The sacred abode of Bhagwan Balbhadra — elder brother of Shri Govind Dev — who, when every other deity was taken away from Vrindavan in troubled times, alone chose never to leave. Home to the largest vigraha of Dauji Maharaj in all of Braj.
Shri Dham Vrindavan, cradled on the banks of the Yamuna, is said to hold nearly five and a half thousand temples — and among the ancient Saptadevalayas of the Gaudiya Sampradaya, none is more revered than Shri Govind Dev. The old granthas tell us that King Vajranabh, great-grandson of Shri Krishna, had the images of many deities fashioned at the instruction of Shandilya Muni. In the early sixteenth century, guided by Shri Krishna Himself, Shri Rupa Goswami — disciple of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu — went searching for these lost treasures and found them at Gomatila, known in Dwapar Yuga as Keshi Teerth. As the ground was excavated, Shri Govind Dev manifested there together with four other sacred forms: His elder brother Sheshavatar Balarama, Devi Yogamaya, Vrinda Devi, and Singhpore Hanuman.
Raja Man Singh of Jaipur, a disciple in Rupa Goswami's line, raised a magnificent red sandstone temple at the site, where Govind Dev and Dauji were worshipped side by side for two centuries. But when Braj came under the shadow of Mughal incursions in the eighteenth century, Shri Govind Dev was carried away for safety to Jaipur, where He has resided since 1734. Dauji, however, remained. His vigraha was concealed within a sacred kund near the temple until the danger had passed — He never once left Vrindavan.
For long years thereafter, Baldau's vigraha was quietly worshipped at the very spot where the present temple stands today, and He is still remembered there as 'Gupt Dauji'. The turn came when the daughter of Raja Jai Singh of Jaipur — later Queen of Karoli — learned that her family deity's elder brother had been left behind in Vrindavan, and resolved to bring Him to Jaipur. Yet the camels bearing His vigraha would not move an inch. That night, Dauji appeared to her in a dream and told her plainly that He would never leave Vrindavan. In Samvat 1835, she commissioned instead the present temple in Anaaj Mandi, and gifted the village of Sanet toward its upkeep. Bade Dauji has resided here ever since.
The seva of Thakur Shri Dauji Maharaj was entrusted to Shri Govind Gopal Goswami of the Parashar Gotra, and the family has carried this unbroken tradition of service forward for generations, down to the present Acharya. Because the vigraha enshrined here at Shri Balbhadra Peeth is the largest form of Balarama anywhere in Braj, He is lovingly known as 'Bade Dauji' — the elder, the greater Dauji. All festivals are celebrated here with great devotion, though the Paush Khichdi Mahotsav and Bhado's Baldev Chhat remain the most cherished of all.
An unbroken chain of devotion, spanning generations.
According to family tradition, the ancestors of today's Goswami Pariwar served as the kul purohits of Shri Govind Dev Mandir. When Bade Dauji Maharaj came to reside permanently at the present temple, His daily seva was entrusted to Shri Govind Gopal Goswami of the Parashar Gotra — and it has continued in an unbroken chain within the family ever since.
Today, this lineage of seva and scholarship is carried forward by Shri Deepak Goswami, who has documented and preserved the temple's antiquity and traditions for devotees around the world. Every ritual observed here — from the Shringar and Bhog to the evening Aarti — is performed according to the customs handed down through this family across the centuries.
The Goswami Pariwar continues to welcome devotees, scholars, and pilgrims who wish to learn more about the history, rituals, and daily life of Shri Bade Dauji Mandir.
Every festival at Shri Bade Dauji Mandir is celebrated with deep devotion — these are the most beloved of the year.
The most important festival of the temple calendar. A grand khichdi bhog is prepared and offered to Bade Dauji Maharaj amid singing, bhajans, and community feasting.
Observed on Chhat of Bhado in honour of Bhagwan Balarama's appearance day, this is celebrated with particular grandeur, drawing devotees from across Braj.
The temple courtyard comes alive with colour, singing, and dance as devotees celebrate Holi in the timeless Braj tradition.
Celebrated jointly in honour of Bade Dauji and His younger brother Shri Krishna, with midnight abhishek and elaborate shringar.
A magnificent mountain of food offerings — sweets, savouries, and seasonal produce — is presented before Bade Dauji Maharaj.
Morning shringar darshan and the evening aarti remain the daily heartbeat of the temple, open to all devotees.
Shri Bade Dauji Mandir's history and traditions have been documented by press and heritage publications covering Braj.
Vrindavan Today carried a detailed account, based on the writings of Shri Deepak Goswami, tracing the deity's manifestation at Gomatila and the founding of the present temple.
Vrindavan Today · Read article →
Local press coverage highlighting the temple's history, traditions, and its place among the sacred sites of Braj.
Further press coverage highlighting the temple's history, traditions, and its place among the sacred sites of Braj.
Guides, stories, and travel notes for devotees planning a visit to Braj Bhoomi.
From the ancient shrine of Shri Govind Dev to the marble splendour of Prem Mandir — a devotee's guide to the twenty temples that define a pilgrimage through Braj Bhoomi, including our own Shri Bade Dauji Mandir.
Read the full guide →
From the wooden trinity of Balabhadra Temple at Puri to the black-stone deity at Baldeo, the pastoral shrine at Nandgaon, and Shri Bade Dauji Mandir itself — the history and significance of Bhagwan Balarama's most revered temples.
Read the full guide →
A complete travel guide covering how to reach Vrindavan by air, rail, and road — with detailed routes, distances, and travel times from Delhi and from Mathura.
Read the full guide →Shri Bade Dauji Mandir
Anaaj Mandi, Near Chugi Chauraha
Vrindavan, District Mathura
Uttar Pradesh 281121, India
For daily darshan glimpses, festival updates, and temple announcements.
The temple is open for morning darshan and Shringar Aarti from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM, and for evening darshan and Sandhya Aarti from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Timings may extend on festival days.
Shri Bade Dauji Mandir is located in Anaaj Mandi, near Shri Govind Dev Ji Temple, in Vrindavan, District Mathura, Uttar Pradesh 281121, India.
The temple is dedicated to Bhagwan Balbhadra, also known as Balarama or Dauji Maharaj, the elder brother of Shri Krishna and of Shri Govind Dev. The vigraha enshrined here at Shri Balbhadra Peeth is the largest form of Balarama in all of Braj, which is why He is called "Bade Dauji."
Bade Dauji manifested at Gomatila along with Shri Govind Dev in the early 16th century and was worshipped alongside Him at the Govind Dev temple. When Mughal invasions threatened Braj in the 18th century, Govind Dev was moved to Jaipur, but Dauji's vigraha remained hidden in a sacred kund and never left Vrindavan. In Samvat 1835, the Queen of Karoli built the present temple in Anaaj Mandi after Dauji appeared to her in a dream and refused to leave. Read the full history here.
The nearest railway station is Mathura Junction, about 12 km away. The nearest airport is Agra, about 65 km away, with Delhi's IGI Airport about 160 km away. Vrindavan is well connected by road via NH19 and the Yamuna Expressway. See the how to reach section for full directions.
The most important festivals are the Paush Khichdi Mahotsav and Bhado's Baldev Chhat, along with Holi, Shri Krishna Janmashtami, and the Annakut Mahotsav. See the full events calendar.