Vrindavan
The Banke Bihari Temple is Vrindavan's most beloved and most visited — home to a form of Krishna considered so playful and mischievous that the curtain in front of the idol is opened and closed every few minutes to prevent devotees from losing themselves in his gaze. The temple has no bells, no conches, and no aarti flames — only the sound of devotional music and the collective intake of breath when the curtain parts to reveal the dark-blue deity.
The temple opens in the morning and evening — it is closed for several hours in the afternoon. Crowds are intense on festival days and weekends. Shoes must be left outside; valuables should be left at your hotel as the area can be pickpocket-prone.