The town of Vrindavan is situated in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh around 151 km south of Delhi. It extends latitude 27°33¢ in the North to longitude 77°44¢ in the East. The place is just 10 km off Mathura, the place where Lord Krishna is said to have spent his childhood. Vrindavan is situated on the New Delhi-Chennai and New Delhi-Mumbai main railway line. A meter-gauge line connects Vrindavan to Mathura. There are quite a good number of passenger trains plying between these two places.

History
The name 'Vrindavan' is said to have been derived from 'Vrinda', another name for the sacred tulsi (basil) plant. A legend has it that the entire place was a tulsi grove at one time. According to another tradition, it was named after Vrinda Devi, one of Krishna's playmates. Whatever may be the case, Vrindavan is primarily a place of temples. Nearly 4,000 in number, which include several private shrines and sattras (houses for the distribution of alms), they are spread on a 10 km stretch. The earliest known shrine in Vrindavan is said to have been built by the local gosains in a large garden called Nidhiban, later named Seva Kunj. According to tradition, Emperor Akbar was taken blindfolded inside the grove where he had some kind of a spiritual experience. As a result, he acknowledged the spot as being holy ground.

The four temples that were built in honour of his visit are Govind Deva, Madan Mohan, Gopinath, and Jugal Kishore. The first is an impressive edifice built in red sandstone. Architecturally this temple is one of the finest in North India. The beautiful tower that exists has lost some of its upper stories. A mutilated inscription on one of its walls records that Raja Man Singh of Amber built the temple in 1590. At the time of Aurangzeb, the principal image was removed from Vrindavan to Jaipur. However, apart from its history, what keeps Vrindavan alive in the popular imagination of the people is its rich legend and mythology. Vrindavan is considered the place where Lord Krishna spent his early childhood. It was here that Krishna indulged in adolescent pranks with the gopis (milkmaids) in the forests and stealing their clothes while they bathed in the river. Little now remain of the legendary forests and the river has meandered away from most of Vrindavan's bathing ghats, but the Krishna effect is still there in the large number of pilgrims visiting this town.

Best time to visit
Being a part of the Gangetic plain, Vrindavan faces extreme climate with hot and humid summer and chilly winter. The maximum temperature during the summer can reach a high of around 45°C and a low of around 5°C during the winters. Monsoon reaches this region in the first week of July and continues till the second week of September. The ideal season to visit Vrindavan is during winters (October to mid-March).

Highlights

• Yamuna River
  The Yamuna river flows through Vrindavan and Mathura. It is the most sacred river in India as it is so intimately connected with Krishna's pastimes. Situated on the bank of the Yamuna is the Keshi Ghat, where Krishna killed the Keshi demon and saved his friends. One who bathes here gets the benediction of bathing in all of the holy places.
• Krishna Balarama Mandir
  One of ISKCON's major centres is the Krishna Balarama Mandir. This beautiful marble temple was constructed twenty years ago. There are Deities of Gaura-Nitai, Krishna Balarama and Radha-Syamasundara. In front of the temple is the Samadhi Mandir of Srila Prabhupada. This is where his body was laid to rest after he passed away in 1977. His house has been turned into a museum. There is also a guesthouse, restaurant, gurukula and goshalla.
• Sri Sri Radha Govindaji Mandir
  Built in 1590 by Maharaja Man Singh for the original Govindaji deity discovered by Srila Rupa Goswami. Govindaji was removed from this temple and reinstalled in Jaipur when the Muslim Emperor Aurangzeb destroyed part of the temple in 1670. Several other Deities are also installed here. As this temple was partially destroyed ,worship is now carried in the new Govindaji Mandir ( located behind the original temple).
• Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan Mandir
  Sanatana Goswami discovered the Deity of Madan Mohan. Ram das Kapoor, a merchant donated the funds for this mandir in 1580. When the Muslims attacked in 1670, the original Deities were moved to Karoli. Worship is done in the new Madan Mohan Mandir to the replacement Madan Mohan Deity.
• Sri Sri Radha Raman Mandir
  The Deity of Sri Radha-Raman (one of the few original Deities still left in Vrindavana) was installed here by Srila Gopal Bhatta Dasa Goswami. The Deity manifested from one of the Goswami's shaligram-shilas in 1542. Gopal Bhatta also brought Caitanya Mahaprabhu's kaupina (cloth) and asana (seat ) back from Puri. These can be seen three to four times a year. Gopal Batta's Samadhi is located here. The fires for cooking in the temple kitchen have been burning continuously since the Deity was installed over 435 years ago.
• Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda Mandir
  Here are the the Radha-Vinod Deities of Lokanath Goswami, Radha-Gokulananda Deities of Viswanath Cakravarti, Caitanya Mahaprabhu Deity of Narottama Dasa Thakur, Vijaya Govinda Deities of Baladeva Vidyabhusana, and the Govardhan-shila given to Raghunath Dasa Goswami by Sri Caitanya. Also, the samadhis of Srila Lokanath Goswami, Srila Narrottama Dasa Thakura, and Viswanath Cakravarti Thakura lie here.
• Seva Kunja and Nidhu ban
  Seva Kunja and Nidhuban are gardens where Krishna performed many of His pastimes. Seva Kunja surrounds the temple of Srimati Radharani . Here Krishna would massage Radharani's feet and decorate her hair with flowers. Today this place is surrounded by temples. The Seva Kunja road leads to Srila Jiva Goswami's Radha Damodar Temple, Srila Syamananda Goswami's Radha Syamasundara temple, and Srila Krishna Dasa Kaviraj Goswami's Radha-Vrindavana-Chandra Temple.
• Sri Gopesvara Mahadeva Mandir
  This is the oldest temple in Vrindavana. Gopesvara Mahadeva is Lord Siva, who came to Vrindavana to become a gopi of Krishna. Here Vrinda Devi blessed Lord Siva and allowed him to enter the rasa dance of Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna then offered Lord Siva the guardianship of the Rasa Lila , and placed him in the entrance of the Mandir. Ever since, all Vaisnavas pray first for his mercy to become a servant of the servant of the gopis. Vajranabha, the great grandson of Krishna, also installed the Siva-linga in this temple
• Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Imlitala
  The sacred Imlitala tree is where Srila Sanatana Goswami established the worship of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai. Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to sit daily under the Imli Tala. A Deity of Caitanya Mahaprabhu is installed under this tree.