Festival of Light and Love in Vrindavan. Kartik, Diwali and Govardhana puja

Many of Lord Krishna’s beautiful childhood lilas happened during the month of Kartik. When Krishna was playing those mischievous lilas, He was reminding us that it is important to always think of Him and to put Him first in everything. This is the most important message of the month of Kartik – to make Him the centre of your life and to focus on Him. But why is being in Vrindavan during the month of Kartik a special blessing? Even if you do not want to think about God and celebrate Kartik, with every step you take, you will be met with thousands of lamps that everyone lights during this special month and you will constantly be reminded of Krishna everywhere. Just like a wave that picks you up and carries it with you this way and that way, no matter how much you try and swim in another direction, you cannot fight it. We don’t realise it, but in Vrindavan we breathe bhakti every day.”

We will visit the holiest places in and around Vrindavan:

Gokul: Lord Krishna lived here when He was very little, playing His heart-warming and sweet childhood lilas. Interestingly, in Gokul, Holi is celebrated with local sand as opposed to traditional paints. The Gokul sand is unusually soft so that little Krishna and His friends can enjoy playing with it.

Nandgaon: Nanda Maharaja took his whole family here to protect his son, Krishna from the demons that haunted Him in Gokul. The Lord lived in this city for 9 years. He loved to play the flute here, and one day, the ground under His feet melted from the sweet melody He was playing. This is how the imprints of the Lord’s little Feet appeared here.

Govardhan: We will take part in one of the most famous celebrations honouring Giriraj during Diwali: Govardhana puja. Such grand celebrations happen here only once a year. We will visit incredible, lesser-known places of His presence, which will be introduced to us by a local brahmana.

Barsana: Sri Radha, the Lord’s Love, was born and grew up here. It was from Barsana that Sri Radha and her gopi friends would hurry to meet Him, as soon as the lips of Her Kanha touched His flute.

Vrindavan… Saints and devotees who are in love with Giridhari have been drawn here for many millennia. Every nook and cranny of this blessed place radiates unconditional Love, treasuring in their memories the smallest details of the great story, the rasa-lila.

“When the Lord manifests Himself on the physical level, the entire Universe centred itself in this particular place. At this point His lilas become Nitya-lilas: eternal. And Bhagavan Krishna is still playing his lilas every day. Therefore, such special vibrations can be felt here. There is no other place like Vrindavan. We have travelled through so many pilgrimage sites, but Vrindavan is the place where the Lord is always present.”