A foreign guest at a Braj temple often worries about doing something wrong. We can tell you what Braj people tell each other: nobody expects perfection, and everyone notices sincerity. A guest who removes shoes, lowers his voice and bows is already speaking the local language.
Still, a few simple customs make the visit easier, for you and for those around you. These are collected from our temple guides and from the habits of Braj families, and they are given kindly, not as a test.
Who this is for
This is for anyone from outside India, and also for Indians who come from a different tradition and wish to feel at ease. It applies to the great temples of Vrindavan and Mathura as much as to the small shrines and ghats in between.
Before you enter
Dress simply, covering shoulders and knees. Cotton suits every season. Shorts, sleeveless tops and tight clothes are not suitable. Women may keep a scarf handy to cover the head if they wish. Leave leather where you can, since belts and bags are sometimes questioned at the gate of Banke Bihari.
Take off your shoes at the stand and keep the token. Many pilgrims carry socks and walk in them. Wash or sanitise your hands if there is a tap, and enter calmly. Phones and big bags may need to stay outside, as at the Krishna Janmabhoomi, where a paid cloakroom is available.
Inside the temple
Keep your voice low. Do not point your feet at the altar, and do not sit with your back to the deity if you can help it. Do not touch the deity, the priest or the offerings unless invited. Let elders go first on narrow steps.
Photography of the deity is not allowed in the sanctum at almost all Braj temples, and videos during the aarti are often restricted. Ask a sevak before raising a camera inside. Courtyards are often easier, though people at prayer deserve privacy.
At the temple, some places ask you to wash your hands or feet in some places, and to cover your head in a few. Do it without fuss. In Braj, a visitor who removes his shoes and sits quietly counts as a guest; one who stands recording the scene counts as a spectator. Choose to be a guest, even if only for ten minutes.
Prasad, offerings and donations
If you are handed prasad, receive it in your right palm, or both palms cupped, and eat it with gratitude. Do not waste it. If you do not wish to eat, a polite bow and a small portion are enough. Flower garlands and puja sets sold outside the gate are optional, and prices can be inflated for visitors, so buy small and from a stall that shows its price.
Give donations only into a marked box or to a person you know belongs to the temple. Pandas at ghats such as Vishram Ghat may offer a full tirtha puja for a high fee. A polite no is enough, and your blessing is not lessened.
Queues, crowds and monkeys
Queues may not look like queues. Move steadily and keep your bag in front. At Banke Bihari the curtain closes and opens again every few moments; pause with it and do not push. There is no VIP route for the public, and a person who promises one is not helping you.
Monkeys are everywhere in Vrindavan. Keep glasses, caps, phones and food out of sight. Do not stare at them, tease them or feed them. If one takes something, let it go; chasing is how people get hurt.
Entry notes
ISKCON welcomes everyone. Most Braj temples are open to all visitors, but the inner sanctum of some may be restricted, and we have not verified each rule. At Rangji Mandir, non-Hindus may be asked to stay outside the inner area. Ask at the gate, and accept the answer.
At Nidhivan, Seva Kunj and similar groves, follow the closing time at sunset. By tradition no one stays inside at night, and the guard is simply keeping that custom.
If you are in a group with a guide, agree beforehand where you will stand and when you will move on, so that nobody lingers in a narrow lane. At the Janmabhoomi the checks are lengthy, and a small, calm group moves faster than a large, noisy one.
When you are unsure
Watch what local people do and do the same, a little more quietly. Ask softly, 'Kya yahan photo le sakte hain?' (May I take a photo here?). If you make a mistake, fold your hands and say sorry. Braj people forgive an honest error at once.
A sample plan helps too. Start with ISKCON, where visitors of every background are used to new guests, and then move to the old town with the confidence you have gained.
Related guides
See our first-time visitor guide, our phones and lockers guide and our dress code guide for details. lala:Cab drivers and guides are used to foreign guests and will tell you quietly what is expected at each gate, so you can enter with ease.
Questions, answered
What should foreign visitors wear to temples?
Modest light cotton, shoulders and knees covered, shoes left at the stand.
Can I take photos inside a temple?
Not of the deity or in the sanctum. A courtyard is often easier. Ask a sevak first.
Are non-Hindus allowed in temples?
Most temples welcome all visitors. A few inner sanctums, such as Rangji's, may be restricted.
How should I accept prasad?
With the right palm or both cupped, with thanks, then eat it.
Timings, entry rules and fees change. Please confirm on the day with the temple or your driver.
- Entry rule for non-Hindus at Rangji's inner sanctum
- Photo rule inside each temple
- Phone rule at Banke Bihari (no official notice found)
- lala:Cab guide data: rules for Banke Bihari, Krishna Janmabhoomi, ISKCON Vrindavan, Rangji, Nidhivan
- Banke Bihari Temple official site
- Wikipedia: Krishna Balaram Mandir
Walking this path soon?
If you would like a driver who knows the lanes and the timings, the lala:Cab app is there when you are ready. No advance, no pressure.