Nandgaon is the place where Krishna resided after Kansa burnt his whole village in Gokul. Afterwards, chief of Barsana shri Vrishbhanu gave Nandgaon to Nand baba.
Nand Baba built his home atop Nandhisvara Parvat (Hill) to protect Krishna from the attack of demons of Kansa. There would be residents of Nandgaon who would be up at all time patrolling from the hill-top to protect baby Krishna in case of any attack.
Devotees believe that Nandishvara Parvat is actually Lord Shiva who had performed penance to take the form of a hill in Nandagaon so that he can take the dust of feet of gopis there.
Places to visit
- Nandraya temple: The temple is dedicated to Nandbaba (father of Krishna). This temple was built in the 18th century by Jat king Roop Singh of Bharatpur.
- Shani temple: There is an ancient Shani temple located in Kokila forest at a short distance from Paan Sarovar. Devotees believe that when Shani came here, Krishna made him stay at one place so that the people of Braj do not have any trouble from him. Moreover, Every Saturday, the devotees who come here do a 3 km parikrama of Lord Shani. The view of Nandgaon is also clearly visible from the Shani temple of Kokilavan. While from the top of the Nandrai temple, you can see the lush green terrain of Braj, its natural beauty, the Shani temple of Kokilavan and Radharani’s palace of Barsana.
- Nand bhavan: Nand Bhawan has a statue of Lord Krishna carved in black granite. Additionally, with him there are statues of Nand Baba, Yashoda, Balram and his mother Rohini.
- Nandishwar temple: The temple of Lord Shiva in Nandgaon is Nandishwar Mahadev. After Krishna’s birth, Lord Shiva came to Nandgaon in the guise of a saint to see Krishna. But Yashoda, seeing his strange appearance, did not show her child to him fearing that the child might get scared on seeing him. Afterwards, Lord Shankar left from there and went to the forest and sat down meditating. Here Lord Shri Krishna suddenly started crying and when everyone tried hard to pacify him, he did not stop crying. Then Yashoda thought that the sadhu must have been a tantrik who had cast a spell on the child. Shankarji came there once again on Yashoda’s call. As a result Immediately Lord Krishna stopped crying and started smiling on seeing him. The saint asked mother Yashoda to give him a glimpse of the child and his leftover food as prasad. Since then, There is a tradition to the offer food to the Shivalinga in the Nandishwar temple after offering it to Lord Krishna. The Nandishwar temple is at the place in the forest where Shankarji meditated on Krishna.
- Paavan Sarovar: This lake is at the foot of Nandishwar mountain. Devotees believe that mother Yashoda used to make Lord Krishna take bath in this lake. Nandrai and other men used to take bath here. This lake was renovated by the queen of Vardhaman. The water of this lake is clean – that is why its name is Paavan Sarovar.
- Bhajan Kuteer Sanatan Goswami: There is a temple of Paavan Bihari Ji near the holy lake. Lord Krishna told Goswami Ji in a dream that the idols of Nand Baba, Yashoda and Balram are in the cave of Nandishwar mountain. After this, Sanatan Goswami brought those three idols here and installed them.
- Moti Kund: The Kund (pond) is situated at a short distance from the Nandishwar hill. There is a temple Radha and Krishna here. Radha’s father Vrishbhanu gifted gold ornaments and pearls to Krishna’s father Nandrai here.
- Narsimha and Varaha temple:. This temple is in the opposite direction of the holy lake. Nandrai used to worship Lord Narasimha and Lord Varah in this temple. Gargacharya advised Nandrai to worship Lord Varah and Lord Narasimha.
- Yashoda kund: Yashoda used to take bath in this pond. Yashoda Kund is at a distance of half a km from Nandishwar mountain.
- Charan pahri: This place is located in the south-west of Nandgaon. There are footprints of Lord Krishna at this place.
- Vrinda Kund / Gupt Kunda: Radha and Krishna used to meet secretly at this place located at a distance of 1 km from Nandgaon in the morning. They used to meet at Radha Kund in the afternoon and at Vrindavan in the night. There is a beautiful temple here inside which there is a statue of Mata Vrinda (Tulsi). Gupt Kund is one of the important Kunds of Braj. It is one of the three Yoga Peethas of Braj.
- Lalita Kund: Radha’s friend Lalita sakhi once arranged a secret meeting between Radha and Krishna at the place where Lalita used to swing. There is a temple in front of the pond which has idols of Radha-Krishna and Lalita.