Shri Radha Rani Mandir: Barsana Radha house guide

Last Updated on March 24, 2022 by asoulwindow

Information about Shri Radha Rani Mandir

Shri Radha Rani Temple is one of the top places to visit in Barsana. This world-famous Radha Krishna temple is visited by thousands of devotees every day.

What is there to do here? From climbing up the hill which houses this temple to take a walking tour in the village, there are many things to do with family and kids here. Some of the most unusual things to do here is to visit all the hidden gems, located nearby.

This is the most detailed travel guide on Shri Radha Rani Temple. Based on my own experience, I have explained all the aspects of this ancient temple in this information packed travelogue.

Why is Shri Radha Rani temple famous?

What is special about Shri Radha Rani mandir?This was where Radha ji was born. It is also a famous tourist destination for many people from across the globe, thanks to the Holi celebrations done on grand scale here.

All roads lead to Barsana Radha house on the festivals of Radhastami and world famous Lathmar Holi.

Where is Shri Radha Rani temple located?

Located on a ridge slope on Brahmachal Parvat on Radha Bagh Marg of Barsana, Shri Radha Rani Mandir is situated just 2 hours train ride away from New Delhi in North India. Radha Rani Mandir lies in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

Some say the hill Radha Rani is located on is known as Bhanugarh hills. It is 820 feet in height.

Nandgiri Parvat is also located nearby.

Nomenclature of Shri Radha Rani Mandir

Shri Radha Rani Mandir is named after Radha ji, one of the most prominent deities in the Hindu pantheon. Also known as Ladli Mahal, Shri Radha Rani Temple is a must-visit place in Barsana. Shriji or Shreeji Temple, Barsana Radha house and Shri Laadli Lal Temple are the other names of Shri Radha Rani Temple.

Brahmasaran was the old name of Barsana.

How old is Radha Rani Mandir?

When was Radha Rani Temple constructed? Radha Rani Mandir is more than 5,000 years old. It is a wonder that the ancient traditions and practises are followed here till date. Therefore, this important holy site for Radha Krishna devotees is a must-see place near Delhi.

Who built Radha Rani Mandir?

Who constructed Radha Rani Mandir? Radha Mandir was originally built by King Vajranabh, who was the great grandson of Shri Krishna.

Later Raja Veer Singh, rebuilt the temple in the year 1675 C.E.

Shri Narayan Bhatt who was also a student of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, built the present temple. He was a contemporary of Akbar, the Islamic invader and Raja Todarmal.

History of Shri Radha Rani Mandir

Shri Radha Rani Mandir has an interesting history. As we all know Nand Baba, foster father of Krishna ji and Balram ji and Vrishbhanu ji, father of Radha Rani ji, were great friends. While Nand Baba and Yashoda maa lived in nearby Gokul, Vrishbhanu ji and his family lived in Rawal. The atrocities of Kans, the king of Mathura and maternal uncle of Krishna ji had forced them to relocate.

While Nand Baba moved to Nandishvar hill in Nandgaon, Vrishbhanu ji relocated to Bhanugarh hill in Barsana. This historical destination is a must-see place.

Architecture of Shri Radha Rani Mandir

As I entered the main shrine, I couldn’t help but admire the beautiful pillars, arches, elaborate hand carvings and massive domes of Shri Radha Rani Mandir. The stunning murals on the inner walls and ceilings are also worth a dekko.

Built like a grand palace, it is a beautiful reminder of the timeless love between Shri Krishna and Radha ji. Red sandstone and white stones are liberally used in the construction of Shri Radha Rani Mandir.

The present structure of Shri Radha Rani Mandir was built during the times of Mughals. This is why, the architecture of Barsana Radha house reflects the blend of Rajasthani and Mughal architecture.

Soul Window Observations

I felt like I had entered one of the forts of Rajasthan in Udaipur, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaiselmer, Chittorgarh or Bundi! Since places like Alwar and Bharatpur in Rajasthan are located near Barsana, the influence on architecture can be easily seen.

Ashta Sakhi Mandir

Also known as Ashta Sakhi temple, it is located within the premises of Shri Radha Rani temple. As we all know, the sakhi or female friends of Radha ji are also remembered along with her, therefore a temple devoted to the sakhis of Radha ji exists here.

The palace of Vrishabhanu Maharaj

This temple is located where stairs to Radha Rani temple begins. Devotees worship Shri Radhikaji , Vrishabhanu Maharaj, Kirti ji and Sridama, who was sibling of Radha Rani ji. A temple devoted to Brahma ji is also located nearby.

Holi festival in Radha Rani Temple

Every year, much like Janamashtami, Radhashtami, the birth anniversary of Radha ji is celebrated on a grand scale in Shri Radha Rani Temple. Did you know that Holi celebrations in Barsana commences a week before the rest of India celebrated Holi festival and it continues till Rang Panchami?

And if you remember, this is also where the larger-than-life Lathmar Holi celebrations take place where women from Barsana beat up men from Nandgaon with sticks. The Radha Rani Mandir comes alive with live renditions of Braj Holi songs by the devotees and local people during festivals.

The Holi of laddu where people throw laddu at each other is also played here.

On every festival, every year the traditional invitation is sent out to people of Nandgaon from the Shri Ladli ji Mandir in Barsana. Feeling the presence of Shri Krishna and Radha Rani, people of Barsana head to Shri ji Mahal, dressed in their sartorial best. Wearing traditional dresses, singing songs and cracking jokes are also a part of the festivity.

Shri Krishna Janmashtami and Radhastami, the birthdays of Radha ji and Krishna ji are also celebrated with much fanfare in Barsana in the month of August and September respectively. The deities are dressed in new clothes and jewelleries and are worshipped.

The temple premises are decorated with lights, balloons, fragrant marigold flowers etc on festivals.

“Chappan Bhog”, which is a special prasad, is offered to Radha Rani after performing aarti. This prasad contains 56 different varieties of Sattvic temple food. After offering the prasad to Radha Rani, it is distributed to the devotees.

Patotsava, Gopashtami, Annakut, Deepawali and Dussehra are the other major Hindu festivals celebrated here.

Views from Radha Rani Temple

I am amazed at the breath-taking views from the spacious courtyard of Shri Radha Rani temple. Bird’s eye view from Shri Radha Rani Temple is a visual delight indeed! Expect spectacular views of the homes, forests and the horizon from the temple. Did you know that Barsana is so picturesque?

Influence of Rajasthan

I had seen similar views from the sprawling Nahargarh fort in Jaipur, Mehrangarh fort in Jodhpur and so many other places in Rajasthan. Since Barsana is located very close to Alwar and Bharatpur, which are very popular tourist places to visit in Rajasthan, I could see why the influence of architecture of Rajasthan was very evident in Barsana.

Despite being located in Uttar Pradesh, the architecture of even the Radha Rani temple is Rajasthani in style.

Steps to Barsana Radha house

So many people ask: How many steps are there in Barsana temple? Well, there are around 225 steps here. Though it is a steep flight of stairs but it is still an easy climb. I have answered all you wanted to know about Radha Rani Temple here.

Shri Radha Rani Charan Chinh

This is the place where you can still see the footprints of Radha ji, much like how footprints of Krishna ji can be seen in Nand Bhawan of the nearby Nandgaon.

It reminds me of my visit to Nalanda in Bihar where Gautam Buddhas’s footsteps still exist. I also saw Seeta Maa’s giant foot imprints in Lepakshi temple in Andhra Pradesh. People in Satyug, the era of Ramayan used to have much more height than what it is today.

Shri Radha Rani Charan Chinh is located within the campus of Shri Radha Rani Temple. This is an unusual place to see here.

Shri Radha Rani Ke Dadi Baba Mandir

Shri Radha Rani Ke Dadi Baba Mandir is devoted to grandfather of Radha ji-Mahibhan ji Maharaj and grandmother of Radha ji-Sukhda dadi. Do not forget to have a darshan at Shri Radha Rani Ke Dadi Baba Mandir as well. This temple lies when one climbs towards the Shri Radha Rani Temple. Free lunches may never be doled out to you in the west and other nations, but in India it is a norm.

Prasad, pooja samagri and fresh flowers are available for offer in the temple premises. Photography and Videography is not allowed inside the main temple. You can click in the courtyard though. The Vaijanti mala or Vaijanti garland sold here for offering stays fresh for more than a week. This garland is made from Vaijanti flowers.

Located on a hillock, one needs stairs to reach this temple. The scenic views of Barsana village from this temple are astounding! This spiritual place is a must visit in Barsana. This temple falls on the way to Shri Radha Rani Temple.

Mandir Shri Kushal Bihari Ji Maharaj

This hidden gem was shown to me by my travel blogger friend Divyakshi Gupta. I would have missed Mandir Shri Kushal Bihari Ji Maharaj had Divyakshi not taken me here. And what I saw was jaw dropping. Kushal Bihari Mandir was built by Maharaja Madho Singh Rao of Jaipur, a King from Rajasthan. Located away from the crowds, this unexplored place is a must-see.

Maharaja Madho Singh Rao and his wife Shri Kushal Kanwarji were an ardent devotee of Shri Ladli Laal. His staff, pujaris (priests) and family members used to live in the rooms that surround the temple. The kitchen is also located here. A circumambulatory path for parikrama around the temple is also present.

Black idols of Radha ji and Krishna ji, which are 2’ – 6” tall are worshipped here. The idols are made up of alloy and black stone. These are some lesser-known facts.

Beautiful Rajasthani paintings, ornamental work, carvings of floral pattern, flowers, wall panels, mosaic work, pillars, carved doors, lovely windows, arches, high and strong ramparts and kalash vied for my attention. The beautiful frescos remind one of the grand havelis of Shekhawati in Rajasthan. The many trees which are planted within the temple complex add a touch of green.

The theme of all the paintings depicted the lives and times of Radha ji and Krishna ji. For example, one of the wall paintings showed the deities playing Holi, accompanied by their friends. It is a riot of colour on the walls of this temple. I took time to minutely study and appreciate each painting in detail.

Built on Brahmachal Parvat, almond colour stone of Bansi Pahadpur of Bharatpur District in Rajasthan was used to build this grand 2 storeyed temple. It took around 14 years to build Kushal Bihari Temple.

While Radha Rani temple gets the most attention, very few people visit the adjacent Mandir Shri Kushal Bihari Ji Maharaj. Do visit this offbeat place for its unique architecture and peaceful atmosphere. I also saw some local people living within the temple premises.

A large parking space is available right outside the temple. One can go to Gahvara vana from Kushal Bihari Mandir too.Gahvar Van is a dense forest where Radha Rani ji used to relax with her sakhis or friends. Not many are aware of these points of attractions.

Devotees from Nimbarka Sampradaya, one of the four Vaishnava Sampradayas or community performs various rituals and traditions here. Statues of Shri Hans Gopalji Maharaj, Shri Niwasacharyaji, Sanandana, Acharya Nimbarkachayaji, Sanatan and Sanat Kumar, Sanak and sage Naradji are also located here. Kushal Bihari mandir falls on the route of Brij Chourasi Kos Yatra.

Aarti at Mandir Shri Kushal Bihari Ji Maharaj

You can also attend aarti at Mandir Shri Kushal Bihari Ji Maharaj. This is also when the temple doors open and close for darshan. The aarti timings here are as below:

  • Mangla Aarti : 4:30 a.m. in summer and 5:30 a.m. in winter
  • Shringar Aarti: 6:30 a.m. in summer and 7:30 a.m. in winter
  • Rajbhog Aarti: 12:00 p.m. in summer and 12:30 p.m. in winter
  • Utthapan: 4:30 p.m. in summer and 4:00 p.m. in winter
  • Sandhya Aarti: 7:30 p.m. in summer and 6:00 p.m. in winter
  • Shayan Aarti: 9:00 p.m. in summer and 8:00 p.m. in winter

A temple signboard also announced that the timings might change during festival such as Lathmar Holi, Annakut, Diwali, Radhaashtami and Janamashtami. You will love visiting this lesser-known place if you enjoy going off the beaten track.

Excursions from Shri Radha Rani Mandir

There are many places of interest around this temple. You can visit following nearby places from Shri Radha Rani Mandir.

  • Nandgaon
  • Goverdhan
  • Gokul and Raman Reti
  • Raskhan Ki Samadhi
  • Vrindavan
  • Mathura
  • New Delhi
  • Agra
  • Bharatpur
  • Alwar

These are some major tourist places in this region. Do read my comprehensive guides on the above-mentioned places at A Soul Window- the No.1 travel blog of India.

Souvenirs Shopping Guide to Shri Radha Rani Mandir

There are many small shops which line the pathway to Barsana Radha house. The street vendors are present at both drive way and stairs. Do buy from them and support local economy. The vendors sell anything from pooja samagri, flowers, toys, trinkets and artificial jewelleries to delicious lassi and chaat.

Vegan and Vegetarian Food around Radha Rani Mandir

Since meat and alcohol is not allowed in Barsana Dham, therefore it is very easy to find low-cost Vegan and Vegetarian Food here. Most things to eat near Radha Mandir are vegan by default. Just check if the food contains dairy such as butter, milk, ghee, curd etc.

The Braj Bhoomi region is known for good quality dairy since 5,000 years. Therefore, the vegans must watch out. For vegetarians Barsana Dham is a paradise. Think chaat, lassis, thalis, the works!

Bhandara at Radha Rani Mandir: What to eat?

You can also participate in a free lunch at Bhandara when you proceed towards Shri Radha Rani Mandir. You can have a vegetarian lunch in Radha Mandir and pay nothing. Yes, free food is available at many places in India.

The Bhandaras are done as a community service by the temple or the individual whose wishes have been granted. It is is not to be missed.

Solo Trip Tips for Radha Rani Mandir

Barsana Radha house is as easy destination for solo travellers on a low budget. A solo, budget traveller like me can just book a cheap rail ticket and arrive in Mathura in less than 2 hours. The low cost of everything in general helps solo travellers move around easily.

Backpacking Budget Travel Tips for Radha Rani Mandir

Radha Rani Mandir is a dream destination for backpackers. It is very easy to go low budget in Barsana because of many reasons. Costs in general are very low in Barsana because there are countless free thing to do here. Most of the top places to see in Barsana have no entry fee.

Luxury travel Tips for Radha Rani Mandir.

Barsana Dham is no luxury destination. Do not expect uber luxurious resorts and hotels here.

ATM in Radha Rani Mandir in Barsana

It is advised to carry hard cash here and ATMs are few in Barsana. Not many shops and street vendors of Barsana accept digital payment either.

Is Radha Rani Mandir safe to visit?

This is a commonly asked question. Yes, Radha Rani temple and other tourist attractions here are very safe to visit despite its remote location. Most devotees go to Radha Rani Mandir in morning. You must also time your visit accordingly.

How to reach Radha Rani Mandir

Barsana is a must-visit destination near Mathura and New Delhi. In fact, Barsana is an easy weekend getaway from New Delhi NCR.

It is fairly easy to arrive at Radha Rani Mandir, the major attraction of Barsana. You can take the public transport from places like Goverdhan and Mathura to Barsana Dham.

Stair: You have to take many stairs to get a darshan at Radha Rani Mandir as it is located atop a hill. The stairs to the Radha Rani Mandir are shaded and is an easy climb for a reasonably fit devotee.

Drive way: Since I and my friend Divyakshi had reached via a car from Govardhan, so we straight away drove up the road from where the main entrance of Radha Rani mandir is just a quick walk away. This travel tip will come handy in planning the number of days you want to spend in Barsana.

Rail: Mathura railway station is well connected with all the major Indian cities including New Delhi. I took the low-cost sitting chair car from Ghaziabad to Mathura.

Air: Airport at Agra and Indira Gandhi International Airport of New Delhi (150 kms) are the closest airports from Barsana and Mathura.

Bus: Buses from New Delhi to Mathura are also available. Frequent bus service from Mathura to Barsana is also available.

Road Trip: You can hire a cab from nearby places such as Mathura, Goverdhan, Gokul, Vrindavan, Nandgaon etc. We did a road trip from Goverdhan to Barsana and Nandgaon.

Local Transport for sightseeing in Barsana

Local autorickshaws ply in Barsana. You can hire an autorickshaw for a day of sightseeing in Barsana. The autorickshaw charges are very low. Since Barsana is also a picnic spot for many locals, it is easy to find a variety of public transport here, especially during the festivals.

Distances from Shri Radha Rani Temple

This is another frequently asked question. Most of the major points of interests in Braj Bhoomi are located very close to each other. Owing to the proximity to nearby places, you can easily get public transport. Even Ghaziabad and New Delhi to Mathura are just 2 hours train ride away.

Mathura is located just 51 kilometres and 1 hour away from Barsana.

Where to stay near Radha Rani temple in Barsana

There are some hotels and lodges in Barsana where you can stay. Do not expect luxury hotels/resorts and backpacking hostels in Barsana. I had stayed at Charitable Trust called as Teerth Vikas Trust in Goverdhan and had made a comfortable day trip via car to Barsana and Nandgaon.

Best Time to visit Radha Rani Mandir, Barsana?

I visited Radha Mandir around my birthday in November when the weather was perfect and temperature were mild. Winter is the best time to travel to not just Radha Rani Mandir in Barsana but anywhere in the great North Indian plains of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.

Plan your trip to Barsana in the month of August, September and March if you want to attend Shri Krishna Janmashtmi, Radhashtami and Lathmar Holi respectively.

Timings of Radha Rani Mandir

Below are the timings of Radha Rani Mandir

How many days to spend in Radha Rani Mandir?

1 day is more than enough to spend in Radha Rani Mandir. I had spent only 1 hour at Shri Radha Rani temple as we also wanted to visit Nandgaon and other places to see in Barsana such as Prem Sarovar and Kirti Mandir.

Entry Fee of Radha Rani Mandir

Much like most Hindu temples of India, there is no entry fee in Shri Radha Rani Mandir. Yes, Radha Rani temple is free to visit and there is no time limit to stay here. You can take a free walking tour here and pay nothing.

Photography Tips for Radha Rani Mandir

Do bring along your telephoto lens or zoom lens when you visit Radha Rani Mandir. Expect to click amazing stills and videos from the courtyard of the temple.

Some of the hidden spots of Radha Rani Mandir for photography can be found with a little walking around. Think views from various balconies, the small details, vantage points of rooftops, the unique architecture, the works!

Also, the Rajasthani paintings in the adjacent temple makes for a pretty backdrop for a photo shoot.

Languages spoken in Radha Rani temple of Barsana.

Most people speak Bhojpuri and Hindi here. English is also understood and spoken by some.

Conclusion: Why visit Radha Rani Mandir?

Is Radha Mandir of Barsana worth visiting? Here are my final thoughts. Radha Rani Mandir, one of the best temples of North India, is worth visiting for many reasons. Not only Radha Rani Mandir is an important Hindu pilgrimage site but it also is a pretty destination.

In a nutshell, the astounding views, continuation of stories and traditions from the Dwapar Yuga, the grand Lathmar Holi celebrations, make it a must visit place in the sacred Braj-Bhoomi.

To summarize, Radha Rani Mandir is a great weekend destination from Delhi NCR which must be visited with friends and family. Do share this exhaustive blog, so that more people get to know about this secret holiday destination from Delhi NCR.

The view from my Soul Window is a hidden!

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