Uddhav Kund, Govardhan: Where Uddhav Longed to Become Grass for the Gopis' Feet, Story, Timings and Complete Guide

Key takeaways

• Uddhav Kund is at Govardhan, just west of Kusum Sarovar on the parikrama path.

• It is revered as the place where Uddhav wished to become grass for the dust of the gopis' feet.

• It was established by Maharaja Vajranabha under the sage Sandilya.

• Its story is told in the Shrimad Bhagavatam and the Skanda Purana Mahatmya.

• Here the grieving queens of Dwaraka performed a maha-sankirtan and Krishna appeared.

• It is an open, free holy spot on the parikrama; a car to Kusum Sarovar is the easiest way.

I am Gurudutt, born in Gokul in the Mathura district, guiding pilgrims through Braj since 2018, more than 50,000 of them. On the great circle of the Govardhan parikrama, a little west of the beautiful Kusum Sarovar, lies a quiet kund that holds one of the most humbling and beautiful stories in all of Braj: Uddhav Kund, the kund of Uddhav. Here the learned Uddhav, the very friend and messenger of Krishna, was so overcome by the love of the gopis that he prayed to be born as a blade of grass in this land, only so the dust of their feet might touch him. Here is everything for your visit, told by someone from this soil: the story and its scriptures, what happened here, the timings, and how to reach it. Add it to your trip with our Mathura Vrindavan Tour Package, message on WhatsApp at +91 7302265809, any day from 8 AM to 9 PM.

The story of Uddhav Kund

Uddhav Kund lies precisely to the west of Kusum Sarovar, on the right side of the parikrama path that encircles the sacred hill of Giriraj Govardhan. It was brought into being by the revered Maharaja Vajranabha, the great-grandson of Krishna who revived so many of the lost holy places of Braj, under the wise guidance of the sage Sandilya and other rishis. Its glory is that Uddhav, the intimate confidant of Krishna, is said to reside here forever in the form of grass and shrubs, eagerly awaiting the blessing of the foot-dust of the Vraja gopis. An absorbing account of the place is given in the Shrimad Bhagavatam and in its Mahatmya within the Skanda Purana.

Uddhav's humbling in Braj

The heart of this place is the transformation of Uddhav himself. Krishna sent his learned friend from Dwaraka to Vrindavan to carry a message of knowledge and yoga to the gopis, to console them in their separation and, it was thought, to lift them with wisdom. Uddhav came proud of the treasure he carried. But when he beheld the extraordinary love the gopis bore for Krishna, and above all when he had the darshan of Shri Radharani, the ocean of knowledge in his heart simply vanished, and for a while he forgot even Krishna himself. He saw that his own devotion, great as it was, was as nothing beside the pure, selfless love of these cowherd women of Braj.

So it was that the messenger became the teacher. Uddhav, the prince and knower of the scriptures, longed now to lay aside his exalted station and become a mere creeper, a blade of grass, in the fields of Braj, only so the dust from the gopis' feet might fall upon him as they passed. By tradition he remained in Braj about six months, drinking that love, until at last Shri Radharani herself blessed him and gently ordered him to return, for his friend Krishna awaited him; and reluctantly, bowing low, Uddhav departed. It is this humbling, the victory of pure love over dry knowledge, that Uddhav Kund keeps alive for every pilgrim who comes.

The maha-sankirtan and the queens of Dwaraka

The Skanda Purana tells a second wonder of this place. After Krishna departed from the mortal world, his queens in Dwaraka were engulfed in grief, and Maharaja Vajranabha brought them here to console them. At the kund they raised a great maha-sankirtan, a loud and melodious collective chanting of the holy names, and as it rose to its height the associates of Krishna began to appear one by one; the companions of Dwaraka sang and danced, and Arjuna himself swayed and played the mridanga. Then, from among the grass and shrubs, the exalted Uddhav emerged and joined the dancing. And at last, drawn by that chorus of love, Krishna himself manifested within the maha-sankirtan, radiant, with Radhika and the sakhis beside him, before vanishing again after a while, leaving the grieving hearts filled with an unspeakable solace. In this way Uddhav brought comfort to the queens in this sacred place.

The Uddhav Temple and the glory of the Bhagavatam

By Kusum Sarovar, near the kund, stand temples of Uddhav Ji, and there the tradition remembers his teaching to the grieving devotees. Uddhav told them of the glory of hearing and reciting the Srimad Bhagavatam and of chanting the names of Krishna, saying that though the Lord and his leelas are now unmanifest to mortal eyes, by the power of the Bhagavatam and the holy name he appears once more within the heart of the devotee, along with his pastimes. So Uddhav Kund is not only a place of a beautiful old story, but a living lesson: that the way to Krishna, in this age, is the loving chant of his name and the hearing of his glories.

Timings and darshan

Uddhav Kund is an open holy spot on the Govardhan parikrama, so it may be visited through the day, and there is no entry fee. As it lies out on the parikrama path near Kusum Sarovar, the cool hours are the pleasantest for the walk. The table gives the general pattern.

Uddhav Kund, Govardhan timings. Approximate; verify on the day.

How to reach Uddhav Kund

Uddhav Kund lies at Govardhan, about 26 to 28 km from Mathura, roughly an hour by road, right beside Kusum Sarovar on the parikrama route between Govardhan town and Radha Kund. A private car is much the easiest way, carrying you to Kusum Sarovar on the parikrama road, from where the kund is a short walk to the west. Those doing the Govardhan parikrama on foot pass it on the right of the path. The table sets out the ways.

Ways to reach Uddhav Kund. A car to Kusum Sarovar with a short walk is the easiest.

The nearest railhead is Mathura Junction, about 26 to 28 km away, and the nearest major airport is Delhi, with Agra closer for some. Our Mathura Vrindavan Gokul Barsana map shows how Govardhan sits within Braj and how these sites string together on the parikrama.

Uddhav Kund and nearby

Uddhav Kund sits amid the holiest cluster of the Govardhan parikrama, so it joins easily with the rest. Kusum Sarovar is right beside it, the twin Radha Kund and Shyam Kund, the holiest kunds of Braj, are about two km along the route, the great lake of Mansi Ganga lies at Govardhan town, and Govind Kund, where Indra bathed Krishna and named him Govinda, is close on the parikrama. The table gives the short distances.

Distances from Uddhav Kund to nearby places. Approximate; verify on the day.

You will find these and the rest of the Govardhan sites in our places to visit in Mathura Vrindavan guide.

When to visit

The cool months of October to March are much the best for Govardhan, pleasant for the parikrama and the walk to the kund, while the summer sun is fierce on the open path. The holiest season here is Kartik, in October and November, when the parikrama is thronged, and Govardhan Puja and Annakut, the day after Diwali, is the supreme festival of the whole Govardhan region. You will find the calendar in our Braj festivals guide and the seasons in full in our best time to visit Mathura Vrindavan guide.

Tips for your visit

• Come early morning or late afternoon; the open parikrama path grows hot at midday.

• Combine Uddhav Kund with Kusum Sarovar and Radha Kund in one Govardhan round.

• Wear modest clothing and easy footwear for the parikrama.

• Carry water, especially in the warmer months.

• Pause a while at the kund; the story is best felt, not hurried.

The honest bit

Honest words of Uddhav Kund, from one born in Braj. This is a simple, open kund on the parikrama, not a grand temple, and its treasure is its story and its stillness rather than any spectacle; come for that and you will not be disappointed. Darshan is free, and there is no VIP pass here or anywhere in Braj, so keep your money in your pocket. The path is open and can be hot, so carry water, wear easy footwear and go in the cool hours; a car that waits at Kusum Sarovar saves you from walking in the heat. If you wish to stay near the Govardhan sites, see our Mathura Vrindavan hotels and our guide on where to stay in Vrindavan. Come with an open heart, sit a while by the water, and remember the humility of Uddhav; it is a darshan that quietly changes you.

Why Experience My India is the right choice

I was born in Gokul in the Mathura district, and the Govardhan parikrama is part of my own home ground of Braj. 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 a visit to Uddhav Kund is the car to Kusum Sarovar and the short walk shown, the kund placed in the right order with Radha Kund and the parikrama, the beautiful story of Uddhav and the queens told on the ground, and honest guidance without touts or pressure. One clear fare, and never a charge for free darshan.

Tip from Gurudutt: give the Kusum Sarovar side of Govardhan a slow morning, and let Uddhav Kund be a quiet pause within it. Take in the beauty of Kusum Sarovar, then step west to the kund and sit a while with the story of Uddhav, who wished only to be grass for the gopis' feet, before going on to Radha Kund and the parikrama. Held gently, this humble kund gives you the very lesson of Braj, that love is higher than all knowledge. It is a darshan I never tire of showing.

Related guides

• Chakleshwar Mahadev, Govardhan: the guardian Shiva of the hill

• Haridev Temple, Govardhan: an ancient temple of Braj

• Punchhari ka Lota: the tail of Govardhan, explained

• Barsana: Radha's birthplace, its temples and complete guide

• Nand Bhavan, Nandgaon: Krishna's village home, explained

Plan your visit to Uddhav Kund

Tell me your dates and your group, and I will build your visit to Uddhav Kund into your Govardhan and Braj trip, the kund in the right order with Kusum Sarovar, Radha Kund and the parikrama, with a car and a guide born on this soil, for one clear price. Our two day Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul, Govardhan, Nandgaon and Barsana tour covers the Govardhan side of Braj, and you can browse all our Mathura Vrindavan Tour Packages. WhatsApp +91 7302265809, any day 8 AM to 9 PM. Packages from Rs 1,999 per person, 4.5 stars from 204 Google reviews. Born in Gokul, Mathura.