Govardhan Hill Parikrama
I recently had the opportunity to undertake the sacred Govardhan Parvat (Giriraj hill) parikrama, a 21 km circle of the Giriraj hill in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.
The Govardhan Hill is highly revered in Hinduism, particularly due to its association with Lord Krishna. It is believed that Lord Krishna himself, on his little finger, lifted the hill to protect the people of Vrindavan from the wrath of Lord Indra, the god of rain. This divine intervention rendered the hill sacred, attracting devotees who offer prayers and perform rituals in pursuit of blessings. The Govardhan Hill parikrama is considered to bring peace, prosperity, and salvation to those who undertake it.
Pilgrims have the option to walk barefoot, purchase cloth sandals along the route, or wear their own footwear. Some choose to complete the parikrama in a rickshaw for ease. Many devotees carry a japa mala bag, chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra (Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare) using beads as they walk.
I observed certain individuals, performing the physically and mentally demanding “dandavata parikrama”. This involves lying flat on the ground( cushioned material is used widely) and extending their hand holding the stone as far as possible, then marking that spot before repeating the process. Each day, they progress a certain distance and mark that spot. This method may take weeks or even months to complete. I also saw families participating in this together, with each member, including parents and children, doing it one after another.
The total distance of a complete parikrama is of 21 km which is divided into two parts. The first parikrama is called “Badi parikrama” which is of 12 km and another one is called “Choti” parikrama which is of 9 km.
Our Govardhan Hill parikrama commenced with prayers at the Daanghati Mandir.
As we continued our journey alongside the hill, monkeys were a constant presence, engaging in various activities. I observed them playfully interacting, fighting, and munching on bananas. Some monkeys were also seen grooming each other, removing dirt, lice, and other bugs from their fur. After a period of walking, we paused to rest and savored fresh sugarcane juice from the local vendors. Along the way, we engaged in “monkey seva” and “cow seva” by offering fresh grass to cows and bananas and chanas to monkeys, enriching our overall experience of the Govardhan Hill parikrama.
Throughout our journey, we encountered numerous holy sites like Radha Kund, Shyama Kund, Mukharvind, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu temple, Kusuma Sarovar, Mansi Ganga, and Haridev Mandir, each with its unique charm and spiritual significance. Several of these temples provided their devotees with prasad, including the special jalebi of Mathura, a traditional Indian sweet, and kesar badam milk.
Finishing the Govardhan Hill parikrama brought a lot of happiness. I was proud to see my mother’s strong will to walk the entire distance despite her knee pain. This pilgrimage had been on my wish list for a long time, and accomplishing it was truly satisfying.
I express my heartfelt thanks to the divine for this beautiful experience.
