Winter is arguably the best season to experience Vrindavan, even though this destination is a travel-favourite any time of the year. While devotees often
head to the city to visit the iconic Banke Bihari Temple, there is much more you can explore (there are over 5000 temples here if some locals are to be believed), especially in terms of heritage and architecture. Here are our recommendations for your trip to Vrindavan:
Banke Bihari Temple
No itinerary in Vrindavan is complete without a visit to the Banke Bihari Temple, which has its own magic come winter. In the expansive courtyard, you'll see devotees gathering for darshan every day. Once you've had a glimpse of Banke Bihari from the curtains, which open and close rhythmically, you can stay back to the spiritual atmosphere that brings a legion to this city every day.
ISKCON Temple (Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir)
A temple that rivals Banke Bihari in popularity, the ISKCON Temple is one of the most peaceful places to visit in Vrindavan during winter. The marble corridors stay comfortably cool and you can explore the gardens after you're done with the morning kirtans.
Prem Mandir
A relatively new addition to the city's growing list of temples, Prem Mandir was built entirely out of white Italian marble and looks straight out of a fairytale at night. The marble temple glows under colourful illumination, making it one of Vrindavan’s most photogenic attractions. The temple also boasts intricate carvings of Radha Krishna and Sita and Ram that are certainly worth a visit.
Radha Raman Mandir
Sri Radha Raman Mandir or Radha Raman Temple, is an early modern period Hindu temple in Vrindavan dedicated to Lord Krishna who is worshipped as the lover of Radha here. According to locals, this temple is among the 7 temples of Thakur of Vrindavan, including Sri Radhavallabh ji, Shri Govind Dev ji and four others.
Nidhivan
Mysterious and untouched, Nidhivan has always intrigued travellers. Locals say that this is the place where Radha and Krishna perform raas at night, and no one is allowed to visit this forest after dark.
Keshi Ghat
As one of the most popular ghats in Vrindavan, this is said to be the place where Lord Krishna killed the demon Keshi. During winter, this ghats along the Yamuna come alive in winter. Mist rises over the river at sunrise and boat rides with golden light on the water make this a must-visit place in Vrindavan.
Barsana
Barsana, the land of Radha, makes for a beautiful winter excursion. The steps to the Radha Rani Temple are easier to climb in cool weather, and the panoramic view from the top is spectacular. The rustic charm of Barsana’s lanes and surrounding hills adds to the experience.
