Nidhivan

Getting there

• By air

  To Vrindavan town, Agra Airport is 71.3 km away and New Delhi International Airport is 150 km away.

• By train

  Vrindavan station (code BDB) is on the Mathura-Vrindavan MG link. Vrindavan Road station (code VRBD) is on the Agra-Delhi chord line.

• By road

  Vrindavan is connected to Delhi by National Highway 44 and is 9 km from Mathura by road.

Rules to know

• No one is allowed inside the Nidhivan premises after sunset.
• The forest is closed with barricades at night to protect its sanctity.
• After the evening aarti, the windows in front of the temple are closed until morning.

Why devotees come here

Nidhivan is a forest in Vrindavan, Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh. It is considered the most prominent site of the pastimes of Radha and Krishna. Devotees believe the pair still dance here at night, and the forest is closed with barricades after dark.

Nidhivan is considered the most prominent site of the pastimes of Radha and Krishna and their gopis, the cowherd companions. The site is also called the Bankey Bihari Temple. Krishna is known here as Murlidhar, Kanha, Giridhar and Leeladhar. Krishna's childhood is also said to have passed here.

Devotees believe Radha and Krishna still perform the rasa-lila, their night dance, in the forest. To protect its sanctity, Nidhivan is closed with barricades at night. Rang Mahal, or Colourful Palace, is another temple in the forest. It is known as the place where Krishna dressed Radha, and it has sandalwood beds for sleeping.

The Banke Bihari idol is said to have appeared here, and Swami Haridas found the image in Nidhivan. Folklore says Krishna visits Rang Mahal every night to adorn Radha with his own hands. Locals say the tulsi plants and several trees turn into gopis at night and return to their normal form at dawn.

Festivals

• Rangbhari Ekadashi in Phalguna, lasting a week or moreHoli in Braj

  In the Braj region, including Vrindavan, Holi is celebrated for a week or more, starting from Rangbhari Ekadashi.

Tips for your visit

• The site is also called the Bankey Bihari Temple, so search for it under either name.
• The Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan was built in 1862 after the image was found in Nidhivan, so the two are linked.

Questions people ask