Barsana’s Radha Rani Temple, Kirti Mandir: A Pilgrimage of Love

From the main arterial road in Barsana to the temple, I could see huge crowds everywhere, though it was not an important festival day or weekend. It is said that though lakhs of people reach Vrindavan, only a small percentage of them are able to go to Barsana. These people are those whom Radha Rani really calls and considers her own. So, I was happy to see so many people being bestowed by her grace and drawn by her call.

From the terrace of the temple, one could see far into the horizon; however, the calling was closer home – in everyone’s heart. It seemed not to be an outward pilgrimage to the goddess of love and devotion, but a stepping into the heart to feel her essence.

Kirti Mandir, located on the main road of the temple town, is a beautiful modern structure named after Radha Rani’s mother. This beautiful temple, which, like Vrindavan’s Prem Mandir, was envisioned by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj. The construction of this unique temple, which took 12 years to complete, was inaugurated in 2019. And has since then been drawing pilgrims to pay their obeisance to the presiding deity, Radha Rani, as a child, sitting on her mother’s lap. It is the only temple in the world that depicts her in this form. The other highlights include beautifully presented scenarios from her life – from Raas Leela and her sakhis to warming herself by the fire to playing a flute with Shri Krishna, and many others.

How to reach: Barsana is about an hour’s drive from Vrindavan. The nearest airports are Kheria Airport, Agra (55 km), and Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi (147 km).

Accommodation: While there are some accommodation options in Barsana, most people prefer staying in Vrindavan and do a half-day trip to Barsana.