama, covering the whole route through repeated full-length prostrations, which can take a week or more.

The hill is about 8 km long and rises only around 30 metres above the plain, yet for millions of devotees there is no mountain greater.

The route, stop by stop

Starting from Daan Ghati and walking clockwise, the main stops come in roughly this order:

1. Daan Ghati: the Giriraj ji shrine in Govardhan town where most pilgrims offer milk (dugdh abhishek) and begin.
2. Aanyor: a village on the crest of the hill, associated with the Annakut offering.
3. Govind Kund: a sacred pond on the western side of the hill.
4. Punchhari ka Lautha: the shrine of Lautha Baba at the hill's southern tip, its "tail" (poonchh). Many pilgrims stop here to "register their attendance". Read about Punchhari.
5. Jatipura, Mukharvind: worshipped as the mouth of Giriraj ji, and the original seat of Shrinathji, where milk abhishek is offered.
6. Back through Govardhan town to Manasi Ganga, the great sacred tank at the heart of Govardhan.
7. Uddhav Kund, then Radha Kund and Shyam Kund, the twin kunds held most sacred in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. Our Radha Kund guide.
8. Kusum Sarovar: sandstone ghats and the cenotaphs of the Jat ruler Suraj Mal, especially beautiful at sunset.
9. Back to Manasi Ganga and Daan Ghati, completing the circle.

Badi and chhoti parikrama

Because Govardhan town sits in the middle of the route, the full 21 km is often walked as two loops that both begin and end in the town:

• The longer loop (about 12 km): Daan Ghati → Aanyor → Govind Kund → Punchhari ka Lautha → Jatipura → back to Govardhan.
• The shorter loop (about 9 km): Govardhan → Uddhav Kund → Radha Kund and Shyam Kund → Kusum Sarovar → Manasi Ganga.

Locally these are usually called the badi (bigger) and chhoti (smaller) parikrama, though you will sometimes hear the names used the other way round. If time or energy is short, walk one loop on one day and the other the next.

How long does it take?

A steady walker covers the full 21 km in about 5 to 6 hours of walking. With temple stops, darshan and rest breaks, plan 6 to 8 hours. Elderly walkers and families with children often split it across two days, or walk one loop and ride the other.

Rules and etiquette (niyam)

• Keep Giriraj ji on your right and walk clockwise throughout.
• Complete the circle where you began. Most people do not leave a parikrama halfway.
• Walk barefoot if you wish; it is a personal offering, not a rule. Soft cloth slippers are sold along the way.
• Do not take stones from the hill. Customs around Govardhan shila vary by tradition and are sensitive; if in doubt, ask the temple elders.
• Keep the parikrama marg clean. Carry your waste until you find a bin.
• Offer milk, flowers or a lamp at Daan Ghati and Mukharvind if you wish. Many families also do a milk-dhara offering along the route.
• Greet fellow pilgrims with "Radhe Radhe". You will hear it all the way round.

Practical tips

• Start early. In most months, setting off before sunrise means you finish before the midday heat.
• Cover your head and carry water. Snacks, chai and water are available along the route.
• Watch for e-rickshaws and two-wheelers on shared sections of the path, especially at night.
• E-rickshaws can take elderly family members round the circuit with stops. Agree on the fare and the stops before you begin.
• Night parikrama is common in summer and on Purnima. Carry a torch and stay together as a group.
• Avoid peak days if you want calm. The Ekadashi before Purnima and the Purnima itself are very crowded. Mudiya Purnima draws crowds of crores over a few days.

Best time for the Govardhan Parikrama

October to March is the most comfortable season for walking by day, with winter maximums of around 21–24°C. From April to June, daytime temperatures reach 37–41°C, so most devotees walk at night or before dawn. July to September brings monsoon rain and humidity.

The devotional peaks are Kartik (around 26 October to 24 November in 2026), Govardhan Puja and Annakut (10 November 2026), and the Mudiya Purnima mela around Guru Purnima (18 July 2027). See our Braj festival calendar.

Where to stay for the parikrama

Staying close to the route makes an early start easy and lets you rest properly afterwards. Vrajraj Farms & Retreat is at Punchhari, around 2 km from Punchhari ka Lautha and 4 km from Jatipura, on the quieter southern side of the hill. Begin your parikrama close to the retreat, or let us help you plan a start from Daan Ghati, and come back to fresh food, open fields and a quiet room.