By the Vrajraj team, Govardhan · Last verified
Jatipura is a village on the Govardhan Parikrama, about 3 km from Daan Ghati, where devotees worship the Mukharvind, the mouth of Giriraj ji, with offerings of milk. It is also the old Gopalpur, where Shrinathji was first worshipped on Govardhan Hill, so it is the heart of Braj for Pushtimarg Vaishnavs. Jatipura is about 4 km from Vrajraj at Punchhari.
The Mukharvind
Devotees regard Govardhan as Krishna himself, and at Jatipura they worship the hill's face. Pilgrims pour milk over the sacred rock (dugdh abhishek), offer flowers and sweets, and in Pushtimarg custom dress the Mukharvind for festivals. Milk flows here every day, and on Govardhan Puja (10 November 2026) the offerings are on a scale you have to see to believe. Govardhan Puja & Annakut.
Shrinathji and Jatipura
Pushtimarg tradition holds that a form of Krishna holding up Govardhan, with his left arm raised, appeared from the hill here. Vallabhacharya, founder of the Pushtimarg, established the deity's worship on the hill, calling him Gopal and the place Gopalpur. His son Vitthalnathji (Gusainji) developed the elaborate service of the deity and gave the name Shrinathji.
Around 1669, to protect the deity during Aurangzeb's reign, Shrinathji's sevaks carried him out of Braj. After a journey of more than two years, he was installed at Sihad in Mewar in 1672, the town now known as Nathdwara. For Pushtimarg Vaishnavs, Jatipura remains Shrinathji's original home, and a pilgrimage to Braj is not complete without darshan here.
Pushtimarg places around Govardhan
- Baithakji: several baithaks of Vallabhacharya and Gusainji, the places where they sat and gave discourses, are around Govardhan and visited by Vaishnavs on yatra.
- The Ashtachhap poets: Surdas, Kumbhandas, Nanddas and the other five poets of the Ashtachhap composed the kirtans sung in Shrinathji's service at Govardhan. Their memory is woven into the villages around the hill.
- Annakut at Jatipura: at Govardhan Puja, the Annakut here is among the grandest in Braj.
Visiting Jatipura
- On the parikrama: walking clockwise from Daan Ghati, you reach Jatipura after Aanyor, Govind Kund and Punchhari ka Lautha. Starting from Punchhari, Jatipura is the first stop. Parikrama route.
- Milk: you can buy milk and flowers for the abhishek from the stalls at Jatipura.
- Timings: darshan and seva follow the Pushtimarg day and change with the season and festivals. Ask locally on the day.
- Crowds: Purnima, Govardhan Puja and Mudiya Purnima are the busiest days. Weekday mornings are calmest.
Staying near Jatipura
Many Vaishnav samaj bhavans and dharamshalas in Jatipura serve pilgrims from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Mumbai, usually booked through the community trust. If you are travelling with family and want space and quiet, Vrajraj Farms & Retreat is about 4 km away at Punchhari. From there you can reach the Mukharvind in 10–15 minutes, or walk there as part of the parikrama. Tell us about any food requirements when you enquire.
