Temples
§ Banke - Bihari Temple
Built in 1864, it is one of Vrindavana's most popular temples and famous
all over India. The Deity of Banke-bihari was discovered in Nidhuvana by
Swami Haridasa. A contemporary of the six Gosvamis, Swami Haridasa known for
his devotional bhajanas, was the guru of the famous musician Tansen.
§ Dwarkadish Temple
Built in 1814 in the center of the town, it is the most visited temple in
Mathura. This temple is managed by followers of Vallabhacharya. Located in
the eastern part of Mathura, not far from the Yamuna River, it is
architecturally interesting: the temple carving and paintings are major
attractions. The temple is a hub of activity during the festive days of
Holi, Janmashtami and Diwali.
§ Radha Madana - Mohana Temple
This famous temple was established by Srila Sanatana Gosvami and was the
first temple to be built in Vrindavan, which at that time was just a forest.
The original Deity of Madana-mohana was taken to Karauli in Rajasthan for
safety during the attack on Vrindavan by the soldiers of the fanatical
Muslim Emperor, Aurangzeb.
§ Mathura Krishna Balrama Mandir
Built by the International Society for Shri Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON),
it is one of the most beautiful temples in Vrindavan. The principal deities
of this temple are Krishna, his brother Balram and Radha (Krishna's
consort.) Adjoining the temple is the samadhi of Shri Prabhupada, the
founder of the ISKCON sect, built in pure white marble. Hare Krishna
devotees from all around the world flock here, bringing a truly
international flavour to this ancient holy city.
§ Seva Kunja
The Seva Kunj is where Lord Krishna once performed the Raaslila with
Radha-Rani decorating her hair with flowers and her lotus feet. Radha and
Krishna would sometimes spend the night here, dancing with the gopis and
enjoying transcendental pastimes. There is also a small temple dedicated to
Radha and Krishna's pastimes called Rang Mahal.
§ Radha Vallabha Temple
Another very popular temple of Vrindavan whih was founded by Harivamsa
Gosvami, who started the Radha Vallabha sect emphasizing devotion to
Radharani. In this temple, there is no deity of Radharani, but a crown has
been placed next to Krishna to signify her presence. The original temple of
Radha Vallabha was destroyed by the Muslims in 1670 and a new temple was
built beside the old one.
§ Jaipur Temple
One of Vrindavan's most opulent temples, it was built by the Maharaja of
Jaipur, Sawai Madhav, in 1917 after 30 years of labour. The fine hand-carved
sandstone is of unparalleled workmanship, the huge pillars that hold up the
roof are each carved from one solid rock, and the intricately fashioned
marble on the altar is reminiscent of the Mughal period. The Maharaja
financed the railway line that connects Vrindavana with Mathura, just for
the purpose of hauling the huge pieces of sandstone used in the temple
construction. The deities worshipped here are Sri Sri Radha-Madhava,
Ananda-bihari and Hansa-gopala.
§ Radha Damodara Temple
This is one of the most important temples in Vrindavan. The original deity
was hand carved by Rupa Gosvami and given as a gift to his beloved disciple,
Jiva Gosvami, who later built a temple here. Formerly this spot was in the
middle of Seva-kunja and it was the bhajana ( where he sang devotional songs
) place of Rupa Gosvami.
Mosques
§
Jami Masjid
Jami Masjid on a plinth raised above street level a little way north, was
completed in 1661 by Aurangzeb's governor Abd-un-Nabi. It has long since
lost its original vivid glazed tiles, but remains surrounded by four
minarets and assorted outer pavilions. Around 500m west, stands another of
Aurangzeb's mosques, the impressive red sandstone Katra Masjid. This was
erected on the foundations of the once-famous Kesava Deo temple, destroyed
by the Moghul emperor, which had itself been built on the ruins of a
Buddhist monastery. Some traces of the Hindu temple can be seen around the
back, where the Shri Krishna Janamsthan or Janambhoomi complex now stands.
Directly behind the mosque, approached through a corridor, a shrine marks
Krishna's exact birthplace (janamsthan); its cage-like surround signifies
that he was born in captivity, when his parents were prisoners of the tyrant
king Kamsa.
§ Inside The Adjacent Bhagwat Bhavan
A modern, towering, flamboyant great hulk also known as Gita Mandir - a
garishly painted ceiling depicts scenes from Krishna's life. No cameras are
allowed into the complex, where although the shops and shrines combine to
produce a park-like atmosphere
