Lord Krishna's Daily Raas Leela at Nidhi Van, Vrindavan

Where science and logic find it difficult to reach, the mystery arises. The mystery can also bring with it one’s deeper faith in the super natural powers where the mind just cannot reach. Nidhi Van is one such a place in the north Indian town, Vrindavan in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh where according to Hindu beliefs, Lord Krishna spent His childhood. The town Vrindavan is about ten kilometers from the birth place of Krishna, the town of “Mathura” on the bank of Yamuna river. Nidhi Van means a Forest (Van) of Treasure (Nidhi), where Lord Krishna once played his famous Raas Leelas with His Gopies. Nidhi Van is full of huge busy forests of twisted Basil (Tulsi) trees with the branches entangled and lovingly embracing each other and growing downwards as they are saluting the ground below. The plants of Tulsi found in the premises are in pairs. A very amazing fact observed about the basil forest is that one can see that all the roots, branches and the trunk of the trees are dry and hollow. There is nothing life giving inside it and also the land at the temple is really dry. Still the twigs and leaves remain lively and green throughout the year, even during the scorchy north Indian summer.

There is a sacred temple of Bankey Bihari (Lord Krishna) called Ran Mahal inside the Nidhi Van. The mystery surrounding the Nidhi Van is a belief that the Lord Krishna visiting the place every single night and playing His Raas Leela. To the scientific minds it seems totally unbelievable but as the Hindu religious belief goes, the God is omnipotent, omniscient and all powerful; it is simply possible for Him to play His miraculous Leelas at any time and any place. If He has chosen the Nidhi Van to play His act to establish faith of His devotees, it is His choice. If the signatures lefts behind at the Nidhi Van every night are to be believed then this mystery of Krishna visiting Nidhi Van every night seems real. At Nidhi Van, every evening, visitors and workers are asked to vacate the entire premises and the temple and the entry gates are locked after the prayer meeting of Lord Krishna. It is seen and recorded by the people that even the monkeys found in a plenty in the area, other animals, birds and creatures leave the premises as the night sets. It is believed that Lord Krishna visits the forest and indulges into Raasleela with His Gopis. It is also believed that the basil trees, supposed to be sixteen thousand one hundred and eight in numbers turn into equal numbers of Gopies who play Raas Leela with Lord Krishna, who also takes equal numbers of forms to be with each and every Gopies.  As the night sets, the people in the Nidhi Van are asked to leave the place because if they accidentally too witness Raasleela, they either turn mental or even die. This is not just to threat people around, but those who have smartly tried to sneak in and see the act of Raas Leela hiding behind the bushes either have lost their speech, sight, mental balance for life or are even dead. The pundits also leave the premises after securely locking the temple doors entry gates and are only opened at dawn in the presence of visitors and devotees.

There are certain interesting facts about Nidhi Van which continue to baffle modern minds and are forced to believe the unbelievable. These facts amply narrated by guides and local people are;

       i.      

    In the Rang Mahal inside the Nidhi Van,  the bed made of sandalwood is prepared for Lord Krishna every night. On the bedside are kept a jar filled with water, a Neem Daatun (to brush teeth) and Pan (betel leaf with areca nut). It is believed that once the doors are opened in the morning, the bed looks as if someone has slept in it, articles kept disturbed, the water in jar is also looked consumed and so does the Pan and the Neem Datun. Many TV channel and their investigative journalists have recorded these phenomenon and which appear to be a reality.

     ii.     

     It is believed and narrated by locals that the basil trees convert to Gopis in the night and participate in the Raas Leela. As soon as the dawn breaks, they again change in to trees. It is also said that no one has been able to successfully take home the parts of the Tulsi plants here. Those who even attempted faced severe consequences.

    iii.          Although the houses built in the vicinity of Nidhi Van have access to the view of the area but no one dares to attempt to do so. It is said that those who attempted to peep at the Nidhi Van at night also lost their mental balance or sight. Therefore, many people have sealed their windows with bricks and those who have an open window, also close them down after bell of the evening prayer. It is also said the people living in the adjacent houses can clearly listen to music coming in from the Nidhi Van but they never attempt to venture into peeping through the windows to see the Raas Leela. 

The world is also a stage, a Nidhi Van where Lord Krishna is playing His constant Leela through each one of us, the birds, animals, all creatures and the entire universe.