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 Radha Kund (, en, Radha’s Pond) is a town and ''nagar panchayat'' in Vrindavan in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is also one of the pilgrimage sites dedicated to Hindu goddess Radha. Legend Following the '' Upadesamrta'' (''Nectar o ...

in Mathura district of

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 ...

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 ...

. Kusum Sarovar is considered one of the sacred spots that witnessed the pastimes of Hindu deities

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 ...

and

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 ...

. It is also the place 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 su ...

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, ...

's memorial

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 ...

. Kusum Sarovar has Narada Kund, where Bhakti Sutra verses were written by

Narada Narada ( sa, नारद, ), or Narada Muni, is a sage divinity, famous in Hindu traditions as a travelling musician and storyteller, who carries news and enlightening wisdom. He is one of mind-created children of Brahma, the creator god. He ...

and the Shri Radha Vana Bihari Temple in the vicinity.

History

Until the year 1675, Kusum Sarovar was a natural pond, which was properly constructed by King Veer Singh Deo

Bundela The Bundela is a Rajput clan. Over several generations, the cadet lineages of Bundela Rajputs founded several states in area what came to be known as Bundelkhand anciently known as Chedi Kingdom from the 16th century. Etymology As per Jaswant ...

Rajput of

Bundelkhand Bundelkhand (, ) is a geographical and cultural region and a proposed state and also a mountain range in central & North India. The hilly region is now divided between the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, with the larger portion lyin ...

, the ruler of Orchha. King

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, M ...

reconstructed the garden around this site. The sandstone monument erected in the backdrop of Kusum Sarovar was constructed by King

Jawahar Singh Jawahar Singh () ( hi, महाराजा जवाहर सिंह) was a Jat ruler of the Bharatpur State. He succeeded to the throne when his father Suraj Mal died in 1763. Early life During Ahmed Shah Abdali's invasion of India in 1 ...

of Bharatpur in the middle of 18th century, in honor of his father Raja Suraj Mal.

Henry George Keene Henry George Keene (30 September 1781–29 January 1864) was an English employee of the East India Company, as soldier, civil servant, and orientalist. He was known as a Persian scholar, and also was a churchman and academic. Life Born on 30 Sep ...

in 1878 described Kusum Sarovar in his literary work, "''A Handbook for Visitors to Agra and Its Neighbourhood'' " -

Radha Krishna Legend

Kusum Sarovar dates back to the era of

Radha Krishna Radha-Krishna (IAST , sa, राधा कृष्ण) are collectively known within Hinduism as the combined forms of feminine as well as the masculine realities of God. Krishna and Radha are the primeval forms of God and his pleasure potenc ...

. As the name suggests, Kusum Sarovar is a place surrounded by a variety of flowers and Kadamb trees. It is said that Radha would come here under the pretext of collecting flowers for her friends, but would secretly meet with Krishna and have playful conversations. According to legends, once while collecting flowers, Radha's dress got stuck in thorns and Krishna came to help Radharani disguised as the gardener and took out her stuck dress from the thorns. It is also believed that Krishna used to play hide and seek with his friends on this ancient site and would collect flowers to make garlands for Radha.

Architecture

The ceiling of King Surajmal’s cenotaph at Goverdhan near Mathura 1949

Kusum Sarovar Ghat

Kusum Sarovar ghat is 450 feet long and 60 feet deep tank. The ''ghats'' (banks) of pond has Rajasthani structure. On all four sides of the Kusum Sarovar, there is a series of steps that lead upward to the historical building made by King Jawahar Singh. The arcade walls that surround the pond boast a depth of around 60 m. Filled with emerald green water, the pond is bordered on all sides by forest containing variety of flowers. Kusum Sarovar -Mathura -Uttar Pradesh -PXL 20210217 103440204

Kusum Sarovar -Mathura -Uttar Pradesh -PXL 20210217 103440204

Monumental Structure

King

constructed the historical monument in memory of his parents. The main tomb is dedicated to King

which is erected in the area of 57 square feet is located in the center of monumental structure. On both sides of this tomb, there are two other historical structures that are comparatively smaller in size. These tombs were dedicated to two queens of King Suraj Mall - Kishori and Hansiya. The entire construction is supported by a 460 feet long terrace along with a pavilion, which serves as the cover protecting both the ends of the structure.Jat Kingdom of Bharatpur
/ref> The architecture and carving inside the tomb is in the pierced stone style and the ceiling of cenotaphs are adorned with the beautiful paintings depicting the divine pastimes of

and events of 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.D. Anand, 1992
Krishna: The Living God of Braj
Page 56. The structure also houses a replica of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna and Radha.

Significance

Kusum Sarovar is one of the important tourist attraction of Braj region. Pilgrims from all over the country visit the lake to explore the magnificent structures that surround the Sarovar (pond) and he beautiful paintings depicting the life of Krishna and his pastimes with Radha. It is believed that

has performed many pastimes here.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (; born Vishvambhar Mishra) was a 15th-century Indian saint who is considered to be the combined avatar of Radha and Krishna by his disciples and various scriptures. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's mode of worshipping Krishna ...

, a Vaishnava saint and a great devotee of Krishna also used to visit this pond during his time in

Vrindavan Vrindavan (; ), also spelt Vrindaban and Brindaban, is a historical city in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located in the Braj Bhoomi region and holds religious importance in Hinduism as Krishna spent most of his childho ...

. During the time of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Kusum Sarovar was also called Suman Sarovar. It is said that anyone who take dips in the pond of Kusuma Sarovara will achieve pure love of Krishna.

Timings

The time zone ( UTC+05:30) observed through India by the local authorities - Everyday - 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Gallery

Kusum Sarover Perspetive.jpg, Landscape of Kusum Sarovar Kusum Sarovar Mathura DSC 2595.jpg, Side view of Kusum Sarovar Inside of kusum Sarovar Chhatris.jpg, Artwork inside the Monument Pillars of kusum Sarovar Chhatris.jpg, Interior of Monument ਕੁਸੁਮ ਸਰੋਵਰ.jpg, Ghat of Kusum Sarovar Kusum Sarovar Mathura DSC 2124.jpg, Pillars of monument Kusum Sarovar.jpg, Front view of Kusum Sarovar Temple of Kishn Soraba, Gobardun -View across the Kusum Sarovar Tank towards Suraj Mal's Cenotaph, Gobardhan-; a photo by William Henry Baker, 1860's.jpg, View across the Kusum Sarovar Tank towards Suraj Mal's Cenotaph, 1860s

References

External links

{{Commons category-inline Tombs in India Monuments and memorials in Uttar Pradesh Radha Krishna temples Tourist attractions in Mathura district