Nidhivan

A thick forested area comprising of intertwined trees and thorny bushes, Nidhivan (also known as Madhuvan) is one of the prime highlights of Vrindavan. It is a very sacred spot, believed to be the same venue for the famed rasalila, the meeting place where Lord Krishna danced with his eternal consort Radha and other beautiful Gopis. It is also the spot where innumerable saints including mystic saint and divinely gifted poet Swami Haridas have spent their entire lives in meditation, bhajan, penance and prayer. Nidhivan is an intriguing place for all the pilgrims visiting Vrindavan and should not be missed under any circumstance. Passing through the intertwined canopy of trees is a humbling reminder of the spiritual presence of gopis, believed to breathe life at night every day. To honor their solitude, Nidhivan is locked up at night even today. Anyone who remains inside the precincts after the evening prayers becomes deaf, dumb or psychologically unbalanced. Even the monkeys leave the temple at the fall of dusk.

Nidhivan has many sanctified precincts inside the campus―so reserve an hour or two for exploring the area comprehensively. Places to look out for are the Samadhi temple of Swami Haridasa, the Radha Rani temple, the sacred well, the appearance place of Lord Bankey Bihari among others.