It is believed that Vrindavan is the place where lord Shri Krishna was brought up and spent his childhood. He lived there with Nanda and Yashoda, and each nook and corner of Vrindavan is filled with stories of Shri Krishna. It’s a promising pilgrimage site for the Hindus. Recently in the past few years, Hindus and people from across the world have started visiting Mathura-Vrindavan, the holy twin cities located in the state of Uttar Pradesh near the river Yamuna and have become a major tourist attraction.
How to reach Vrindavan?
Vrindavan is connected to the rest of India via Mathura; it takes around 30 minutes to reach Vrindavan from Mathura by car via NH 19/44; the distance is a mere 14 km.
The nearest railway station is Mathura Junction; from this station, you can book your cab or board any state-run buses which will drop you at your destination in Vrindavan. The nearest airport is Agra Airport, located at 72 km.
Best time to Visit Vrindavan
The months of October-March are the best time to visit, the weather is very pleasant during this time, and in March, Holi is celebrated, so it’s the peak season, and there’s an insane crowd during holi in Vrindavan.
December is the best month to avoid crowds and save money because, during this time, you are more likely to find the best resort in Vrindavan at a pocket-friendly pocket-friendly price.
Accommodation?
Vrindavan has plenty of stay options; from Dharamshala, guest houses, and hotels to luxury resorts, there’s everything in Vrindavan. For an easy and memorable stay, you should select any resort because staying in any resort will enhance your travel experience multiple numbers of times, select any resort which suits your needs and budget and book the best resort in Vrindavan as per your need.
Getting started with the 2-day trip to Vrindavan
There are lots of things to do and places to visit in Vrindavan because the approx number of temples in Vrindavan is around 5500 devoted to lord Shri Krishna and deity Radha. It is the hub of Vaishnavism tradition. Although there are so many temples and it’s impossible to explore them all in only two days, the main attractions of the city are in close vicinity to each other and can be explored in a day, but if you explore them in two days the fun, exper and excitement will be doubled, cause you will be able to devote the right time of amount required to explore any place.
Day-1:-
Try to wake up early in the morning and start your day early and reach Vrindavan; once you reach Vrindavan, head to the best resort in Vrindavan which you have booked for your stay, freshen up and leave the resort.
- Banke Bihari Temple– Start your trip from banke bihari temple and explore the beauty and serenity of this place. This is a very old and famous temple in Vrindavan. The curtain of temples opens and shuts every 30 seconds; visit Vrindavan and try to find out why?
- Krishna-Balram (ISKCON) temple:– After visiting the banke bihari temple, come to this place, which is also known as Angrez Mandir or the Iskcon temple. Kirtan is always going on in this temple, and this is also a very beautiful temple to visit; devote yourself here in your god’s remembrance.
- Kunds:- There are so many kinds in Vrindavan to be explored, here are a few you should explore on your two days trip-
- Radha Kund
- Shyama kund
You can visit these two kunds situated adjacent to each other, believed to be the place where radha-krishna shared some of the best and sweetest moments together. From her, you can enjoy one of the best sunset views in Vrindavan.
- Prem Mandir:- After sunset, head towards Prem Mandir, which is built with white marble, the architectural style of this temple will blow your mind; after the sun sets, this place becomes more attractive because the lighting here is also great and mesmerising along with its marvellous architecture. You can end your day here by witnessing the Aarti here and having your dinner in the Prem Mandir canteen, or if you want, you can also enjoy your meal in the best resort in Vrindavan.
Day-2:-
On day two, you can visit Nidhivan and Govardhan Parvat in Vrindavan and then head towards Mathura.
- Nidhivan- Nidhivan means “forest of tulsi”. It is believed that Radh-Krishna still performs raslila at Nidhivan, that’s why no one is allowed to enter the premises after evening. It is a very sacred forest area and must be visited by pilgrims.
- Govardhan – You can do Parikrama or even Trek at Govardhan, but it takes around 5 to 6 hours to do this, so it’s advised to just go and see what and how the part actually looks like, seek blessings and return to the best resort you in Vrindavan which you have booked.
Now head to Mathura cause the main attraction related to Shri Krishna’s life is located in Mathura only, cause Mathura is the birthplace of Lord Shri Krishna; he was born to Devaki and Vasudev in Mathura only in the palace of his uncle Qansa.
- Krishna Janmasthan temple complex:- this is a cluster of temples in Mallapura in Mathura. It is believed that the temple was built in the place where lord Shri Krishna was born. This place has been religiously significant since the 6th century and was destroyed multiple times by Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. In the 20th century, three main places of this complex were built.
- The Garbha griha
- The keshavdev temple
- The bhagavata bhawan
Anyone coming to Vrindavan must visit this place in Mathura because it is the most pious place to be visited.
- Jama-Masjid:- After destroying the temple, Aurangzeb built a mosque in the 16th century in Mathura, which still stands right in front of the Krishna janmabhoomi. It can also be visited during your trip to Vrindavan. It is constructed using red sandstone and built at the centre and the highest point of the Mathura.
- Mathura Museum:- This is an archaeological museum in Mathura. This museum is very old and founded in the year 1974 by F.S. Growse. You can spot various things like artefacts, pottery, sculptures, paintings and coins. This museum houses sculptures of the Mathura School dated 3rd century BC to 12th century AD, during Kushan Empire and Gupta Empire. Today it is one of the leading museums in Uttar Pradesh.
- Radha-Rani Mandir:- This temple is situated in Barsana, the place where Shri Radha belonged. This temple is dedicated to Radha only and is very popular among visitors.
- Ghats and Sarovar:- Mathura has various ghats and sarovars, which are popular among pilgrims and visitors.
- Kusum Sarovar
- Vishram Ghat
- Keshi Ghat
These ghats are perfect for witnessing sunsets and spending the evenings around them.
- Gita Mandir:- After visiting the ghats and sarovars, you can visit the Gita Mandir, which is located on the outskirts of Mathura. This place has a chariot and pillars engraved with shlokas from Gita.
Eateries in Vrindavan and Mathura
While you explore these cities, don’t forget to eat the famous delicacies of these cities, both these twin cities offer great food and sweets to their visitors, here’s a list of restaurants and sweet shops where you should try some delicacies
- Brijwasi Mithaiwala
- Shankar Mithaiwala
- Pehlwan kachori wala
- Shriji Chaat Bhandar
Conclusion
This is all how you can make the most out of your 2-day trip to Vrindavan. After visiting the Gita Mandir come back to Vrindavan in the best resort in Vrindavan where you are staying, relax a little, and then you can explore market areas like Krishna nagar market and end your trip by taking back some souvenirs with you.