By the Vrajraj team, Govardhan · Last verified
Vrindavan is the town of Krishna's childhood pastimes, on the Yamuna about 10 km north of Mathura, and home to thousands of temples. The essentials are Banke Bihari, Radha Raman, Radha Vallabh, Nidhivan and Keshi Ghat in the old town, and ISKCON and Prem Mandir on its southern side. Below are the places most worth your time, and a plan for seeing them in one day.
Temples and sacred places
Banke Bihari Temple
Vrindavan's most loved temple, built in 1862 for the deity Swami Haridas worshipped as Kunj Bihari. The curtain is drawn every few minutes in jhanki darshan, and mangla aarti is held only on Janmashtami. It is extremely crowded on weekends, Ekadashi and festivals.
Radha Raman Temple
Home of the deity that, by tradition, manifested from a shaligram stone worshipped by Gopal Bhatta Goswami in the 16th century. The present building dates from 1826. Known for its graceful daily seva.
Radha Vallabh Temple
The temple of Hit Harivansh's Radha Vallabh tradition. The old red sandstone temple dates from about 1585; the deity is now worshipped in the newer temple behind it.
Nidhivan
The sacred grove where Swami Haridas performed his devotion, with his samadhi. It is closed after the evening aarti because of the belief that Radha and Krishna perform the raas here at night. Seva Kunj, linked to Hit Harivansh, carries a similar belief.
Madan Mohan Temple
Among the oldest temples of Vrindavan, founded by Sanatana Goswami around 1580 on a hillock above the old course of the Yamuna. The original deity was moved to Karauli in Rajasthan in the 17th century.
Govind Dev Temple
A vast red sandstone temple built in 1590 by Raja Man Singh of Amber, one of the great buildings of its age. Its upper storeys were lost after 1670, and the original deity is now in Jaipur.
Keshi Ghat
The ghat where, in Braj tradition, Krishna killed the horse demon Keshi. The evening Yamuna aarti here is one of the loveliest sights in Vrindavan.
Rangaji Temple
A South Indian (Dravidian) style temple of 1851, modelled on Srirangam, with a towering gopuram and a tall gold-plated flag pillar.
Shahji Temple
A 19th-century marble temple built by Lucknow merchants, famous for its spiral marble pillars. Its Basanti Kamra opens only around Basant Panchami.
ISKCON Krishna Balaram Mandir
Opened in 1975 at Raman Reti by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, whose samadhi is here. Lively kirtan through the day, and the centre of Vrindavan for international devotees.
Prem Mandir
A white Italian marble temple built by Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat and inaugurated in 2012. Best visited at dusk, when the lights come on; there is an evening light and fountain show (about 7–7:30 pm in winter, 7:30–8 pm in summer).
Priyakant Ju Temple
A lotus-shaped temple opened in 2016 on Chhatikara Road, on the way into Vrindavan, and beautifully lit at night.
Dates and details follow temple histories and standard references; where sources differ, we give the commonly accepted date.
The Vrindavan Parikrama
The Vrindavan Parikrama is a walk of about 10 km, taking 2–3 hours, along the Parikrama Marg around the old town. Much of it runs beside the Yamuna, past Varaha Ghat, Kaliya Ghat, the Madan Mohan temple, Imli Tala and Keshi Ghat. There is no fixed starting point; many begin near ISKCON at Raman Reti. It is walked in great numbers on Ekadashi, in Kartik and on festival days. Go early in the morning for a calmer walk.
A day in Vrindavan
- Early morning: walk the parikrama, or go straight to the old town. Park outside it and take an e-rickshaw in.
- Morning: Banke Bihari, then Radha Raman, Radha Vallabh and Nidhivan, finishing at Keshi Ghat.
- Midday: lunch and rest. Most temples close for a few hours in the afternoon.
- Late afternoon: Madan Mohan or Govind Dev, then ISKCON Krishna Balaram Mandir.
- Dusk: Prem Mandir as the lights come on, and the evening show. Or go back to Keshi Ghat for the Yamuna aarti.
Timings change with the season and on festival days, so check on the day.
Tips for Vrindavan
- Avoid weekends, Ekadashi and festivals at Banke Bihari if you can, or go very early.
- Watch the monkeys: they are famous for snatching spectacles, phones and bags. Keep them out of reach.
- Dress modestly, leave shoes outside, and assume photography is not allowed inside temples unless told otherwise.
- Check the festival calendar: Janmashtami, Holi and Kartik transform the town.
Vrindavan from Govardhan
Vrindavan is about 1–1.5 hours from Vrajraj at Punchhari. Many guests combine a Vrindavan day with the Govardhan Parikrama, Radha Kund and Barsana, all closer to us. See staying near Vrindavan and our 2- and 3-day Braj itineraries.
