Vrindavan

Closely linked with Lord Krishna’s childhood, Vrindavan is among the top featured list of pilgrimage sites. The various Tourist Attractions in Vrindavan play a huge role in bringing a lot of people to this land round the year. The city is home to about 4,000 temples including Rangaji temple, Govind Dev Temple, Bankey Bihari temple, Madan Mohan temple, Radha Ballabh temple, Nidhi Van temple and the Pagal Baba temple. The name Vrindavan is derived from the words ‘vrinda’ meaning tulsi and ‘van’ meaning grove.

History
The history of Vrindavan is incomplete without the mention of Lord Kirshna. According to Mythology, this wasn't Krishna's birth place but he is believed to have spent his childhood and youth here. Krishna's validity as an important historical figure is borne out by very old scriptures like the Mahabharata which has records of great battles that were once fought in this region. It's because of this rich religious history of the city that Vrindavan is still inhabited by this divinity. This amazing characteristic of Vrindavan has been the catalyst for countless forms of art and cultural expression as well as religious devotion.

Tourist Attractions:

Prem Mandir of Shyama shyam Dham is the biggest attraction in Vrindavan. Prem Mandir, completed in 2012 under the guidance of Shri Kripaluji Maharaj, has become most popular among devotees and tourists in Vrindavan. Devotees visiting Prem Mandir can also visit other famous temples of Vrindavan. November to March is the best time to visit this Holy City.

Bankey Bihari Temple is horded with devotees in the month of Sravana, which lasts from July to August. During this festival, Lord Krishna is placed in golden swing, and the curtains before the deity in this temple are raised and shut every few minutes. It is believed that if seen for longer time, the brilliant eyes of Bankey Bihari can make the devotees unconscious.

Kesi Ghat, situated on the bank of Yamuna River, is a famous tourist attraction in Vrindavan. The history behind this ghat is that Lord Krishna, after killing demon Kesi, took bath at this ghat. Since, then devotees take a dip in the water and seek divine blessings.

Another must visit place is the Vrindavan Forest which is believed to be one of the largest forests in the country. Spread across 57 Kms, this forest is the Braja Mandala's 12th forest and is believed to be really auspicious. According to beliefs, Lord Krishna performed rasa dance in this forest along with the beautiful damsels of Vraja.

How To Reach Vrindavan
By Air - International travelers coming to Vrindavan via air route can use the Indira Gandhi International Airport at Delhi. This is the nearest airport from Vrindavan at a distance of 150 kms.

By Rail - Vrindavan has no long-distance rail station, and the closest major rail head is at Mathura. You may take a half-hour taxi ride for this distance or can also opt for a passenger train running between Mathura and Vrindavan.

By Road - There are a small number of direct buses that ply between Delhi and Vrindavan. Every half an hour, you would get a bus to Mathura. Private taxis can be hired too from Delhi to reach Vrindavan. Vrindavan is also well connected via road to Haridwar, Agra, Jaipur and other key cities of India.