GOVARDHAN- THE PEAK OF LEGENDS:

Heralded as the ultimate pilgrim centre for Vaishnavites, Govardhan can be translated to give two meanings, one meaning the giver of nourishment with Go- meaning the sacred Cow, while the other meaning as translated by devotees of Lord Krishna is ‘that which increases one’s senses’. The legends centered on Govardhan Hill dates back as early as the Vedic period and it is believed that the Lord lifted Govardhan Hill with his finger and protected the people of the ancient city of Vraj from torrential rains. Since then, Govardhan has been venerated as a physical manifestation of Lord Krishna Himself.

Govardhan is currently a small town located in Mathura District of Uttar Pradesh. The Govardhan hill is not literally a hill, its highest point measures merely 25m from the base. The town is well-connected by roads to other main cities like Agra, Allahabad, Faizabad and Mathura. The nearest railhead is Mathura which is just 26km away from Govardhan. The only airport at the vicinity of Govardhan is Kheria Airport in Agra which is 62km away.

Govardhan is a land-locked region and experiences extremes of temperatures during summer and winter. Travelling to this place during April-May is a definite no-no. The best times to visit Govardhan are during the festive seasons of Krishna Janmashtami between July and September, Diwali between October-November and during Holi between February-March.

There are not many private hotels in Govardhan; however there are dharamshalas and modest guesthouses which rent rooms at low costs. You can check out the guesthouse with accommodation costs ranging from 300 INR to 750 INR per day. If you wish to book rooms in a standard hotel, you can head to Vrindavan which is just an hour’s drive from Govardhan.

The places to visit in Govardhan are the Kusum Sarovar, Manasi Ganga and Radha Kund. The Kusum Sarovar stirs vivid imaginations in the mind every visitor and pilgrim about Lord Krishna who spends his leisure hours with his sweetheart Radha and the gopis. The Sarovar is surrounded by sprightly Kadamba trees. The lake measures 650 feet deep and 450 feet long with an artfully frescoed cenotaph erected along the lakeside. The Kusum Sarovar is a benign place to spend your evenings in prayer and meditation.

The Manasi Ganga is also known as the Pancha Thirtha Kunda which is considered to contain the waters of five different holy places namely Gomati, Narmada, Sarayu, Kanchi and Vetri. According to legends, the dip in the Manasi Ganga unites a devotee’s soul with Lord Krishna and is the starting point of the Govardhana Parikrama path which stretches upto a length of 40km. Several temples dedicated to the Lord like the Haridev Temple. Mukharibind, ISKON Temple and Daan-Ghati also fall along the Parikrama path. You can spend a day to perform the Parikrama.

A trip to Govardhan can be completed in two swift days with the costs summing upto just around 1000-1800 INR per head. For all those faithful devotees of the Blue God and lovers of Indian mythology, come to Govardhan- The Peak of Legends!