{"id":29729,"date":"2017-03-11T21:27:39","date_gmt":"2017-03-11T20:27:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/no-problem-mam.com\/?p=29729"},"modified":"2020-08-23T12:13:34","modified_gmt":"2020-08-23T10:13:34","slug":"vrindavan-uttar-pradesh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magikindia.com\/en\/vrindavan-uttar-pradesh\/","title":{"rendered":"Vrindavan dances for Lord Krishna"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Vrindavan, on the Yamuna river, is an important pilgrimage centre. Over 500,000 Hindu worshippers come to Vrindavan each year. They come to bathe in the atmosphere of the place and dance to the rhythm of the dark-faced Lord Krishna. It is said he spent part of his childhood here.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The name Vrindavan comes from brinda<\/em>, a name for the tulsi or holy basil bush, and vana<\/em>, meaning “forest”. The whole area is said to have been tulsi forest at one time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is said that the spiritual essence of Vrindavan was lost over time until the sage Chaitanya rediscovered it in 1515. He visited Vrindavan relentlessly until he found the holy places associated with the divine actions of Krishna as described in the scriptures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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‘Rasa Leela’, the dance of divine love<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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In many temples dedicated to Lord Krishna, it is not unusual to see worshippers performing special dances. This practice is closely tied to Lord Krishna story<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“Rasa Lila” Dance<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Rasa Lila, which could be translated as “dance of divine love”, is a devotional dance that Krishna and the gopis<\/em> (milkmaids) performed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One night the gopis<\/em> of Vrindavan crept from their homes and went into the forest, drawn by the sweet sound of Krishna’s flute.<\/strong> Lord Krishna danced the Rasa Lila with the gopis<\/em> for a whole “Brahma night” (which Hindus consider lasts about 4.32 billion years).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Frescoe of the “Rasa Lila” Dance in Barsana <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Dancing like this with Lord Krishna filled the gopis<\/em> with pride and they felt they were above other women. To teach them humility, Lord Krishna disappeared during another Rasa Lila. When the gopis<\/em> could not find him they were greatly saddened and began to sing and pray for him to come back. Krishna came back, smiling, when he saw the gopis<\/em> were cured of their vanity. He then blessed them with a Maha Rasa (a great sacred dance).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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And now, Let\u2019s visit Vrindavan!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Banke Bihari Temple<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Banke Bihari temple is in the Raman Reti district, built in 1864, is one of the most sacred.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bankey Bihari temple<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n


Banke<\/em> means ‘bent in three places”, referring to the tribhanga<\/em> or S-curved posture of Indian classical dance, and bihari<\/em> means “one who brings supreme joy”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Krishna idol of the Bankey Bihari temple | Photo : ShriBankeyBhihariLal<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This temple is the only one of its kind. The idol, Krishna, is represented as a child. There is no mangal arati<\/em> (offering of flames) and bells and conches are forbidden so as not to disturb the god. There is only recitation of the mantra “Radha Naam”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A curtain is drawn in front of the idol once every minute; the statue is said to have such power that anyone who looks at it for too long will faint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The temple during Holi | Photo : Kosal Katha  <\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The ambience of mystery in the temple and the fervour of the devotees is an experience not to be missed. The temple is especially impressive during Holi<\/a>,<\/strong> the festival of colours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pedas in a sweet shop near Bankey Bihari temple<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After leaving the temple, do not miss to taste the specialty of Vrindavan, the pedas, a semi-tender candy, made from “khoa” (condensed milk) flavored with cardamom, pistachio and saffron. There are shops all around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Madan Mohan Temple<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Madan Mohan temple, one of the oldest in Vrindavan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Madan Mohan, built by Kapur Ram Das, stands on a hill near Kali Ghat. It is the oldest temple of Vrindavan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is associated with the saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The statue of Madan Gopal (Krishna) venerated in the temple today is a replica of the original one, which was moved to Karauli in Rajasthan to protect it during the reign of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sri Rangaji Temple<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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One of the temple’s gopurams (towers)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sri Ranganatha is dedicated to Vishnu in his Sheshashayi posture (lying on Shesha Naga, the divine serpent).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The temple was built in 1851 and is a mixture of very different architectural styles<\/a>:<\/strong> Dravidian (South Indian) for the three 30m gopurams <\/em>(towers) Rajput for the entrance and Italian for the columns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The colonnaded hall of the temple<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Sewa Kunj or Nidhivan<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Overview of Nidhivan Garden<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Nidhivan in the town centre is certainly one of the most mysterious places in Vrindavan<\/strong>.

There are many myths about this forest of tulsi bushes where hordes of monkeys have made their home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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One of the trees-gopi in the Nidhivan forest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It is said that Radha and Krishna come each night to dance with the gopis<\/em>,<\/strong> who turn into bushes in the daytime. The bushes bend their branches low, showing their respect for the divine couple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A temple in the Nidhivan forest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It is said that no one can stay inside the temple precinct after arati<\/em>, the flame offering at 8pm, for fear of becoming blind, deaf and dumb or worse.<\/strong> No one must witness the dance of Radha and Krishna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Prem Mandir<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Prem Mandir is the largest temple in Vrindavan (22 hectares), the most recent (2012) and surely the most costly.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The illuminated Prem Mandir temple<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It was built of white Italian marble by Jagadguru Sri Kripaluji, and is also an educational complex telling the story of Krishna. The temple is a symbol of prem<\/em>: divine love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The luxurious interior of the Prem Mandir temple<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It is especially interesting in the evening when it is lit up<\/strong>, the light changing colour once a minute. At 7pm the musical fountains start up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The story of Krishna carved all around the Prem Mandir<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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[ Prem mandir musical fountain ]<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n