Govardhan is a holy place in Braj and this place is known for the Govardhan mountain, Govardhan has great religious significance in Hindu religion and Govardhan is one of the most revered areas by the grace of Giriraj Maharaj
Govardhan: The Divine Mountain of Braj Bhoomi, Govardhan Parvat
Shri Dham Govardhan is not just a geographical landmark in Uttar Pradesh but a living symbol of faith, love, and devotion. Situated just 22 km from Mathura and 24 km from Vrindavan, this holy town is known for Govardhan Parvat – the mythical mountain lifted by Lord Krishna to protect the residents of Braj from torrential rains and today stands as a spiritual lighthouse for devotees and travellers from all over the world.
History of Govardhan
According to the Srimad Bhagavatam, during Lord Krishna’s childhood in Braj, people were preparing to worship Indra, the god of rain. Krishna questioned this practice and urged people to worship the Govardhan mountain, which provided them with food, shelter, and natural beauty. Angered by this, Lord Indra caused a fierce storm and rain. In response, Lord Krishna lifted the entire Govardhan mountain on his little finger and provided shelter to all the Brajvasis of Braj for seven days. After this, Lord Indra surrendered, and thus the tradition of Govardhan Puja was born. The town of Govardhan and all its surrounding areas are filled with places that echo this divine leela of Shri Krishna.
Festivals celebrated in Shri Dham Govardhan
Govardhan Puja / Annakoot Festival: Celebrated a day after Diwali, this is the most important festival of Govardhan. On this day, devotees make a hill of Chhappan Bhog (56 bhogs) to worship Govardhan mountain. The hill is decorated with flowers and lights and devotees perform parikrama. Apart from this, Govardhan is made from cow dung inside all the villages and everyone worships it with their families and performs parikrama.
Guru Purnima – Mudia Puno: On the day of Guru Purnima Mela, thousands of devotees worship their spiritual gurus and perform Govardhan Parikrama. On the day of Mudiya Puno, lakhs of devotees come to perform parikrama in Govardhan Parikrama and on this day the entire Govardhan shines with the crowd of devotees. Guru Purnima – On the day of Mudia Purnima, the entire atmosphere of Govardhan is filled with bhajans, kirtans and spiritual discourses.
Shri Krishna Janmashtami: The festival of Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated with great pomp and show in the entire Braj. Similarly, the festival of Janmashtami is also celebrated with great enthusiasm in Govardhan. Apart from this, Krishna Janmashtami is also celebrated with devotion in the nearby Jatipura and Radha Kund.
Purnima Parikrama
Every full moon, lakhs of devotees perform 21 km parikrama of Govardhan while chanting the name of Krishna barefoot. Performing parikrama on the day of Purnima is of utmost importance.
Things to do in Shri Dham Govardhan
Govardhan Parikrama:Â 21 km sacred circumambulation around the Govardhan mountain. This barefoot spiritual walk passes through the temples, ponds, and forests of Govardhan mountain and is extremely blissful. The main places to visit during the Parikrama of Govardhan are Radha Kund, Shyam Kund, Govind Kund, Daan Valley, Poohri ka Lota and Manasi Ganga.
Visit Radha Kund and Shyam Kund: These two holy ponds are the ponds that were created by Shri Radha and Krishna themselves. Bathing in these two ponds is considered very holy. Devotees who perform Govardhan Parikrama take a holy bath here, which gives them immense peace.
Manasi Ganga:Â Within the Govardhan Parikrama, there is a large holy lake through the back road of Daan Ghati which is known as Manasi Ganga and bathing in it is considered highly sacred. Bathing in Manasi Ganga is a must during the Govardhan Parikrama. It is believed that Lord Krishna created it from his mind to show Nanda Baba the sight of Ganga. Thousands of devotees bathe here every day.
Daanghati Temple: According to mythology, Lord Shri Krishna used to take donations of curd and butter from the gopis at the place where Daan Ghati temple is built. Since then, this place got the name Daanghati, and a huge temple of Shri Giriraj Ji Maharaj was built here.
Poochari ka Lautha: A beautiful and peaceful ending point of the Parikrama, associated with Lautha, the friend of Krishna.
How to Reach Govardhan
By Road: Govardhan is well connected by road to Mathura, Vrindavan, Delhi, Agra, and other major towns. Regular buses and shared autos from Mathura are available.
By Train: Govardhan also has a railway station where only certain trains stop, but the nearest railway station to Govardhan is Mathura Junction, which is about 24 kilometers from Mathura Junction. Trains coming from Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, and other parts of India stop here.
By Air: The nearest airport to Goverdhan is in Agra. The distance from Agra airport to Goverdhan is approximately 80 km. For international travellers, Indira Gandhi International Airport is in Delhi, and the distance from Delhi to Govardhan is 170 km.
Nearest places to visit from Govardhan
1- Vrindavan – Famous temples like Banke Bihari, ISKCON, Radha Raman, Prem Mandir, Char Dham, Nidhivan, Keshi Ghat, Radha Vallabh, Gopinath, and Vaishnodevi Dham are in Shri Dham Vrindavan. The distance from Govardhan to Vrindavan is about 24 km.
2- Mathura – Birthplace of Lord Shri Krishna, Krishna Janmabhoomi, Dwarkadhish Temple, Vishram Ghat, Birla Mandir, Bhuteshwar Mahadev, Rangeshwar Mahadev Temple are other famous temples in Mathura. Govardhan to Mathura distance is about 23 km.
3- Barsana – Radha Rani’s village, Rangeeli Mahal, Radha Rani Temple, Kirti Mandir, Gahvarvan are other famous places in Barsana. The distance from Govardhan to Barsana is about 20.5 km.
4- Nandgaon – Lord Krishna’s childhood home, Nandgaon, has major places like Nand Bhawan, Nadishwar Hill, or Pavan Sarovar. The distance from Govardhan to Nandgaon is about 28 km.
5- Gokul – Gokul, associated with the early childhood pastimes of Lord Shri Krishna, is a major place in Brajbhoomi. The distance from Govardhan to Gokul is about 34 km.
What is famous in Govardhan
- Govardhan Parikrama – A spiritual experience that strengthens both our body and mind.
- Laddu Prasad – Prasad offered at Daanghati Temple
- Radha Kund Holy Bath – Bathing in Radha Kund is considered the most sacred bath of Govardhan Parikrama
- Flower and food decorations during Annakoot
- Paintings and murals depicting Krishna Leelas in temples, which are extremely beautiful
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Place to visit in Govardhan
