The Pagal Baba Temple has eleven stories in all
and is one of the more modern pieces of architecture.
The temple's creator, Pagal Baba, died only a
few years ago. His infectious spirit lingers on
in the playfulness of his disciples who are ready
to welcome one into the temple interior. It is
possible to ascend to the ninth story if the monsoon
heat and one's constitution allows.
Tour to Vrindavan One of the most important
and vibrant temples is the Bankey Bihari Temple,
where one can expect to see devotees engaged
in simple acts of worship such as ecstatically
clashing small cymbals together as they move
in time to ancient rhythms. The Bankey Bihari
Temple houses a sacred image of Krishna known
as Thakkur Ji, which shows Krishna with an almost
blackened body. Devotees enter the shrine room
carrying garlands of flower petals and offer
them to the spirit of the statue as Brahmins
move back and forth in front of the icon, occasionally
drawing across the curtain to shroud the object
of devotion for a moment.
The Govind Dev Temple was built in 1590 by
Raja Man Singh and now lies empty, its upper
layers having been torn down during the time
of the Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb, who doubtless
considered the place one of idolatry. What remains
of this red sandstone edifice is impressive.
If one takes the time to examine the artwork
and in particular, the vaulted ceiling, one
may experience a lot of the devotional fire
that inspired it in the first place.
The Rangaji Temple dates from 1851 and is a
mixture of architectural styles, including a
Rajput entrance gate, a soaring south Indian
gopuram (gateway tower), and an Italianate colonnade.
