Barsana

Around 40 km northwest from Mathura is a beautiful, enchanting and a very popular pilgrimage site for the Vaishnav sect called Barsana. Once the playground of the ever charming and beautiful goddess Radha, the eternal consort of Lord Krishna, today Barsana is mainly flocked for its ancient temples, divine lakes dazzling in the playful stories of childhood love as depicted by Radha-Krishna.

The village is ensconced in two hills―Brahma and the Vishnu Hill―that rise adjacent to each other. Numerous temples dating many centuries back lay scattered on the 4 peaks of the hills, draping the entire landscape of the town in a divine charisma that is as alluring as it is fascinating. One of the most famous and a must-visit temple among all these temples is the Ladliji Mandir or the Shriji Temple atop the Bhangarh peak dedicated to the deity Shriji or Ladliji (Goddess Radha or The Beloved One) which was enshrined by Vajranabh almost 5000 years ago. Magnificently ornate with curvaceous arches, lofty domes and evocative pictures of Radha-Krishna, the temple resonates in a soulful spiritual vibe all round the year gaining further momentum during festivals like Radhashtami and Holi, which is a celebration unique in style and tradition to this particular region.