Shri Banke Bihari Temple, Vrindavan

At a glance

• Deity: Banke Bihari, Krishna standing in the tribhanga (three-bend) pose, understood as the united form of Radha and Krishna.
• Location: Bihari Pura, near Raman Reti, Vrindavan, Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh.
• Seva: by the Goswami descendants of Swami Haridas's family, in the tradition of the Haridasi sampradaya.
• Darshan: two sessions a day, morning and evening; hours shift between summer and winter.

The appearance at Nidhivan

Swami Haridas, the sixteenth-century musician-saint whom tradition calls the teacher of Tansen, sang to Radha and Krishna in the grove of Nidhivan. Pleased by his devotion, the divine couple appeared before him; at his request they merged into a single dark image, Banke Bihari, so that the world could see them. For centuries the image was worshipped at Nidhivan; the present temple was built in 1864. Read the Banke Bihari aarti, which closes on Haridas and the yugal chhavi.

Worship here is different

• The curtain: a curtain is drawn across the sanctum every few moments. Tradition says that if a devotee gazes too long into Bihariji's eyes, he may be drawn away with him, and that the child Krishna is shy of prolonged staring.
• No bells, no conch: Bihariji is treated as a child, and loud bells are avoided so as not to startle him.
• Mangala aarti only once a year: the dawn mangala aarti is performed only on Janmashtami night, because the child is believed to have played all night at Nidhivan and must not be woken early.
• Special darshans: his feet (charan darshan) are shown only on Akshaya Tritiya; he holds a flute and crown only on Sharad Purnima; on Hariyali Teej he sits on a golden swing.

Darshan hours

There are two darshan sessions daily, with the shringar aarti in the morning, rajbhog at midday and shayan aarti at night. Hours change with the season, roughly:

The temple has adjusted these hours for crowd control in recent years, and festival days are different. Check the latest notice before you travel, and be wary of unofficial "VIP darshan" offers.

Crowds and safety

Banke Bihari is one of the most crowded temples in India, and its approach lanes are narrow. Weekends, Ekadashi, Janmashtami, Holi and holiday seasons bring crushing crowds. Elderly visitors, small children and anyone unwell should go on a quiet weekday and avoid festival days.

How to reach

• By train: Mathura Junction, about 12 km away; Vrindavan has a small station too.
• By air: Agra airport is the nearest; Delhi airports have far more flights (about 3 hours by road).
• By road: Vrindavan is just off the Yamuna Expressway; park outside the old town and take an e-rickshaw or walk.

Nearby

• Nidhivan, where Banke Bihari appeared, and Seva Kunj.
• Radha Raman, Radha Vallabh and ISKCON temples, and the Yamuna ghats such as Keshi Ghat.

Practical tips

• Arrive at the start of a session, keep your belongings minimal and hold children's hands.
• Watch for monkeys, which snatch glasses and phones in the lanes.
• Sing Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki or recite the Madhurashtakam before darshan.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the curtain drawn at Banke Bihari temple?

Tradition holds that gazing too long into Bihariji's eyes could make a devotee lose themselves in him, so the curtain is closed every few moments.

Is there a daily mangala aarti?

No. The mangala aarti is held only once a year, on Janmashtami.

When are Banke Bihari's feet shown?

Only on Akshaya Tritiya, the day of charan darshan.

What are the darshan timings?

Two sessions daily, roughly 7:45 am to noon and 5:30 to 9:30 pm in summer, and 8:45 am to 1 pm and 4:30 to 8:30 pm in winter. Confirm before visiting, as the temple changes them for crowds and festivals.

Who was Swami Haridas?

The sixteenth-century saint and musician of Vrindavan for whom Banke Bihari is said to have appeared at Nidhivan.