Brajacharya PeethUnchagaon, Barsanaहिंदी

Braj

The Braj he found again

The hidden holy places of the Mathura mandal described in the Varaha Purana, Narayan Bhatt Ji searched out, named and brought back into worship. Through Kartik this page adds one place a day.

What he did

  • He found the forgotten forests, kunds, temples and lila sthalis, named them, restored them and set their worship. Source: History Pandit
  • In 1552 he wrote Vraja Bhakti Vilasa, with more than 300 places; it became the basis of the 84 kos parikrama. Source: Braj Ras
  • He began Braj’s ban yatra, which pilgrims still walk. Source: Growse, 1883, Hindi Wikipedia
  • In Growse’s words, every lake and grove in the circuit of Braj got its own name from him. Source: Growse, 1883
Krishna holds up Mount Govardhan to shelter the people of Braj, a Mughal miniature
The Govardhan lila, painted by Miskin, about 1590.Picture: Miskin, about 1590 to 1595, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, public domain

The twelve forests of Braj

Through Kartik each forest gets its own day, with its line from Vraja Bhakti Vilasa once a scholar has checked it.

  • Madhuvan
  • Talvan
  • Kumudvan
  • Bahulavan
  • Kamyavan
  • Khadiravan
  • Vrindavan
  • Bhadravan
  • Bhandiravan
  • Bilvavan
  • Lohavan
  • Mahavan

Deities he brought to light

And, by Braj Breaking’s account, at many more places across Braj.

Kartik: 30 days, 30 places

One place a day from 26 October to 24 November 2026. Each place’s fact goes up only after the family or a scholar has confirmed it.

  1. Kartik 126 Oct

    His samadhi, Unchagaon

    The resting place of the saint before whom Ladli Ji appeared.

  2. Kartik 227 Oct

    Shriji on Brahmanchal

    Before whom did Ladli Ji appear?

  3. Kartik 328 Oct

    Dauji temple, Unchagaon

    Which Thakur came with him from the south?

  4. Kartik 429 Oct

    Lalita ji's temple, Unchagaon

    Where Lalita Sakhi lived, the Brajacharya made his home.

  5. Kartik 530 Oct

    Sakhi Giri

    The stone where Krishna and the gopis are said to have played Holi.

  6. Kartik 631 Oct

    Sanket

    Who brought Radharaman ji to light at Sanket?

  7. Kartik 71 Nov

    Radha Kund

    A boy of fourteen, Radha Kund, and twelve years.

    Ahoi Ashtami
  8. Kartik 82 Nov

    Sankri Khor

    Who wrote down where the Dan lila happens?

  9. Kartik 93 Nov

    Gahvar van and Mor Kuti

    Where, the story goes, Krishna danced as a peacock.

  10. Kartik 104 Nov

    Karhala

    Who gave raslila its Braj Bhasha stage?

  11. Kartik 115 Nov

    Vilasgarh, Barsana

    Which lila is played on Vilasgarh?

  12. Kartik 126 Nov

    Kamyavan

    One of the twelve forests of Braj.

  13. Kartik 137 Nov

    Madhuvan

    One of the twelve forests of Braj.

  14. Kartik 148 Nov

    Shriji at dusk

    Diwali night in Barsana.

    Diwali
  15. Kartik 159 Nov

    Talvan

    One of the twelve forests of Braj.

  16. Kartik 1610 Nov

    Govardhan

    Govardhan Puja in the Braj he found again.

    Govardhan Puja
  17. Kartik 1711 Nov

    Kumudvan

    One of the twelve forests of Braj.

  18. Kartik 1812 Nov

    Bahulavan

    One of the twelve forests of Braj.

  19. Kartik 1913 Nov

    Bhadravan

    One of the twelve forests of Braj.

  20. Kartik 2014 Nov

    Bhandiravan

    One of the twelve forests of Braj.

  21. Kartik 2115 Nov

    Mahavan

    One of the twelve forests of Braj.

  22. Kartik 2216 Nov

    Lohavan

    One of the twelve forests of Braj.

  23. Kartik 2317 Nov

    Nandgaon

    Nand Baba's village, on Gopashtami.

    Gopashtami
  24. Kartik 2418 Nov

    Mathura

    The Mathura parikrama on Akshaya Navami.

    Akshaya Navami
  25. Kartik 2519 Nov

    Khadiravan

    One of the twelve forests of Braj.

  26. Kartik 2620 Nov

    Vrindavan

    Vrindavan on Dev Uthani Ekadashi.

    Dev Uthani Ekadashi
  27. Kartik 2721 Nov

    Bilvavan

    One of the twelve forests of Braj.

  28. Kartik 2822 Nov

    All twelve forests

    The twelve forests of Braj, together.

  29. Kartik 2923 Nov

    Vraja Bhakti Vilasa

    The book that wrote down the map of Braj.

  30. Kartik 3024 Nov

    Unchagaon

    Kartik Purnima at the samadhi.

    Kartik Purnima

Sources for this page

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