Mathura to Gokul and Baldeo: short hops on the east bank

Distance and time

Our guide pages give these distances from Mathura Junction: Mahavan about 11 km, Gokul about 12 km, Raman Reti about 13 km and Baldeo about 21 km. Plan on half an hour or so for Gokul and a little under an hour for Baldeo. From Banke Bihari in Vrindavan, Gokul is about 20 km away, Baldeo some 25 km. Delhi airport is around 150 to 178 km away, depending on the place.

These are estimates. The roads cross the river, and traffic or festival closures change the times.

Route options and road conditions

From Mathura you cross the Yamuna by the bridge and take the road toward Gokul and Mahavan, with the road to Baldeo continuing beyond. The roads are generally fair, and narrow in the villages. In the old lanes of Gokul and Mahavan, large vehicles cannot enter, so you park at the chowk and walk five to ten minutes.

In the monsoon, stretches along the far bank can be damp and the river high, so ask your driver about the road.

Cab, train, bus: honest comparison

A hired cab is the easiest, because the places lie in a line and the driver can wait at each stop. A half-day trip with a cab and a guide is the usual choice. There is no train to these places. Buses and shared autos run from Mathura toward Gokul and Baldeo, but the schedule is irregular and the last stretch is by auto or on foot. We could not verify timetables.

If you are alone and curious, a bus and auto day is possible. If you have elders or children, a cab is easier.

The places in a line

Mahavan, also called Old Gokul, is first: the Chaurasi Khamba, the 84-pillar hall said to be Nanda's house, and Brahmand Ghat, where Yashoda saw the universe. Gokul follows, with the Nand Bhawan, the Gokulnath haveli, Thakurani Ghat and Raman Reti, the sandy grove where the brothers played. Baldeo comes last, with the fort-like Dauji temple, the tall dark image of Balarama with Revati, and the Kshir Sagar tank. Raval, the village said to be Radha's birthplace, lies across the river near Gokul.

The stories are told in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.3 to 10.10 for the infancy and in 10.2, 10.8 and 10.18 for Balarama.

Tell the driver you wish to see the mortar spot at Mahavan, as not all guides know it.

What a fair booking looks like

For a half-day tour, ask for a price that includes tolls, parking and about four to five hours of waiting, with a driver who knows the lanes. State the places you want and the time you wish to be back. Ask for the driver's name and number, and a written confirmation. Agree what happens if you wish to stay longer.

On festival days, such as Nandotsav and Huranga, cars are stopped and the plan must be changed. Our Holi weekend piece covers the Baldeo Huranga.

Ask the driver to confirm the lot at Baldeo, as Huranga closes the approach to cars.

What to expect on the east bank

The east bank is quieter than Vrindavan or Mathura. Lanes are narrow, houses are low and cows are everywhere. People greet you with Radhe Radhe, and children follow you with questions. Temples are old and plain, with few queues. Many travellers say these are the places where they felt the childhood of Krishna most clearly.

Bring small notes for donations and tea, a bottle of water, a cap and a cloth bag. Wear shoes that come off easily, since you leave them at each gate. Be ready for short walks in each place.

The day can feel slow. That is the point.

Timings and manners

Gokul and Dauji temples keep a morning window, a rest at noon and an evening window, indicative from about 5:30 or 6 in the morning to noon, and 4 to 8:30 in the evening. Mahavan and the ghat are informal and open by day. Dress modestly, remove shoes and ask before photographing. Be cautious of guides who say a temple is closed, and of cow-feed sellers who overcharge.

Food on this side is thin, so eat in Mathura or at Raman Reti and carry water.

Take a few snacks for the road, because options are few between the villages.

Arrival plan in Braj

A calm half-day: leave Mathura by half past seven, reach Mahavan by eight, then Brahmand Ghat, Gokul, Raman Reti and Nand Bhawan by half past ten, and Baldeo by noon before the temple closes. Return to Mathura by two. Alternatively, start at Baldeo and work back.

The plan fits well with a morning at the Janmabhoomi the day before, since Vasudeva's journey from there to Gokul is the heart of the story.

Related guides

See our guides to Brahmand Ghat, Nand Bhawan in Gokul, Dauji at Baldeo, Mahavan, and the Bhandirvan piece for the rest of the east bank. A lala:Cab driver will plan the order and the timing.

Questions, answered