Govardhan also called Giriraj, is a key pilgrimage centre in India and a municipal town; a

nagar panchayat A nagar panchayat (town panchayat; ) or Notified Area Council (NAC) in India is a settlement in transition from rural to urban and therefore a form of an urban political unit comparable to a municipality. An urban centre with more than 12,000 ...

; seat of a MLA

Member of Legislative Assembly A member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to a legislative assembly. Most often, the term refers to a subnational assembly such as that of a state, province, or territory of a country. S ...

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...

; a

Tehsil A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...

, in Mathura district in the

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

. About 23 kilometres from Mathura, the town is on the road link between

Mathura Mathura () is a city and the administrative headquarters of Mathura district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately north of Agra, and south-east of Delhi; about from the town of Vrindavan, and from Govardhan. ...

and

Deeg Deeg is a historical town and a municipality in Bharatpur district in the state of Rajasthan, India. It is situated north of Bharatpur and northwest of Agra. In Hindu mythology, Deeg was situated along the ''parikrama'' path of Krishna, whic ...

Geography

Govardhana is located at . It has an average elevation of 179 metres (587 feet). Govardhana has been made Tehsil in Mathura District by the

government.

Demographics

In the

2011 Indian Census The 2011 Census of India or the 15th Indian Census was conducted in two phases, house listing and population enumeration. The House listing phase began on 1 April 2010 and involved the collection of information about all buildings. Information ...

, Govardhana had a population of 22,576. Males constituted 55% of the population and females 45%. Govardhana has an average literacy rate of 62%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 70%, and female literacy is 52%. In Govardhana, 17% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Govardhan Hill

Pilgrimage

Each year

Hindus Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

and other people make pilgrimage to Govardhan, and its sacred Govardhan Hill, from different places in India and other parts of the world. They circumambulate Govardhan and offer their obeisances to

Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...

and

Radha Radha ( sa, राधा, ), also called Radhika, is a Hindu goddess and the chief consort of the god Krishna. She is worshiped as the goddess of love, tenderness, compassion, and devotion. She is the avatar of goddess Lakshmi and is also de ...

, key deities in

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...

. One of the main festivals celebrated at Govardhan is

Govardhan Puja Govardhan Puja (), also known as Annakut or Annakoot (meaning a “mountain of food”), is a Hindu festival in which devotees worship Govardhan Hill and prepare and offer a large variety of vegetarian food to Krishna as a mark of gratitude. For Va ...

, that commemorates the lifting of Govardhan Hill (Giriraj Parvat) to protect the villagers of

Braj Braj, also known as Vraj, Vraja, Brij or Brijbhoomi, is a region in India on both sides of the Yamuna river with its centre at Mathura-Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh state encompassing the area which also includes Palwal and Ballabhgarh in Haryana ...

from the flood caused by the Lord of thunder and rain,

Indra Indra (; Sanskrit: इन्द्र) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hindu mythology. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes/ref> I ...

. One of the most important day celebrated at Govardhan is

Guru Poornima Guru Purnima (Poornima) is a tradition dedicated to all the spiritual and academic Gurus, who are evolved or enlightened humans, ready to share their wisdom, based on Karma Yoga. It is celebrated as a festival in India, Nepal and Bhutan by Hi ...

(also called "Mudia Poono"). Following the festival of lights, or

Diwali Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali ( IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is ...

, the previous day, devotees come to Govardhan for parikrama.

Historic religious sites

Sites on the hill include

Kusum Sarovar Kusum Sarovar is a sacred water reservoir with a historic sand monument in its backdrop. It is situated on the holy Govardhan Hill between Manasi Ganga and Radha Kund in Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India. Kusum Sarovar is considered ...

, Haridev Temple, and other temples like

Daan-Ghati Daan-Ghati is one of the two main temple structures in Govardhan, near Mathura, India. The other temple structure is called Dasvisa. It is involved in the Govardhan Puja,a 21 kilometre circumambulation of the hill that it is believed Krishna li ...

Temple and Mukharbind Temple. The town is also famous for its 21 kilometers long

Parikrama Parikrama or Pradakshina is clockwise circumambulation of sacred entities, and the path along which this is performed, as practiced in the Indic religions - Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. In Buddhism, it refers only to the path along ...

of the famous Govardhan Hill.

Mansi Ganga sacred lake

Mansi Ganga near shri Girraj Mandir ,Mathura - panoramio

The town also houses Mansi Ganga, a close-ended lake. On the banks of this

sacred lake Sacred waters are sacred natural sites characterized by tangible topographical land formations such as rivers, lakes, springs, reservoirs, and oceans, as opposed to holy water which is water elevated with the sacramental blessing of a cleric. T ...

, there are quite a few temples, prominent among them the Mukharbind temple.

Kusum sarovar and Samadhi of Jat ruler Maharaja Suraj Mal

On the Govardhan

path on the western bank of 130 sqm sacred artificial lake

(Kusum kund) there are three

Chhatri ''Chhatri'' are elevated, dome-shaped pavilions used as an element in Indo-Islamic architecture and Indian architecture. Originating as a canopy above tombs, they serve as decorative elements. The earliest example of chhatri being used in the ...

s housing the

samadhi ''Samadhi'' (Pali and sa, समाधि), in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools, is a state of meditative consciousness. In Buddhism, it is the last of the eight elements of the Noble Eightfold Path. In the Ashtanga Yoga ...

s of

Jat The Jat people ((), ()) are a traditionally agricultural community in Northern India and Pakistan. Originally pastoralists in the lower Indus river-valley of Sindh, Jats migrated north into the Punjab region in late medieval times, and subse ...

ruler

Maharaja Suraj Mal Suraj Mal (13 February 1707 – 25 December 1763) was a Jat ruler of Bharatpur in present-day state of Rajasthan. Under him, the Jat rule covered the present-day districts of Agra, Aligarh, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Etawa, Hathras, Mainpuri, Ma ...

(r. 1755 – 25 December 1763) and 2 his wives, all of these memorials were built by his son and successor Maharaja Jawahar Singh. The architecture and carving is in the pierced stone style and the ceiling of cenotaphs are adorned with the beautiful painting of life of lord Krishna and Maharajs Suraj Mal's court.Madan Prasad Bezbaruah, Dr. Krishna Gopal, Phal S. Girota, 2003
Fairs and Festivals of India: Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh
p. 480-494. Most imposing chattri is of Mahara Suraj Mal, flanked on either side by two smaller chattris of his two wives, ''"Maharani Hansiya"'' and ''"Maharani Kishori"''.D. Anand, 1992
Krishna: The Living God of Braj
Page 56. Maharaj Suraj Mal is well known for capturing

Red Fort The Red Fort or Lal Qila () is a historic fort in Old Delhi, Delhi in India that served as the main residence of the Mughal Emperors. Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned construction of the Red Fort on 12 May 1638, when he decided to shift hi ...

in 1754 CE after defetaing the forces of Mughal king

Ahmad Shah Bahadur Ahmad Shah Bahadur , also known as Mirza Ahmad Shah or Mujahid-ud-Din Ahmad Shah Ghazi (23 December 1725 – 1775 AD), was the fourteenth Mughal Emperor, born to Emperor Muhammad Shah. He succeeded his father to the throne in 1748, at the age ...

.Jat Kingdom of Bharatpur
/ref>

Transportation

Govardhan is located about from

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...

, where the airport is located. A railway station is located at

, where taxis can be hired to reach the town, which is about away. There are also tourist buses and a single line electric train for the journey from Mathura.

Gallery

File:Temple_of_Kishn_Soraba,_Gobardun_-View_across_the_Kusum_Sarovar_Tank_towards_Suraj_Mal%27s_Cenotaph,_Gobardhan-;_a_photo_by_William_Henry_Baker,_1860%27s.jpg, Suraj Mal's Cenotaph at Govardhan, a photo by William Henry Baker, c.1860. File:Palace Goverdhun dli A136 cor.jpg, Samuel Bourne,
Upper Portion of the Palace, Goverdhun, 1312
" 1863-1869, photograph mounted on cardboard sheet

C

References

External links

Goverdhan Parikrama highlights
{{Authority control Cities and towns in Mathura district Hindu holy cities