Vrindavan, also referred to as Vraj, still preserves the charm and spell that Lord Krishna created while spending his childhood days here thousands of years ago. The holy town located in Uttar Pradesh is no less than a blessing for the ardent followers of different Krishna traditions. Filled with mysticism at every step, Vrindavan sits on the bank of River Yamuna and has world-famous tourist places in the form of temples and religious sites. Being a predominant pilgrimage for Hindus, the town attracts huge flocks of tourists throughout the year.
The name Vrindavan translates to ‘groves of vrinda (tulsi or holy basil)’, some of which exist till date. The followers of Lord Krishna are not limited to any religion and it is clearly evident from the fact that this North Indian town is visited by devotees from various corners of the world. There are nearly 5,000 temples in Vrindavan. It is believed that exploring the town on foot helps in extracting the major benefits of pilgrimage. The town is extremely hot during summers and experiences moderate to extreme cold during winters.
Vegetarian cuisines from India and across the world are served at various restaurants. Govindas Restaurant is a good option for multi-cuisine menu. MVT Restaurant is another among prime eating points in the town. Don’t forget to taste the spicy and mouthwatering street food like chaat and aloo poori. Milk products like refreshing lassi and delicious rasmalai can also be enjoyed at a sweets shop.
Shopping is fun at Vrindavan with innumerable shops offering beautiful idols, sculptures, handicrafts and souvenirs. Loi Bazaar has marketplaces selling clothes, wooden decors and antiques. Brass items, imitation jewellery, worship items and items of religious significance can also be purchased. Tourists also love to buy the very tasty Mathura ke pede (a type of sweet).
• Mathura (12 km.): The birthplace of Lord Krishna, Mathura is an equally charming pilgrimage town with enticing holy temples.
• Deeg (50 km.): It accommodates astonishing forts, glorious water palaces and majestic gardens built by the Jat rulers.
• Agra (75 km.): Home to Taj Mahal, Agra has extremely amazing Mughal monuments and structures that are indeed worth visiting.
• Fatehpur Sikri (81 km.): The immensely popular UNESCO World Heritage Site of Fatehpur Sikri accommodates array of Mughal structures made of red sandstone.
• Bharatpur (56 km.): Home to the world-famous Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary, Bharatpur is an apt place for bird-lovers to watch Siberian crane and many other migratory birds.
Vrandavan has many other religious places, connected with Lord Krishna, like Gokul, Barsana, Nand Gaon and Baldeo.