Clean toilets, drinking water and rest stops on a Braj yatra

The short answer first

Facilities are best at the big modern complexes and thin at the old shrines and the village stops. Our guide notes clean public toilets inside ISKCON Vrindavan, with others near the gate at Prem Mandir, toilets at the Krishna Janmabhoomi entrance near the cloakroom, and toilets at the Govardhan chowk near Mansi Ganga. Most other places have limited facilities or none that we know of.

The simple rule is to use a toilet whenever you find a good one, and to plan stops around them.

This matters most for elders, for pregnant women, for small children and for anyone with a stomach complaint. A bad hour with no facility can end a day of darshan. The remedy is neither complicated nor expensive: knowledge, a plan and a little patience.

How it works on the ground

In the old town of Vrindavan, around Banke Bihari, Radha Raman and Nidhivan, toilets are limited. The lanes are narrow and the temples small. Plan to use the facilities where you are staying before you go out, and later at ISKCON or a restaurant on the main road.

At Barsana, toilets are near the base of the hill and not at the top. At Gokul, Mahavan, Punchari and Prem Sarovar, facilities are limited or unknown. On the Govardhan parikrama, major stops have facilities, but not the whole route. A cafe or restaurant that you eat at will usually let you use its toilet.

Women travelling in groups may find it easier to use facilities together, with one person holding the bags. Carry a small cloth to put over a seat, and a small plastic bag for waste, since not every toilet has a bin. Please do not leave waste near the ghats or in the groves, as the places are sacred.

Drinking water

Drink sealed bottled water, and check the seal. Avoid ice, open dispensers and cut fruit from carts. Carry a refillable bottle and fill it from sealed jugs at your stay. At festival times, free water stalls appear on the roads, and the water in them is not always safe for visitors who are not used to it.

In summer, drink small amounts often, and carry oral rehydration salts. See our heat wave post for warning signs.

Fruit that you peel yourself, such as bananas and oranges, is a safer snack than anything cut and left in the sun. Dry fruit and roasted gram travel well and need no refrigeration.

Rest stops

Good places to sit are few, so note them. Radha Kund and Kusum Sarovar have broad steps and shade, the Vishram Ghat steps are good at dusk, ISKCON has courtyards and benches, and the Prem Mandir gardens have seating. Kesi Ghat has steps by the river.

At the temples, the afternoon closing is a natural rest. Eat lunch, rest at your stay and return in the evening. A folding stool is useful for elders in queues.

If someone in your group feels faint, sit them down in shade at once, give water in small sips and loosen tight clothing. Ask a shopkeeper for a chair. People in Braj are quick to help a pilgrim in need.

Common mistakes and the calm fix

The first mistake is to wait until the need is urgent. The fix is to go before each darshan. The second is to rely on a toilet being open. Carry tissues and hand sanitiser, and keep small change for paid toilets. The third is to drink too little to avoid toilets, which is a poor idea in the heat.

For elders and young children, plan the day around the places with facilities, and keep the afternoon at the stay.

Temples also have their own pauses. Many keep a prasad counter or a tea stall by the gate, and a cup of tea on a bench can restore a flagging pilgrim. Keep a few small notes for such moments, because change is hard to find in a crowd.

A short checklist

Before you set out each day.

• Use the toilet at your stay.
• Fill a bottle with sealed water.
• Carry tissues, sanitiser and small change.
• Know the next facility on your route.
• Keep oral rehydration salts in summer.
• Plan an afternoon rest.

Related guides and a lala:Cab helper

Read our guides for seniors and for wheelchair users. lala:Cab drivers know which highway stops are clean and which temples have facilities, and the Laladham homestay in Braj, a short walk from the temples and ghats, offers a quiet base with hot water and clean rooms. Facilities change over time, and this post comes from our guide data, not a survey, so tell us what you find.

Questions, answered