Welcome back to another episode of Incredible India. In the previous episode, I took you to one of the biggest zoological parks in India, the National Zoological Park, New Delhi.
In this episode, I will take you to Barsana, Uttar Pradesh, the birthplace of the Hindu Goddess Radha, who was the chief consort of Krishna.
Radha Rani Temple
Radha Rani Temple (or Laadli ji Temple) is a Hindu temple located on top of a Hill in Barsana, District Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. It is dedicated to the goddess Radha who is their beloved goddess and the people of Barsana are great devotees.
How to reach
Barsana is well-connected via roads and can be easily reached from the neighbouring big cities like Mathura, Agra, Gurugram, Delhi etc. We started from our home in Gurugram and reached there in about 150 mins.
It takes almost the same amount of time from Delhi as well.
If you are coming from much farther, then exploring the railways might be a good option as well. Mathura junction is one of the most popular junctions of the Indian railways. And from there it is just 40 km to Barsana.
If you prefer travelling via air, Mathura still doesn't have its own airport but I believe one is under construction or at least approved. So, the nearest airport (at present) is Agra and Delhi airports.
It is an hour's drive from Gurugram by road.
Exploring the Town
Barsana's most iconic place to visit is the Radha Rani Temple which is located on top of a hill. Devotees have to climb the stairs to reach the temple complex.
You will find small stalls selling prasada, flower garlands and other offerings for the goddess.
Once you reach the top of the hill, a magnificent temple can be seen constructed with Red sandstones and white marble symbolising the love between Radha and Krishna.
I went there last Sunday and although it was still more than 15 days before the Holi festival yet everyone was already celebrating it in the temple.
The greeting in this part of the world is "Radhe Radhe" and not just greetings but it is one of the most popular household names there. Even people use it as a pronoun sometimes. You will feel the immense love and devotion for their goddess with this small gesture only.
There were so many people (Sunday might be the reason), most of them have come with their families and in large groups. Visitors come here from every part of the world.
The inner sanctum where the idol was placed was packed with visitors. The Shrangar Aarti took place in the early morning.
Right beside the temple, there seems to be an old watchtower or part of a fort which might be used to keep an eye on the entire town below (?)
You can buy some of the best souvenirs from here, including the idols of Lord Krishna, Radha and other deities. I loved those beautiful peacocks.
If you get tired by climbing those stairs you can always get a glass of Lassi, which is going to refresh your soul not just your body.
Prema Sarovar Kund
There are other smaller temples in the area. You will find a lot of them no matter which part of the town you end up in. A few other notable places are the Kunds (small ponds) which you can find easily. One such Kund is the Prema Sarovar Kund located just a few minutes from the Radha Rani temple.
Nanda Baba Temple
Located just 20 mins' drive from Barsana, there is a small town called Nandgaon, where Lord Krishna resided with his foster father Nanda baba ji for 9 years. Our trip won't complete with just Barsana, we had to go to Nandgaon as well. Just like Radha is incomplete without Krishna.
One of the most visited places here is the Nanda Baba Temple.
This temple is also located on top of a hill and uses similar architectural motifs like arches and intricately carved sandstones.
A raised corridor provides a complete 360-degree view of Nandgaon.
Let me know what are your thoughts about the place. Would you like to visit this place when/if you come to Western Uttar Pradesh? I know I would come back again, there are still a lot of places to explore in this Braj Nagri. This place is oozing with culture and stories from the past. A perfect place to learn more about the rich heritage and culture of the northern part of India.
Namaste 🙏
Stay tuned for more episodes...
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