Sri Haridev Ji, Behta, Bithoor, Kalpi and Kanpur Yatra
Sri Haridev Ji, Behta, Bithoor, Kalpi and Kanpur Yatra
Important places to visit in and around Kanpur:
1. Sri Haridev Ji Temple at Budhauli Village, Kanpur Dehat
(Useful information: It is two-hour drive from Kanpur in the remote village of Budhauli in Kanpur Dehat district.)
2. Sri Kesavadev Ji Temple at Rasdhan, Kanpur Dehat
(Useful information: It is two-hour drive from Kanpur in the remote village of Rasdhan in Kanpur Dehat district. Rasdhan is 3 km from Budhauli.)
3. Sri Jagannath Mandira – Monsoon Temple at Behta Bujurg, Bhitargaon
(Useful information: It is 40 km from Kanpur in the remote quaint village of Behta Bujurg near Bhitargaon, 15 km from Ghatampur.)
4. Bithoor – The Birthplace of Dhruva Maharaja and Brahmavarta Ghata
(Useful information: It is 24 km from Kanpur.)
5. Kalpi – The Birthplace of Srila Vyasadeva
(Useful information: It is less than two-hour drive from Kanpur.)
6. ISKCON Kanpur
7. Sri Panki Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandira
Nestled in the heart of Uttar Pradesh, a 2-hour drive from Lucknow, the vibrant city of Kanpur has etched its name in the annals of history as a centre of industrial eminence. Yet its true glory is the highly significant Vaisnava holy places, steeped in devotion and the hidden timeless transcendental gems encircling its outskirts, namely, Sri Haridev Ji Temple at Budhauli Village, the original 5000-years-old one of the four principal deities of Vraja which came from Govardhan in the year 1670 after the Mughal attacks in Mathura and Vrindavana, over 4200-years-old ancient enigmatic Sri Jagannatha Mandira at Behta Bujura, Sri Keshavadeva Ji at Rasdhan, Bithoor – the Birthplace of Dhruva Maharaja, Brahmavarta Ghata where Lord Brahma performed Ashvamedha yajna, Kalpi – the Birthplace of Srila Vyasadeva, Sri Panki Hanuman Mandira and the magnificent ISKCON Kanpur Temple at the centre of the city.
Sri Harideva Ji Temple is a two-hour drive from Kanpur in the remote village of Budhauli in Kanpur Dehat district. This original deity is one of the four principal deities of Vraja. The other three are Sri Govindadeva (Jaipur), Sri Baladeva (Dauji), and Sri Kesavadeva (Rasdhan). Just prior to Aurangzeb's attack on Mathura and Vrindavana in 1670, many important Deities were secretly moved for safe keeping. The famous Sri Harideva Ji from Govardhana and Sri Kesavadeva Ji from Mathura were taken to Budhauli village near the town of Rasadhan in Kanpur Dehat district. Raja Himmat Bahadur Singh brought Them here carrying on elephants. Sri Harideva Ji is worshipped at Budhauli. In Govardhan, currently, the pratibhu form of Harideva Ji is worshipped, as also mentioned in the book ‘Vraja-mandala Darsana – A 30-Day Parikrama Experience’ and Vraja-Lila Part 3 book by HG Deena Bandhu Das.
HG Deena Bandhu Prabhu mentions, “You can see that Haridev at Govardhana is a bas-relief Deity with His left hand held high to lift Govardhan Hill. This is the pratibhu Deity, because when the Mughals attacked Vraja, the original Deity was taken to a village near Kanpur called Budhauli. I have been there a couple of times. First time I went, there was just a broken-down tiny shrine. Recently, one disciple of HH Radha Govind Swami Maharaj has made a large beautiful temple there and worship is going on very nicely.” HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj has also visited this temple. Inside the temple, there are two altars – one for Sri Harideva Ji and the other for Thakura Sri Giridhar Gopala Ji, seated side-by-side.
Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya-lila 18.17-19 describes that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu visited Sri Harideva Ji Temple at Govardhana during His Vraja-mandala yatra, "Mad with ecstatic love, the Lord came to the village known as Govardhana. There He saw the Deity named Harideva and offered His obeisances unto Him. Harideva is an incarnation of Narayana, and His residence is on the western petal of the lotus of Mathura. Mad with ecstatic love, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu began to dance before the Harideva Deity. Hearing of the Lord’s wonderful activities, all the people came to see Him. The people were astonished when they saw Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s ecstatic love and personal beauty. The priests who served the Harideva Deity offered the Lord a good reception."
While Sri Harideva Ji was installed at Budhauli, Sri Kesavadeva Ji came to Rasdhan, which is 3 km from Budhauli. Sri Kesavadeva Ji was earlier worshipped at Sri Krishna Janmasthana at Mathura. After coming to Rasadhan, unfortunately, in the late 1960s, Sri Kesavadeva Ji was stolen by thieves, and nobody knows its present whereabouts. However, by the sincere and dedicated efforts of the current Mahant (chief) at Sri Kesavadeva Ji Temple, a beautiful pratibhu deity of Lord Kesavadeva Ji is installed, carving Them after making expensive findings for several years.
Sri Jagannatha Temple, also known as Monsoon Temple, is about 2 hours from Kanpur, situated in the remote quaint village of Behta near Bhitargaon, 15 km from Ghatampur. The exact origins of this sacred site remain unknown, but the temple is at least 4200-years-old, as confirmed by carbon dating conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India. This ancient enigmatic parabolic architectural temple has its central structure resembling a majestic chariot, surrounded by walls shaped like delicate lotus petals. In the heart of the temple, surrounded by twelve uniquely carved pillars, there is the majestic deity of Lord Jagannath, standing tall at nearly 6–7 feet. Crafted from rare black stone, His divine form mesmerizes and blesses everyone. To the right is a smaller deity of Lord Vishnu. This is the utsava deity and is taken during the annual Ratha Yatra festival. Another unique feature of this temple is that at the top of the sanctum sanctorum, there is a stone slab that indicates the onset of the monsoon. Renowned for its unique phenomenon, wherein raindrops grace the roof just a few days before the onset of monsoon build-up in the Bay of Bengal, this temple is shrouded in an aura of mystery and wonder! The size and quantity of the raindrops on the ceilings hint at the intensity of the coming rains. As one enters the temple, on the left side chamber, there is an ancient deity of Sri Surya Narayana, and on the right side is Sri Ananta Padmanabha in reclining posture, same as at Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The facade of the temple is very articulated and resembles the entrance of a royal palace.
Nestled serenely on the banks of the sacred Ganges, Bithoor is a place of profound transcendental importance. It is 24 km from Kanpur. This area was the capital of Utpalaranya Kingdom. The ancient palace of Maharaja Uttanapada existed on the banks of the Ganges River. The ruins of this palace can still be seen by taking a boat ride from Bhahmavarta ghata. Here, there is a unique temple of Dhruva as the main deity. A short distance away is Brahmavarta Ghata. Set against the scenic backdrop of the river Ganges, Lord Brahma performed Ashvamedha yajna here. This place is marked by a nail of a horseshoe embedded in the steps of the ghata. On the completion of the yajna, the forests of Utpalaranya became known as Brahmavarta, the Seat of Brahma. Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 4, chapters 8-10, describes Dhruva's pastime.
Kalpi, the Birthplace of Srila Vyasadeva, is located between Kanpur and Jhansi, less than a two-hour drive from Kanpur. Kalpi is a remote village on the banks of the Vyasa Ganga River in Jalaun district. Situated in a beautiful, tranquil rural setting is Vyasadeva Teela – the birthplace of Srila Vyasadeva, the literary incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Adjacent to Vyasadeva Teela there is a newly constructed South Indian temple that has the deities of Vyasadeva's father Parashara Muni and Mother Satyavati holding baby Vyasadeva on their lap. The Yamuna River is a short distance from Srila Vyasadeva's birthplace. The entire area is incredibly peaceful and transcendentally surcharged.
ISKCON Kanpur Temple is spread in a sprawling campus of over 15 acres, surrounded by beautiful gardens. This magnificent Temple is the abode of Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Sri Sri Janaki JanakiVallabha Lakshmana Hanuman and Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundara. The temple was constructed in 2014 and has Bhaktivedanta Hall, Govindas restaurant, Vrinda restaurant, Vedic Ashram Guesthouse and Gift Shops. There is also a small Gaushala on the premises. The bigger, Bhaktivedanta Vaibhava Gaushala, is 22 km away near Unnao village.
Sri Panki Hanuman Temple is a revered ancient temple situated on the outskirts of Kanpur. This temple has a rich history of approximately 400 years, and was established before the city of Kanpur came into existence.
Kanpur is well-connected across India by rail, road and air. There are direct flights to Kanpur from Delhi and Mumbai. In fact, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Chitrakoot, Varanasi, Ayodhya and Naimisaranya are close-by, and form a transcendental circuit. Naimisaranya is 3 hours away and Prayagraj is a 4-hour drive from Kanpur.
1. Sri Haridev Ji Temple at Budhauli Kanpur Dehat
Sri Harideva Ji, the resplendent, dark-complexioned lifter of Govardhana Hill, smiles compassionately, bestowing His benevolent darshans upon everyone. Sri Harideva Ji Temple is a two-hour drive from Kanpur in the remote village of Budhauli in Kanpur Dehat district. This is the original deity 5000 years ago, one of the four principal deities of Vraja that was worshipped at Govardhana, prior to Aurangzeb's attack on Mathura and Vrindavana in 1670. As many important Deities were secretly moved for safe keeping, Sri Harideva Ji from Govardhana and Sri Kesavadeva Ji from Mathura were taken to Budhauli village near the town of Rasadan in Kanpur Dehat district. Sri Harideva Ji is worshipped at Budhauli. In Govardhana, currently, the pratibhu form of Harideva Ji is worshipped, as also mentioned in the book ‘Vraja-mandala Darsana – A 30-Day Parikrama Experience’ and Vraja-Lila Part 3 book by HG Deena Bandhu Das.
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu visited Sri Harideva Ji Temple at Govardhan during His Vraja-mandala yatra as described in Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya-lila 18.17-19 as follows:
preme matta cali’ aila govardhana-grama
‘harideva’ dekhi’ tahan ha-ila pranam
‘mathura’-padmera pascima-dale yanra vasa
‘harideva’ narayana — adi parakasa
harideva-age nace preme matta hana
saba loka dekhite aila ascarya suniya
"Mad with ecstatic love, the Lord came to the village known as Govardhana. There He saw the Deity named Harideva and offered His obeisances unto Him. Harideva is an incarnation of Narayana, and His residence is on the western petal of the lotus of Mathura. Mad with ecstatic love, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu began to dance before the Harideva Deity. Hearing of the Lord’s wonderful activities, all the people came to see Him. The people were astonished when they saw Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s ecstatic love and personal beauty. The priests who served the Harideva Deity offered the Lord a good reception."
One evening in the springtime rasa-lila at Govardhan Hill, Krishna disappeared from the gopis. The gopis searched for Him everywhere. Eventually, they came to this place and, in the ecstatic madness of separation, they all began to shout, “Haridev! Haridev!” Suddenly, this beautiful, blackish Deity manifested before them with His left hand held high to lift Govardhan and a flute in His right hand poised on His curvy waist! The ecstasy of Srimati Radharani and the gopis knew no bounds, and they performed a very loving service to Haridev to their heart's content. Every day, they used to come and worship Haridev with flowers from around Manasi Ganga! Just imagine! Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu danced and chanted in ecstasy in front of this very Deity! [Reference: Vraja-Lila Part 3 book by HG Deena Bandhu Das]
HG Deena Bandhu Prabhu mentions, “You can see that Haridev at Govardhana is a bas-relief Deity with His left hand held high to lift Govardhan Hill. This is the pratibhu Deity, because when the Mughals attacked Vraja, the original Deity was taken to a village near Kanpur called Budhauli. I have been there a couple of times. First time I went, there was just a broken-down tiny shrine. Recently, one disciple of HH Radha Govind Swami Maharaj has made a large beautiful temple there and worship is going on very nicely.” HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj has also visited this temple.
Inside the Sri Harideva Ji temple at Budhauli, there are two altars –
one for Sri Harideva Ji and the other for Thakura Sri Giridhar Gopala Ji,
seated side-by-side. The temple has a large courtyard with Kadamba and Tamala
trees. There is also a nice flower garden and fruit trees like gauva,
pomegranate, mango, and others.
2. Sri Kesavadeva Ji Temple at Rasdhan
Three km from Sri Harideva Ji Temple at Budhauli, and a two-hour drive from Kanpur is Sri Kesavadeva Ji Temple. This is locally called Sri Kesava Dhama. The deity of Sri Kesavadeva Ji came here from Mathura along with Harideva Ji in 1670. Sri Kesavadeva Ji is one of the four principal deities installed 5000 years ago by King Vajranabha at Sri Krishna Janmasthana in Mathura. After coming to Rasadhan, unfortunately, in the late 1960s, the deity of Sri Kesavadeva Ji was stolen by thieves, and nobody knows its present whereabouts. This description is also mentioned in HG Deena Bandhu Prabhu’s book Vraja-Lila Part 1.
3. Sri Jagannatha Temple at Behta Bujurg
Tucked away in the serene countryside, Sri Jagannatha Temple, also known as the Monsoon Temple, is about 40 km from Kanpur in the remote quaint village of Behta, 15 km from Ghatampur. The exact origins of this sacred site remain unknown, but the temple is at least 4200-years-old as per the carbon dating done by the Archaeological Survey of India. This ancient enigmatic parabolic architectural temple has its central structure resembling a majestic chariot, surrounded by walls shaped like delicate lotus petals. The exterior walls, adorned with a peacock and a wheel, give the temple a unique and mystical aura. In the heart of the temple, surrounded by twelve uniquely carved pillars, there is the majestic deity of Lord Jagannath, standing tall at nearly 6–7 feet. Crafted from rare black stone, His divine form mesmerizes and blesses everyone. To the right is a smaller deity of Lord Vishnu. This is the utsava deity and is taken during the annual Ratha Yatra festival. At the pedestal of the altar is Sri Pashupatinath. Above that is Lord Jagannatha. Around the deity there are carvings of Dasavatara. The deity is on a high platform, and there is a narrow space behind it for circumambulation. Atop the temple is a Nila cakra, same as at Sri Mandira in Puri. The temple has a Ratha Yatra and a huge festival every year that coincides with the Ratha Yatra at Puri.
This ancient temple has garnered attention for its remarkable ability to forecast the arrival of monsoon rains. At the top of the sanctum sanctorum, there is a stone slab that indicates the onset of the monsoon. Renowned for its unique phenomenon, wherein raindrops grace the roof just a few days before the onset of monsoon build-up in the Bay of Bengal, this temple is shrouded in an aura of mystery and wonder. The size and quantity of the raindrops on the ceilings hint at the intensity of the coming rains. The formation of water droplets and its dripping occurs until the heavy rainfall takes over. Once there is heavy rainfall, the dripping of water and the droplet formation stops. The inside walls of the temple are 14 feet wide. The façade of the temple is very articulated and resembles the entrance of a royal palace. As one enters the temple, on the left side chamber, there is an ancient deity of Sri Surya Narayana, and on the right side is Sesasayi Vishnu - Sri Ananta Padmanabha in reclining posture, same as at Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The temple's last restoration dates to the 11th century. During the period of the Mughal invasion, this temple was naturally covered with dense bushes and thus, this area remained unnoticed and unharmed.
The majestic deity of Lord Jagannath, standing tall at nearly 6–7 feet. Crafted from rare black stone, His divine form mesmerizes and blesses all. To the right is a smaller deity of Lord Vishnu. Sri Pashupatinath is at the pedestal of the altar.
4. Bithoor
Bithoor is an important and ancient place situated 24 km north of Kanpur. Here, the two significant places to visit are (1) Dhruva Teela - the birthplace of Dhruva, and (2) Brahmavarta Ghata. Dhruva Teela is where the ancient palace of Maharaja Uttanapada existed. This area was the capital of Utpalaranya Kingdom. Dhruva Teela is situated on the banks of the Ganges River. Ruins of the palace can still be seen by traveling on a boat ride from Bhahmavarta ghata. The boat ride is very pleasant. Dhruva Teela is 2 km from Bhahmavarta ghata. Here, there is a unique Temple of Dhruva as the main deity.
5. Kalpi – Birthplace of Srila Vyasadeva
6. ISKCON Kanpur and Bhaktivedanta Vaibhava Gaushala
ISKCON Kanpur Temple is spread in a sprawling campus of over 15 acres, surrounded by beautiful gardens. This magnificent Temple is the abode of exquisitely beautiful Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Sri Sri Janaki Janaki Vallabha Lakshmana Hanuman and Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundara. On the auspicious day of Sri Rama Vijaya Dashami, the temple was inaugurated with a grand opening ceremony in 2014 with the blessings of HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj, dignitaries and devotees from around the world. The temple was fully constructed in only 18 months.
7. Sri Panki Hanuman Mandira
Sri Panki Hanuman Temple, also known as Panchamukhi Hanuman Mandira, is a revered ancient temple situated on the outskirts of Kanpur near Panki railway station. This temple has a rich history of approximately 400 years, and was established before the city of Kanpur came into existence. Panki Hanuman Mandira beckons pilgrims from far-distant lands, drawn by their quest for the divine blessings of Hanuman Ji, the eternal servitor of Lord Sri Ramacandra, as described in Ramayana and Srimad-Bhagavatam. The Buddha Mangal event held at Panki Hanuman Temple is an awe-inspiring spectacle. It takes place every Monday night from 9pm onwards. The temple transforms into a magnetic gathering ground, drawing thousands of devout. People from remote villages and various corners of the country come together to participate in this grand celebration. As midnight approaches, an immense crowd forms around the temple premises, patiently queuing up for a glimpse of the revered deity. The atmosphere is surcharged with devotional fervor.
Dhruva Maharaja’s Pastime
One day, a young boy, Dhruva, tried to climb onto his father’s lap. Queen Suruchi, Dhruva's stepmother, stopped him. Out of pride and envy, she told Dhruva that he was not qualified to sit on his father's lap, nor qualified to ascend the throne because he had not taken birth from her womb. If Dhruva at all desires to rise to the throne of the King, then you have to undergo severe austerities. First, you must satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, and then, when you are favoured by Him because of such worship, you shall have to take your next birth from my womb.
Hearing these harsh words from his stepmother, Dhruva began to breathe heavily, like a snake struck by a stick, and left in anger. When he saw that his father was silent and did not protest, he immediately left the palace and went to his mother.
When Dhruva reached his mother, Suniti, his lips were trembling in anger, and he was crying very grievously. Suniti also became greatly aggrieved as this incident was unbearable for her. She instructed Dhruva, "Without further delay, you must engage yourself in worshiping the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Lord is so great that simply by worshiping His lotus feet, your great-grandfather, Lord Brahma, acquired the necessary qualifications to create this universe.
Your grandfather, Svayambhuva Manu, executed great sacrifices with the distribution of charity, and thereby, with unflinching faith and devotion, he worshiped and satisfied the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By acting in that way, he achieved the greatest success in material happiness and afterward achieved liberation, which is impossible to obtain by worshiping demigods. "My dear Dhruva, I do not find anyone who can mitigate your distress but the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” After deliberate consideration and with intelligence and fixed determination, he left his father’s house to the forest.
After five months, the Lord appeared before Dhruva. The brilliant form of the Lord in which Dhruva was absorbed in meditation, suddenly disappeared. Dhruva was perturbed, and his meditation broke. But as soon as he opened his eyes, he saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally present, just as he had been seeing the Lord in his heart. Dhruva fell before the Lord like a rod and offered his obeisances. He wanted to offer prayers to the Lord but, due to his inexperience, he hesitated, not knowing how to describe the Lord.
The Lord, out of His causeless mercy, understood Dhruva's desire and touched Dhruva on the forehead with his conchshell. In this way, Dhruva became transcendentally inspired. He understood the Absolute Truth and he thus offered the Lord many prayers. Dhruva, in ecstasy, looked upon the Lord as if he were drinking the Lord with his eyes, kissing the lotus feet of the Lord with his mouth, and embracing the Lord with his arms.
Dhruva prayed, “Because of my state of complete foolishness and paucity of pious activities, although the Lord offered me His personal service, I wanted material name, fame and prosperity. My case is just like that of the poor man who, when he satisfied a great emperor who wanted to give him anything he might ask, out of ignorance, asked for only a few broken grains of husked rice. My Lord, by Your unbroken transcendental glance You are the supreme witness of all stages of intellectual activities. You are the original Personality of Godhead, full with the six opulences of strength, wealth, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation.”
How to reach Kanpur: Kanpur is well-connected across India by rail, road and air. There are direct flights to Kanpur from Delhi and Mumbai. In fact, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Chitrakoot, Varanasi, Ayodhya and Naimisaranya are close-by, and form a transcendental circuit. Naimisaranya is 3 hours away and Prayagraj is a 4-hour drive from Kanpur.Useful Resources:
Lord Caitanya at Sri Harideva Ji Temple: https://vedabase.io/en/library/cc/madhya/18/17/
ISKCON Kanpur: https://iskconkanpur.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMN65IIp2v_BQbKbeKF-FmQ
https://www.facebook.com/iskconkanpur/
Dhruva Maharaja pastime: https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/4/8/
Valuable Life Lessons From Dhruva Maharaja: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woptcQqUYzk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0ZFhar8FN8
ISKCON Kanpur Temple Inauguration: https://iskcondesiretree.com/profiles/blogs/iskcon-kanpur-temple-inauguration
Sri Naimisaranya Dhama: https://naimisaranya-dhama-yatra.blogspot.com/2023/04/sri-naimisaranya-dhama-yatra.html
Vraja Mandala Darsana – A 30 Day Parikrama Experience: https://www.amazon.com/Vraja-Mandala-Darsana-Parikrama-Experience/dp/8193563557 (book)
Mayapur TV: https://www.youtube.com/c/MayapurTVOfficial
Hare Krishna TV: https://www.youtube.com/live/AzJiA2gLIpY
Holy Pilgrimages – Journey to Holy Dhamas: www.Holy-Pilgrimages.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HolyPilgrimages
Downloadable PDFs of Articles (Archive): https://archive.org/details/@chandan_yatra_das
Downloadable PDFs of Articles (Scribd): https://www.scribd.com/user/737943473/chandanyatradas/uploads
Holy Dham: www.HolyDham.com
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare |
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare ||
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