- The resolution passed in the meeting calls for immediate governmental intervention to protect and promote Kamyavan’s religious, cultural, and ecological heritage, ensuring that this sacred land is preserved for generations to come.
A significant meeting of the Braj-Vrindavan Devalaya Samiti (Temple Alliance) was held at the Gopinath Temple in Kama, Rajasthan, where representatives from various temples and religious institutions of Braj participated. The central agenda of the gathering was the demand to officially recognize Kamyavan as a pilgrimage site, given its profound historical and spiritual significance.
The ‘Alliance’ emphasized that Kamyavan holds a crucial place in Braj’s spiritual landscape. Acharya Shri Ajay Kishore Goswami, Sevayat of Shri Radha Madan Mohan Temple—one of Vrindavan’s Saptadevalayas (seven principal temples)—highlighted that several revered deities, including Govind Dev, Madan Mohan, and Gopinath, resided in Kamyavan before their idol forms were moved to Jaipur. However, their pratibhu vigrahas (replica deities) remain in Kamyavan to this day, reinforcing its sanctity. He urged the Rajasthan government to officially recognize Kamyavan as a pilgrimage site and ensure the preservation of its temples and sacred landmarks.
Senior Vice President of the ‘Temple Alliance’ Lalitapeethadheeshwar Goswami Krishnananda Bhatt, stated that there is no distinction between Kamyavan and Vrindavan, as Kamyavan is considered the Adi-Vrindavan (the original Vrindavan). He explained that during Lord Krishna’s time, all sacred tirthas (holy sites) were invoked in Kamyavan, where Nanda Baba and Yashoda Maiya were granted divine darshan of these places. Given its deep-rooted spiritual heritage, the area must be preserved and declared a Tirtha Sthala (pilgrimage site).
Smt. Anagha Srinivasan, the General Secretary of the ‘Alliance’ expressed concern over the dwindling number of kunds (sacred water reservoirs) in Kamyavan. Once home to 84 kunds, only about two dozen remain today. She urged the government to implement water conservation efforts, restore the lost kunds, and protect the existing ones.
Shri Govind Sharan Pandey, Sevayat of Lord Balaram at Baldeo village, called upon the Rajasthan government to follow the example of Uttar Pradesh by imposing a ban on the sale of meat, fish, eggs, and alcohol in Kamyavan, in line with its religious significance.
Gaurav Goswami, representing the Keshav Dev Temple, raised concerns about the exploitation of Kamyavan’s natural resources. He proposed that the region’s hills be granted heritage status to prevent environmental degradation.
Shri Harishchandra Goswami, Sevayat of Gopinath Temple in Khadirvan (Khaira), suggested compiling a comprehensive booklet detailing all the temples and pilgrimage sites of Kama. Meanwhile, Shri Manish Parikh, Sevayat of Kamyavan’s Shri Gopinath Temple, emphasized the urgent need to remove encroachments surrounding the temples and sacred locations.
In his concluding remarks, Shri Alok Goswami reiterated that Kamyavan is a Lila-sthali (divine pastime site) of Lord Krishna and an integral part of Braj. The region is a rare blend of natural beauty and architectural heritage, housing sacred sites like Adi-Badri, Kedarnath, Yamunotri, Gangotri, Vimal Kund, and Gaya Kund, which date back to Krishna’s era. He stated that efforts would be made to secure not only the status of a Tirtha Sthala for Kamyavan but also recognition as a Heritage City.
The meeting saw the participation of prominent figures such as Bhagavat Swaroop Sharma, Arun Bhatt, Lekhraj Panda, Gopal Prasad Agrawal, Om Prakash Sharma, Rudra Pratap Singh, Brajesh Kumar Shukla, Anuj Sharma, Bharat Chandra, Sudha Krishnan, Brajesh Tiwari, Balram Goswami, and Shambhu Dayal Shrotriya. The event was conducted by Shri Jagannath Poddar, with a vote of thanks delivered by Shri Manish Parikh.
A delegation of the ‘Temple Alliance’ visited the temples and kunds of Kamyavan to see their ‘states of affair’ after the meeting.
