Mathura, Vrindavan and Govardhan are always full
of tourists, devotees and people seeking spirituality and peace in this divine
place, where God Krishna once played. Such is the spiritual vibes associated
with the region that even the extreme climate does not deter devotees from
coming to this place.
No matter how crowded the popular spots become due
to tourists, every place has some offbeat or lesser-known spots where one can
spend peaceful time with the nature. One of such wonderful spots is Kusum
Sarovar, located near the sacred Govardhan Hill. A huge
stepwell type reservoir, surrounded by number of Kadamb (Burflower) trees,
tranquil ambience and chhatris (cenotaphs) of erstwhile Bharatpur royal family
summarizes the spot. On reaching the Kusum Sarovar, the majestic monumental
structure in the backdrop of the reservoir makes up the unique first impression
of the place.
Word Kusum is derived from Sanskrit language and
means flower. The area in the times of God Krisha used to be a big garden place
where Goddess Radha used to come to pick flowers to make garlands for God
Krishan and God Krishna used to visit to meet Goddess Radha.
An ancient pond existed here since times of God
Krishna and was renovated over the time by the various rulers. Present stepwell
structure of the pond was constructed by Raja Veer Singh of Orchha. Subsequently Maharaja Suraj Mal added the gardens to the place and King
Jawahar Singh of Bharatpur built the cenotaph in the backdrop of Kusum Sarovar
in the mid-18th century in honor of Maharaja Suraj Mal, the illustrious ruler
of Bharatpur, who defeated Mughal Empire multiple times.
The main cenotaph belongs to Raja Suraj Mal is
located on the 1st floor -
and surrounding smaller cenotaphs are dedicated to the queens -
Intricately carved mesh theme walls of the cenotaph are worth appreciating.
Not merely a piece of history, this sacred
Sarovar is one of the key stops in 21 km. Govardhan parikrama. Devotees and
tourists sit here and spend time with nature. Also, the reflection of the
chhatris in the reservoir waters creates a spellbinding visual to the visitors.
Radha Kund, which is another spectacular spot is just 2km. from this spot
and can be comfortably visited along with Kusum Sarovar.
If you wish to explore other temples of Govardhan,
I will advise you to park your car at Kusum Sarovar and hire an E-Rickshaw.
Lanes turn narrow for most of the temples and due to crowds, at times entry is
restricted for personal vehicles at many points.
Keep exploring Folks.