Heritage Status Demanded for Vrindavan

The World’s Tallest Krishna Temple under Construction, Numerous Religious Shrines, Forests and Historical Holy Ponds, a living Cultural Entity with a distinct identity, Visited by millions of people round the year: “Vrindavan” – The Abode of the Much-Loved and Playful Hindu God Krishna – is crying for Heritage Town Status to preserve its Rich Traditions and Physical Assets.

“Hundreds of holy ponds in Braj mandal and the sacred groves where Krishna and (his consort) Radha frolicked with gopis are revered and worshipped by millions of bhaktas (devotees) spread all over the globe. A town associated with the living legend of Krishna and Radha deserves to be granted heritage status to protect what is left,” Rajneesh Kapur of the NGO Braj Foundation told IANS in this town 160 km from Delhi. 

“Vrindavan is considered in many sacred texts as the centre of Braj, a region covering over 45 square miles (117 sq km) in which the majority of the villages, water tanks and natural landscape are connected to a long-standing living tradition of local folklore associated with the events narrated in the holy scripture called Srimad Bhaagavatam,” activist Rakesh Haripriya told IANS.

Each year hundreds of thousands of Vaishanavites from across the globe visit Vrindavan for a “darshan” or “parikrama” of the shrines associated with Krishna and his consort Radha.

The Mathura-Vrindavan-Goverdhan circuit holds a dozen festivals and fairs every year which draw hundreds of thousands of pilgrims. Estimates of the crowd vary from eight lakh to 80 lakh.

“Every month, a few million pilgrims join the Goverdhan parikrama,” Gopi Ballabh, a panda, told IANS.

“Vrindavan annually receives 80 lakh pilgrims who demonstrate the living devotional heritage of Braj by engaging in various unique and heartfelt activities, including the 21-kilometre circumnambulation of Govardhan Hill in dandavats (the act of lying down, marking one’s place, and then moving one body length forward to lie down again until circumnambulation is complete),” Jagan Nath Pod ..

“In the realm of arts and music, the area has nurtured haveli sangeet, samaj gayan, raas leelas, dance forms like Charakula and inspired paintings and sculptures. Hindi literature in Braj bhasha dilect has been enriched by great poets like Surdas and Rasa Khan. Krishna and Radha are the chief focus of the dance called Rasa dance, which teaches the world that God loves everyone and allows all to long for Him and to enter His abode,” said Madhumangal Shukla, convenor of the Braj Vrindavan Heritage ..

Vrindavan and the greater area of Braj have inspired the founding of religious and monastic communities all over the world, many of which are named after places in Braj such as Vrindavan and the events which have taken place there. “There are not many New Yorks but many New Vrindavans, New Varsanas, New Goverdhans, and New Gokulas in all countries around the world which are visited by pilgrims. These are all places created in the spirit and image of Vrindavan and greater Braj,” Girdhari Brajwasi ..

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