Bhandirvan: The Sacred Forest Where Radha and Krishna Were Married, Its Story and How to Reach

Key takeaways

• Bhandirvan is the sacred forest where Radha and Krishna were married.

• Lord Brahma himself is said to have performed the divine wedding.

• It is known as the Radha Krishna Vivah Sthali, the wedding place.

• Here stands the ancient Bhandir vat, a great and holy banyan tree.

• It lies about 10 km from Vrindavan and 30 km from Mathura.

• Darshan is free; it is a peaceful forest away from the crowds.

I am Gurudutt, born in Gokul in the Mathura district, guiding pilgrims through Braj since 2018: more than 50,000 of them. Of all the sacred forests of Braj, Bhandirvan holds a wonder all its own, for this is the Vivah Sthali, the place where Radha and Krishna were wedded, with Lord Brahma himself as the priest. It is a quiet, green and ancient forest across the Yamuna, less crowded than the towns and deeply dear to the lovers of Radha and Krishna. Here is its story, its sacred sites and how to reach it, told by someone from this land. See it on our Mathura Vrindavan Tour Package, message on WhatsApp at +91 7302265809, any day from 8 AM to 9 PM.

What is Bhandirvan?

Bhandirvan, written also Bhandirban, is one of the twelve ancient forests of Braj, lying in the Mant tehsil of the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, on the far side of the Yamuna, about ten kilometres from Vrindavan and thirty from Mathura city. It is an ancient and deeply sacred site, most famous of all as the Radha Krishna Vivah Sthali, the place of the divine marriage of Radha and Krishna and as the home of the great Bhandir vat, one of the holiest and most ancient banyan trees of all Hindu tradition. It is a green and peaceful forest, far quieter than the busy temples of Vrindavan and Mathura, a place of trees and birdsong and old shrines and for the devotees of Radha and Krishna it is among the most tender and precious spots in all of Braj, for here their eternal love took the form of marriage. The table gives the essentials at a glance.

Bhandirvan at a glance.

The divine marriage of Radha and Krishna

The glory of Bhandirvan is the divine wedding and it is one of the most beautiful and tender of all the stories of Braj. It is told that when Krishna was still a child in Gokul, one day the sky darkened with a great storm and Nanda Baba, his father, grew afraid for the little boy in the fields. Then Radha came and Krishna, in that moment, revealed his divine form and the two were drawn together in their eternal love. Lord Brahma himself, the creator, descended to Bhandirvan and there beneath the great Bhandir vat he performed the marriage of Radha and Krishna, joining their hands with all the sacred rites, the two circling the fire as bride and groom, while the gods rained down flowers from the heavens. When the wedding was done, Krishna returned to his childhood form and the memory of that sacred union remained hidden in the forest. So Bhandirvan is the one place in all of Braj where the eternal lovers, Radha and Krishna, whom the world knows as the divine beloveds, were joined in the bond of marriage and this is why it is so dear to those who worship their love.

The Radha Krishna Vivah Sthali

At the heart of Bhandirvan stands the Radha Krishna Vivah Sthali, the temple and site of the divine marriage, which gives the forest its fame and its nickname. Here pilgrims take darshan of Radha and Krishna as bride and groom, in their wedding form, a sight found almost nowhere else, for almost everywhere in Braj they are worshipped as the divine lovers rather than as the wedded pair. The devout hold that here alone the evidence and the memory of their marriage remains and to stand at the Vivah Sthali is to stand where the deepest love in all creation was sealed in the sacred vows. Newly married couples and those praying for happy marriages come here especially, to seek the blessing of Radha and Krishna upon their own unions and it is a place of deep and joyful devotion.

The Bhandir vat

The other great treasure of Bhandirvan is the Bhandir vat, the ancient banyan tree that gives the forest its name and one of the four imperishable holy vat trees of Hindu tradition, believed never to perish through the ages. It was beneath this very tree, tradition tells, that the marriage of Radha and Krishna was performed and the vast old banyan, with its many hanging roots and its wide spreading shade, has stood as the silent witness of that sacred union. The Bhandir vat is also linked, like the vat of Vrindavan, to the pastimes of Krishna and the gopis and to the sound of his flute. To sit beneath the Bhandir vat, in the green quiet of the forest, is to sit in the shade of one of the most ancient and sacred living things in all of Braj and it is one of the most peaceful experiences a pilgrim can find here.

The sacred sites of Bhandirvan

Bhandirvan is a whole sacred landscape rather than a single shrine and several revered sites lie within its green expanse. The chief of them are the Radha Krishna Vivah Sthali, the temple of the divine marriage; the Radha Bhandir Bihari temple, where Radha and Krishna are worshipped as the deities of the forest; and the great Bhandir vat itself, the ancient banyan of the wedding. Around them lie old kunds and shrines and the peaceful groves of the forest and the whole place breathes an ancient stillness. It is best seen unhurried, walking from site to site in the quiet, letting the story of the divine marriage fill the mind. The table lists the chief sites.

The sacred sites within Bhandirvan.

Bhandirvan among the forests of Braj

It helps to see where Bhandirvan sits in the sacred geography of Braj. Braj is traditionally counted to have twelve great forests, the Dwadash Van, each dear to a different pastime of Krishna and Bhandirvan is one of them, lying on the eastern side of the Yamuna, in the direction of Mahavan and Gokul rather than of Vrindavan town, though it is nearest to Vrindavan by road. It is thus naturally joined, on a fuller pilgrimage, with Gokul and Mahaban of Krishna’s infancy, which lie on the same side of the river, as well as with Vrindavan just across. For how the whole region fits together, see our Mathura Vrindavan city map guide and the three day Mathura Vrindavan pilgrimage tour takes in the sacred sites with the whole of Braj.

Location and how to reach Bhandirvan

Bhandirvan lies in the Mant tehsil of the Mathura district, pin code 281202, on the eastern side of the Yamuna, about ten kilometres from Vrindavan and about thirty from Mathura city, an easy drive across the Braj countryside. It is most often visited as a half day trip from Vrindavan or Mathura, by private car or hired vehicle, for it is not on the rail line and the forest lies among fields and villages. The nearest railway junction is Mathura and the nearest airport Delhi, about a hundred and eighty kilometres away by the Yamuna Expressway. Because it lies apart, off the main pilgrim track, a car with a driver who knows the way is much the easiest means to reach and return from Bhandirvan. The table gives the distances.

Reaching Bhandirvan. Distances are approximate; verify on the day.

It pairs naturally with the other places to visit in Vrindavan and our Mathura Vrindavan taxi service drives you there and back in comfort.

When to visit

The cool months of October to March are the most comfortable for a visit, for Bhandirvan is a forest to be walked, pleasant in the cool and hot in the summer and the early morning is the loveliest and most peaceful time among the trees. Being a place of the divine marriage, it is especially dear on the days of Radha and Krishna, on Janmashtami and Radha Ashtami and in the devotional month of Kartik and newly married couples come through the year to seek blessing on their unions. The peak summer of May and June is very hot in the open forest, so the cool season and the early hours are kindest. Our best time to visit Mathura Vrindavan guide is the seasons.

The honest bit

Honest words on Bhandirvan. Darshan is free and no official VIP pass exists here or anywhere in Braj. This is an ancient and peaceful forest away from the towns, a place of quiet devotion and old shrines rather than of grand modern temples or spectacle, so come in reverence and an unhurried spirit and its stillness will bless you. It lies apart, off the main pilgrim track and not on the rail line, so a car or hired vehicle is really needed to reach it; do not expect frequent public transport. The forest involves gentle walking between the sites. The story of the divine marriage and of the imperishable vat, I share as the cherished belief and tradition of Braj, held dear by its people for ages, rather than as a matter of proof. Come with a quiet, loving heart and Bhandirvan, the forest of the sacred wedding, will move you as few places can.

Why Experience My India is the right choice

I was born in Gokul Mahaban Bangar, on the same side of the Yamuna as Bhandirvan and the sacred forests of Braj are part of my own devotional home ground. Guiding since 2018, more than 50,000 pilgrims, 4.5 stars across 204 Google reviews, WhatsApp first, 8 AM to 9 PM daily. What a local brings to Bhandirvan is the way to this forest that lies off the main track, a car to reach and return from it in comfort, the story of the divine marriage told beneath the great vat where it happened, the sacred sites found and understood and the pairing of Bhandirvan with Gokul and Vrindavan in the right order. One clear fare and never a charge for free darshan.

Tip from Gurudutt: give Bhandirvan the unhurried half day it asks for and do not treat it as a quick stop. Sit a while beneath the ancient Bhandir vat in the green quiet, take darshan at the Vivah Sthali of Radha and Krishna in their wedding form, a sight you will find almost nowhere else and let the tender story of the divine marriage fill your heart. Those who come here slowly, away from the crowds of the towns, carry away a peace and a sweetness that the busy temples cannot give; it is one of the hidden jewels of Braj.

Related guides

• Gokul, Mathura and Vrindavan tour: temples and history

• Things to do in Gokul: the complete guide

• Nidhivan and Sevakunj, Vrindavan: timings and history

• Vrindavan parikrama: route, timings and distance

• Vrindavan tourism: a complete travel guide

Plan your Bhandirvan visit

Tell me your dates and your group and I will build Bhandirvan into your Braj trip, the forest reached and its sites walked in the right order, paired with Gokul and Vrindavan, with a car and a guide, for one clear price. WhatsApp +91 7302265809, any day 8 AM to 9 PM. Packages from Rs 5,999 per person, 4.5 stars from 204 Google reviews. Born in Gokul, Mathura.