Govardhan

Govardhan is one of the major pilgrimage centres situated in the Mathura District of Uttar Pradesh. It is situated at a distance of around 25 km west of Mathura in Vrindavan. Popular as a  famous place for Hindu pilgrimage, Govardhan Parvat is a narrow sandstone hill, which is 8 km in length.

The history of the hill dates back to 5,000 years and is associated with legendary tales and cultural traditions. The legend of Govardhan hill is associated with the blue god, Lord Krishna, who lifted the mountain peak of Govardhan on his left hand for seven successive days.

The hill is also identified as Giriraj and is situated along a large masonry tank known as the Mansi Ganga. Also in proximity, there is a popular red sandstone temple of Haridev, Radha Kund and a beautiful Kusum Sarovar. The sarovar, 450 feet long and 60 feet deep,  is a chief attraction. This town is popular for the Govardhan Parikrama, which is around 20 km long.    

Govardhan can be reached by various modes of transportation including flights, trains and buses. Indira Gandhi International Airport is the closest airport, located at a distance of 165 km in Delhi. The airport is connected to both domestic and international destinations. The railhead nearest to Govardhan is Mathura railway junction.

Besides flights and trains, Govardhan can also be reached by buses available from cities like Agra, Delhi, Faizabad and Allahabad. Both state owned and private buses are available to reach the destination. Extreme climatic conditions prevail in Govardhan but October to March is the ideal period to visit Govardhan.