Banke Bihari Temple, Vrindavan
About:
Banke Bihari Temple is in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, and the temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna. It was built in the year 1864 and is located near Shri Radha Vallabh Temple. It is a popular tourist site in Vrindavan. Banke Bihari originated from two different words i.e., ‘Banke’ and ‘Bihari’. These words reflect the Idol of Lord Krishna, Banke stands for ‘Bent from three angles, and Bihari for ‘Supreme Enjoy
There are many old temples in Vrindavan, and it is one of them. The idol of Banke Bihari is believed to be the combined form of Radha Krishna. This temple is more famous because of its proximity to Nidhivan.
The story of Nidhivan is that it is believed that after the evening worship or Aarti, Krishna goes to Nidhivan and plays flute. Nidhivan is a big garden which have numerous Tulsi Plants. There is a belief that these Tulsi trees reflect Gopis’s dancing with Lord Krishna.
Style of Worship In Banke Bihari Temple
People here worshipped the idol of Lord Krishna in the form of a small child. So, no morning aarti is performed and no bells are hung anywhere in the temple as it may create disturbance to the Lord Krishna. Only on Janmashtami, Mangala aarti (morning aarti) is performed.
Beliefs Of Banke Bihari Temple
There is a fact that the curtains of the temple which are placed in front of the Banke Bihari are drawn closed in small intervals repeatedly in five minutes to avoid the uninterrupted darshan of Banke Bihari Ji. The popular belief is that if Darshans are not interrupted, Lord Krishna may accompany devotees to their home, and leave the temple forever.
Darshans and Aarti Timings
| Days | Summer | Winter |
| Mon-Sun | 7:45 am-12:00 pm
5:30 pm-9:30 pm |
8:45 am-1:00 pm
4:30 pm-8:30 pm |
| Aarti | Summer
(After Holi) |
Winter
(After Diwali) |
| Shringar Aarti | 8:00 am | 9:00 am |
| Rajbhog | 11:00am to 11:30 am | 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm |
| Rajbhog and closing | 12:00 pm | 1:00 pm |
| Shayan Bhog | 8:30 pm to 9:00 pm | 7:30 pm to 8:00 pm |
| Shyan Bhog and closing | 9:30 pm | 8:30 pm |
History
The idol of Banke Bihari was exhibited by the great musician and saint of Vrindavan named Swami Haridas.
Swami Haridas is the incarnated body of Lalita Gopi as per the belief, an associate of Radha Krishna in their celestial abode Goloka. He is the guru of the famous singer Tansen.
According to popular belief, Swami Haridas sang the following verse in Nidhivan in the praise of divine couple Radha Shyam. On listening to the verse, the celestial couple Radha Shyam appeared in front of him, and at the request of Swami Haridas, the celestial couple merged into one black stone and the stone image of Banke Bihari appeared in front of him which is now worshipped by the devotees. Banke Bihari also called ‘Kunj Bihari’ is then shifted from Nidhivan to Banke Bihari Temple.
Type of Prasad offered here:
Peda Prasad is special in Vrindavan and comes in different flavors. Banke Bihari temple offers Makhan Mishri and Peda made with cow milk as they are the favorite of Lord Krishna.
Bal Bhog is a special prasad offered to Lord Krishna early in the morning which includes items like Kachori, Aloo Sabji, Besan Barfi, Ladoo, and Peda.
How To Reach
Nearest Railway Station: – Mathura Railway Station
Nearest Bus Stand: – Vrindavan Bus Stand
Nearest Airport: – Agra Airport
5 Unknown Facts
♦Over 50000 devotees daily visited the temple to get a glimpse of Lord Krishna.
♦It’s the 5250th birth anniversary of Lord Krishna this year i.e.2023.
♦The Mangala Aarti is performed only one time in a year on the occasion of Janmashtami.
♦The idol is present in Ardh Narishwar form which is half Lord Krishna and half Shri Radha.
♦Banke Bihari holds the flute once a year on the special day of Sharad Purnima.
Places to visit near Banke Bihari Temple
- Iskcon Temple: 76km from Banke Bihari Dham
Another name is Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir. Swami Prabhupada (the founder-acharya of ISKCON) has fulfilled his dream to build a temple for the brothers Krishna and Balaram.
- Prem Mandir: 3.3km from Banke Bihari temple
Also Read: Prem Mandir, Vrindavan
It is also known as the Temple of God’s Love and is dedicated to Lord Krishna and Shri Radha and to Ram-Sita.
- Shri Radha Raman ji Temple: 63km from Banke Bihari temple
It is an early modern Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Krishna as Radha Ramana. The temple is beautifully crafted and is the most revered temple in Vrindavan.
Dharamshala near Banke Bihari Mandir
| Name | Price |
| Radha Kunj | Rs956 |
| Shri Haridas Dham | Rs1008 |
| Vrindavan Bihari Homestay | Rs1309 |
| Radha Krishna Bhawan Homestay | Rs1764 |
FAQs
◊What are the visiting hours of Banke Bhari temple?
The visiting hours differ according to the season. In summer 7:45 am to 12:00 pm(morning)|5:30 pm to 9:30 pm(evening). In winter 8:45 am to 1:00 pm| 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
◊Which month is less crowded in Vrindavan?
The best time to travel is between October and March.
◊Is there any market near Banke Bihari Mandir?
There is a local market near the temple where you can buy Prasad, Lord Krishna’s Poshak and Shringar, Food items like Ladoo, Peda, Buttermilk (Lassi), etc.
◊Is Banke Bihari Temple crowded?
The temple is crowded generally as 50,000 devotees visit daily.
You can visit the temple if you want to feel spiritual and feel close to the Lord Krishna. Radhe Radhe
Author: Bhumika
