Vrindavan: Yatra Guide and Panchang

Banke Bihari Temple

Banke Bihari is the heart of Vrindavan for most devotees. The deity is worshipped as a combined form of Radha and Krishna, and the tradition traces its discovery to Swami Haridas, the musician saint who is also remembered as the teacher of Tansen. The present temple was built in the 19th century.

The unusual thing about darshan here is the curtain. It is drawn open and closed repeatedly so that devotees see the deity in short glimpses, because the tradition holds that a long unbroken gaze is too intense. Plan to stand quietly rather than push for a long look.

Special days change the experience completely. Phool Bangla darshan in the hot months, when the deity is seated in a bower of flowers, and Charan Darshan on Akshaya Tritiya, when the feet are visible once a year, are the best known. They also bring the biggest crowds of the year.

Local tip: Go early on a weekday. The lanes to the temple are narrow and get dangerously packed on Sundays, Ekadashi, Purnima and festivals. Leave bags and valuables at your stay, and check the gate rules on phones and bags, which change.

Radha Raman Temple

Radha Raman is the quiet jewel of the old town. It was founded by Gopala Bhatta Goswami, and the deity is said to have appeared from a shaligram stone in the 16th century. The appearance day, in Vaishakh, is celebrated here every year.

The deity is small, and the artistry is in the face. The tradition of the temple is to keep to its own old customs, so the atmosphere is calmer than at the famous gates. This is the temple to visit when you want to sit and listen to the kirtan instead of queueing.

Local tip: Sit at the side of the hall and stay for at least one aarti. The kitchen and the old courtyard are part of the experience and are often missed.

Radha Madan Mohan Temple

Madan Mohan was established by Sanatana Goswami and stands above the Yamuna near the old Kali Daha area. It is among the oldest stone temples of Vrindavan and is protected as a monument of national importance.

Like the other early Goswami deities, the original image was moved to Rajasthan during the 17th century upheavals, and a counterpart is worshipped here. This is why you will hear that "the original is in Karauli" for Madan Mohan and "in Jaipur" for Govind Dev. It is a real piece of Vrindavan history, not a myth.

Local tip: It is a short walk from Keshi Ghat. Combine them in one morning.

Govind Dev Temple (ruins)

The red sandstone Govind Dev temple was built in the late 16th century under Raja Man Singh of Amber and was once among the grandest temples in North India. Its upper storeys were damaged long ago, but the surviving structure is still worth seeing for its scale and for what it says about the temple building of that age.

The deity is now worshipped in Jaipur. Visit for the history and the architecture, not for a regular darshan.

Local tip: Good for a short stop with a guide who can explain the stories behind the carving.

Prem Mandir

Prem Mandir is the newest large temple, built by Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat and opened in 2012. It is carved in white marble, with Radha Krishna and Sita Ram worshipped on separate levels, and the walls carry scenes from Krishna's life including the Govardhan and Kaliya lilas.

It is a very different experience from the old temples: large, orderly and designed for crowds. The evening, when the building is lit and the fountains run, is when most families come.

Local tip: Go just before sunset so that you see the marble in daylight and then lit. It is the most photographed place in Vrindavan, so keep this for the end of a day, not the start.

ISKCON Krishna Balaram Mandir

The Krishna Balaram Mandir in Raman Reti was consecrated in 1975 and is one of the most visited ISKCON temples in the world. The temple is built close to the place where Krishna and Balarama are said to have played as boys, and the marble hall, the deities of Krishna Balaram and Radha Shyamasundar and the samadhi of Srila Prabhupada are the main stops.

The morning programme before sunrise is the best time. It is a rare place where you can listen to organised kirtan, sit in a calm hall and eat clean, simple prasad in the same visit.

Local tip: Dress modestly. The guest house and restaurant make this a sensible base for foreign guests or first-time families.

Rangji Mandir

Rangji Mandir surprises first-time visitors because it looks like a temple from Tamil Nadu. Built in the mid 19th century, it is dedicated to Sri Ranganatha, a form of Vishnu, and follows the Sri Vaishnava tradition, with a tall gopuram and a gold-plated pillar in the courtyard.

The annual Brahmotsav in spring, when the deity is taken out in processions and a large wooden chariot, is the best time to see it. Non-Hindus may have limited access to the inner parts, so ask before you go in.

Local tip: It is a good, uncrowded stop for the afternoon, when the old town temples are closed for rest.

Keshi Ghat and the Yamuna

Keshi Ghat is where Krishna is said to have killed the demon Keshi and then rested on the bank. It is the most important ghat for evening aarti and for the traditional Yamuna boat ride that shows you the old temple skyline from the water.

Water levels and cleanliness vary with the season and with how much water is released upstream, so look at the river before you plan to bathe. Many pilgrims choose to take water on the head or sprinkle it, and not to enter, especially in winter and monsoon.

Local tip: Go in the late afternoon and stay for the aarti. Agree a boat price before you step on and wear a life jacket.

Seva Kunj and Nidhivan

Seva Kunj and Nidhivan are the two groves where, in local belief, Radha and Krishna still perform the Raas Lila at night. Nidhivan is a dense grove of low, twisted tulsi trees, and Seva Kunj holds the Lalita Kund and a small temple. Both close at dusk, and local tradition says no one stays after dark.

Treat them as places of belief, not as sights to be photographed. Visit in the morning, keep your voice low, and listen to the locals who tend them.

Local tip: Visitors are usually asked to leave by sunset. Check the closing time at the gate.

Radha Vallabh and Radha Damodar

Radha Vallabh was founded by Hit Harivansh Mahaprabhu and follows its own devotional tradition, where Radha is honoured through a crown placed beside Krishna and the music of Samaj Gayan is a highlight.

Radha Damodar was built by Jiva Goswami and holds a Govardhan shila marked with Krishna's footprint. By devotional tradition, a circumambulation of this shila is said to carry the merit of a Govardhan parikrama, so many devotees who cannot travel to Govardhan do it here.

Local tip: Both are small and local. They reward a slow visit with no schedule.