Place:Vrindavan

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Short description: City in Uttar Pradesh, India


Vrindavan

Vrindaban, Brindaban
City
Iskon Temple, Vrindawan.jpg
Madanmohan Mandir Vrindavan.JPG
Radha Damodar Temple.JPG
Radhavallabhlalj.jpg
Lovetemple.jpg
Clockwise from top: Krishna Balaram Mandir, Radha Madanmohan Temple, Radha Damodar Temple, Radha Vallabh Temple, Prem Mandir (Love temple)
Nicknames: 
City of Widows
Vrindavan is located in Uttar Pradesh
Vrindavan
Vrindavan
Location in Uttar Pradesh, India
Vrindavan is located in India
Vrindavan
Vrindavan
Vrindavan (India)
Coordinates: [ ⚑ ] : 27°35′N 77°42′E / 27.58°N 77.7°E / 27.58; 77.7
Country India
StateUttar Pradesh
DistrictMathura
Government
 • TypeMunicipal Corporation
 • BodyMathura-Vrindavan Municipal Corporation
 • MayorVinod Agarwal[1] (BJP)
Elevation
170 m (560 ft)
Population
 (2011)[2]
 • Total63,005
Demonym(s)Vrindavan wasi
Languages
 • OfficialHindi
 • NativeBraj Bhasha dialect
Time zoneUTC+05:30 (IST)
PIN
281121
Telephone code0565
Vehicle registrationUP-85

Vrindavan (About this soundpronunciation (help·info); IAST: Vṛndāvana), also spelt Vrindaban and Brindaban,[3] is a historical city in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India . It is located in the Braj Bhoomi region and holds religious importance in Hinduism as Krishna spent most of his childhood days in this city.[4][5][6][7] Vrindavan has about 5,500 temples dedicated to the worship of Krishna and his divine consort Radha.[8]

It is one of the most sacred places for Vaishnavism tradition.[4][8] Vrindavan is a significant part of the "Krishna pilgrimage circuit" which also includes Mathura, Barsana, Gokul, Govardhan, Kurukshetra, Dwarka and Puri.[9][10]

Etymology

The ancient Sanskrit name of the city, वृन्दावन (Vṛndāvana), comes from its groves of vṛndā (holy basil) and vana (grove, forest).[3]

Geography

Vrindavan is a city in India, located in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It is situated on the west bank of the Yamuna River, about 15 kilometers north of Mathura.[11] [ ⚑ ] 27°35′N 77°42′E / 27.58°N 77.7°E / 27.58; 77.7.[12] It has an average elevation of 170 metres (557 feet).[citation needed]

Yamuna river flows through the city. It is located 125 km away from Delhi and 15 km away from Mathura City.

Climate

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Demographics

As of 2011 Indian Census, Vrindavan had a total population of 63,005, of which 34,769 were males and 28,236 were females. Population within the age group of 0 to 6 years was 7,818. The total number of literates in Vrindavan was 42,917, which constituted 68.11% of the population with male literacy of 73.7% and female literacy of 61.2%. The effective literacy rate of 7+ population of Vrindavan was 77.8%, of which male literacy rate was 83.7% and female literacy rate was 70.3%. The sex ratio is 812 females per 1000 males. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes population was 6,294 and 18, respectively. Vrindavan had 11,637 households in 2011.[2][15]

Vrindavan lies in the cultural region of Braj.[16]

Religious heritage

Main pages: Religion:Radha, Religion:Krishna, and Religion:Radha Religion:Krishna
ISKCON devotee singing bhajan in Vrindavan

Vrindavan is considered to be a sacred place for Vaisnavism tradition of Hinduism. It is believed that Krishna spent part of his childhood in this city.[17] The other prominent areas surrounding Vrindavan are Govardhana, Gokul, Nandgaon, Barsana, Mathura and Bhandirvan. Along with Vrindavan, all these places are considered to be the center of Radha and Krishna worship. Millions of devotees of Radha Krishna visit Vrindavan and its nearby areas every year to participate in number of festivals.Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag and is an important Hindu pilgrimage site since long.

Of the contemporary times, Vallabhacharya, aged eleven visited Vrindavan. Later on, he performed three pilgrimages of India , barefoot giving discourses on Bhagavad Gita at 84 places. These 84 places are known as Pushtimarg Baithak and since then are the places of pilgrimage. Yet, he stayed in Vrindavan for four months each year. Vrindavan thus heavily influenced his formation of Pushtimarg.

Banke Bihari Temple, Vrindavan
Banke Bihari Temple, Vrindavan

The essence of Vrindavan was lost over time until the 16th century, when it was rediscovered by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. In the year 1515, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu visited Vrindavan, with the purpose of locating the lost holy places associated with Krishna's life.[18]

In the last 250 years, the extensive forests of Vrindavan have been subjected to urbanization, first by local Rajas and in recent decades by apartment developers. The forest cover has been whittled away to only a few remaining spots, and the local wildlife, including peacocks, cows, monkeys and a variety of bird species has been virtually eliminated.

Temples

Rangnathji Temple, Vrindavan

Vrindavan, the land of Radha Krishna has about 5500 temples dedicated to them to showcase their divine pastimes.[19][20] Some of the important pilgrimage sites are[21] -

  • Shri Radha Madan Mohan Temple, located near the Kalidah Ghat was built by Kapur Ram Das of Multan. One of the oldest temples in Vrindavan, it is closely associated with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The original deity of Madan Gopal was shifted from the shrine to Karauli in Rajasthan for safekeeping during Aurangzeb's rule. Today, a replica of the original (deity) is worshipped at the temple
  • Sri Radha Raman Mandir, constructed at the request of Gopala Bhatta Goswami and houses a saligram deity of Krishna as Radha Ramana, alongside Radha.[22]
  • Banke Bihari Temple, built in 1862[23] after the image of Banke-Bihari was discovered in Nidhivan by Swami Haridas.
  • Radha Vallabh Temple is one of the ancient temple of Vrindavan. It was constructed in 1585 AD and was the first temple made up of red sandstones.[24]
  • Radha Damodar Temple is a Gaudiya Vaishnavism temple, which is dedicated to Radha Krishna and was constructed in 1542 CE.[25]
  • Sri Krishna-Balarama Temple was built by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Raman-Reti.[26] The principal deities of this temple are Krishna and Balaram, with Radha–Shyamasundar and Gaura-Nitai alongside. Adjoining the temple is the samadhi of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON, built in pure white marble.
  • Prem Mandir is a spiritual complex situated on a 54-acre site on the outskirts of Vrindavan dedicated to divine love. The temple structure was established by spiritual guru Kripalu Maharaj.[27] The main structure built in marble and figures of Krishna cover the main temple.[28]
  • Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir is housed in a modern geodesic structure with a traditional gopuram based on Khajuraho style of architecture. It is being built by one of the ISKCON factions based in Bangalore.[29] At cost of ₹300 crore (US$42 million) it will be the tallest temple in world on completion.

Transportation

Road

Vrindavan is well connected by roads and is connected to Delhi by National Highway (NH) 44 of the Golden Quadrilateral network. Earlier it was NH 2.[6]

129 km from New Delhi

117 km from Gurgaon

54 km from Agra

9 km from Mathura

While in Vrindavan, battery powered e-rickshaw are available for commuting within city-limits.

Rail

  • BDB/Vrindavan is on the Mathura-Vrindavan MG link.
  • VRBD/Vrindavan Road is on the Agra-Delhi chord.

Flight

Nearest Airports are Agra Airport and New Delhi International Airport.

City of Widows

Vrindavan is also known as the "city of widows"[30][31][32] due to the large number of widows who move into the town and surrounding area after losing their husbands. There are an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 widows. The widows come from states of West Bengal, Assam and Odisha.[33][34] Many spend time singing bhajan hymns at bhajanashrams. An organization called Guild of Service was formed to assist these deprived women and children.[30][34] According to a survey report prepared by the government, several homes run by the government and different NGOs for widows.[35]

Gallery

  • Keshi Ghat on banks of the Yamuna river

  • Rangaji Temple of Vrindavan

  • Prem Mandir, Vrindavan

  • Krishna Balaram Mandir

  • Radha Madan Mohan Temple, Vrindavan

  • Wall art of the name Radha

  • Pagal Baba Temple

See also

  • Gokul
  • Mathura
  • Barsana
  • Nandgaon
  • Radha Kund
  • Kusum Sarovar
  • Radha Rani Temple
  • Banke Bihari Temple
  • Radha Raman Temple
  • Radha Madan Mohan Temple, Vrindavan
  • Nidhivan
  • Radha Krishna

References

  1. ↑ "BJP's mayoral candidate from Mathura Vinod Agarwal wins". ET Now News. 13 May 2023. https://www.etnownews.com/news/live-mathura-vrindavan-mayor-election-result-2023-counting-news-online-latest-updates-vinod-agarwal-bjp-raja-mohtasim-ahmed-bsp-liveblog-100204223. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Census of India: Vrindavan". http://www.censusindia.gov.in/pca/SearchDetails.aspx?Id=143385. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Brindaban". The Imperial Gazetteer of India. 1909. https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V09_023.gif. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Hawley, John Stratton (2020). Krishna's Playground: Vrindavan in the 21st Century. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0190123987. 
  5. ↑ "UP gets first officially designated 'teerth sthals' in Vrindavan and Barsana". Times of India. 27 October 2017. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/agra/up-gets-first-officially-designated-teerth-sthals-in-vrindavan-and-barsana/articleshow/61277272.cms. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "NHAI". http://www.nhai.org/NH2_Delhi_Kolkata_main.htm. 
  7. ↑ Keene, Henry George (1899). "Bindrabun". A Handbook for Visitors to Agra and Its Neighbourhood. Thacker, Spink & Co.. pp. 98–106. https://archive.org/stream/ahandbookforvis00keengoog#page/n113/mode/1up. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam. ed. India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 176. https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada. 
  9. ↑ "Development of Ramayana and Krishna Circuits". https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1513307. 
  10. ↑ Bhattacharya, G. (2003). "Vrindavan". Oxford Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gao/9781884446054.article.t090249. ISBN 9781884446054. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/gao/9781884446054.article.t090249. 
  11. ↑ explorer, the india (7 June 2023). "Best Places To Visit In Vrindavan (2023): Mathura - TheIndiaExplorer" (in English). nishi. https://theindiaexplorer.com/2023/06/places-to-visit-in-vrindavan/. 
  12. ↑ "Maps, Weather, and Airports for Vrindavan, India". http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/36/Vrindavan.html. 
  13. ↑ "Station: Mathura Climatological Table 1981–2010". Climatological Normals 1981–2010. India Meteorological Department. January 2015. pp. 481–482. https://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/1981-2010%20CLIM%20NORMALS%20%28STATWISE%29.pdf. 
  14. ↑ "Extremes of Temperature & Rainfall for Indian Stations (Up to 2012)". India Meteorological Department. December 2016. p. M220. https://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/EXTREMES%20OF%20TEMPERATURE%20and%20RAINFALL%20upto%202012.pdf. 
  15. ↑ Jayant Pandurang Nayaka, Syed Nurullah (1974). A students' history of education in India (1800–1973) (6 ed.). Macmillan. https://books.google.com/books?id=kNQLHQAACAAJ. 
  16. ↑ Lucia Michelutti (2002). "Sons of Krishna: the politics of Yadav community formation in a North Indian town". PhD Thesis Social Anthropology. London School of Economics and Political Science University of London. pp. 49. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/2106/1/U613338.pdf. 
  17. ↑ Sengupta, Arjun (9 March 2023). "Holi: Bringing fleeting colour to the lives of Vrindavan's widows" (in en). The Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-culture/widows-vrindavan-holi-8484907/. 
  18. ↑ "Discovery of Vrindavan by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu". http://www.mvtindia.com/history/discovery.htm. 
  19. ↑ Rājaśekhara Dāsa (2000). The Color Guide to Vṛndāvana: India's Most Holy City of Over 5,000 Temples. Vedanta Vision Publication. https://books.google.com/books?id=Q1cvAAAAYAAJ. 
  20. ↑ Seven main temples of Vrindavan, Vrindavantoday.org
  21. ↑ Anand, D. (1992). "Temples and Places" (in en). Krishna: The Living God of Braj. Abhinav Publications. pp. 42–86. ISBN 978-81-7017-280-2. https://books.google.com/books?id=EsvSwdUgQYcC&q=radha+purana. 
  22. ↑ "Sri Radha Raman in Vrindavan". http://www.salagram.net/sstp-RadhaRamanVrindavan.html. 
  23. ↑ "Banke-Bihari Temple website". https://www.bihariji.org/may08/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26. 
  24. ↑ "Chapter 7. Cross-Cultural Dynamics of Mystical Emotions in Vrindaban" (in en). The Hare Krishnas in India. Princeton University Press. 14 July 2014. pp. 176–198. doi:10.1515/9781400859894.176. ISBN 978-1-4008-5989-4. https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9781400859894.176/html. 
  25. ↑ "Radha Damodar Mandir, Vrindavan - Info, Timings, Photos, History" (in en-US). 19 July 2016. https://www.templepurohit.com/hindu-temple/radha-damodar-mandir-mandir-vrindavan/. 
  26. ↑ "ISKCON Vrindavan - Home". http://www.iskconvrindavan.com. 
  27. ↑ "Famous Krishna Temples in India". 20 August 2013. https://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/slideshow/famous-krishna-temples-india_297.html. 
  28. ↑ Kumar, Mayank (13 February 2012). "Kripaluji Maharaj's Prem Mandir will be inaugurated on 17 February". Aaj Ki Khabar. http://www.aajkikhabar.com/News/Region/Kripaluji-Maharaj-s-Prem-Mandir-will-be-inaugurated-on-17th-February/690284.html. 
  29. ↑ "News18.com: CNN-News18 Breaking News India, Latest News Headlines, Live News Updates". http://ibnlive.in.com/news/iskcon-to-build-worlds-tallest-temple-at-mathura-from-today/458198-3-242.html. 
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 "India's widows live out sentence of shame, poverty". http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9711/16/india.women/. 
  31. ↑ "The Indian town with 6,000 widows". BBC News. 2 May 2013. https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-21859622. 
  32. ↑ "The widows of Vrindavan". cnbctv18.com. 8 March 2019. https://www.cnbctv18.com/photos/buzz/the-widows-of-vrindavan-2537551-12.htm. 
  33. ↑ "Catalyst Magazine: Moksha: the widows of Vrindavan". http://www.catalystmagazine.org/Default.aspx.LocID-0hgnew0ha.RefLocID-0hg01b001006009.Lang-EN.htm. 
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 "Shunned from society, widows flock to city to die". CNN. 5 July 2007. http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/07/05/damon.india.widows/index.html. 
  35. ↑ "Sulabh dons mantle". http://www.sulabhinternational.org/content/sulabh-dons-mantle-good-samaritan-save-vrindavan-widows. 

External links




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