Govardhan is situated 26 km to the west of
Mathura, on the state highway to Deeg, in
Uttar Pradesh. Perched on a narrow sandstone hill named Giriraj, 8 km in length, Govardhan is an important pilgrimage centre. The young
Lord Krishna is said to have held Mount Govardhan up on the tip of a finger for a week, to shield the people of
Brajbhoomi from the deluge of rain sent down by
Lord Indra.
A large masonry tank known as the Mansi Ganga is located here. Its enclosures were built by Raja Bhagwan Das of Amer in 1637 and embellished by Raja Man Singh. The famous red sandstone temple of Haridev and the Kusum Sarovar, with exquisitely carved chhatris, are nearby. Towards the south is the beautiful chhatri of Raja Surajmal of Bharatpur.
Agra airport and Mathura Junction railway station serve Govardhan. Regular connections are available to Delhi, Lucknow, and other important cities.
