The time to act is now. To revive Yamuna, to protect forests, to preserve the true spirit of Braj—not for the sake of nostalgia, but for the survival of devotion itself. Because a Braj without its forests, rivers, and fragrance will be only an empty name, not the living land of Krishna.
2025.08.31 (Vrindavan Today News): The essence of Braj is changing with each passing day. The Braj that lived in the eyes and hearts of the devotees has slowly been vanishing. This is a serious matter of concern. Environment is a very sensitive issue; if it is not preserved, the whole identity of a region can be destroyed. The environment of Braj is also facing the same danger.
The groves, forests, rivers, ponds, mountains, wells, and the fragrance of flowers that defined Braj are now disappearing. Those who used to hear about them in sacred texts and traditional songs are left wondering, “Where have the Yamuna’s clean waters gone? Where are the lush green forests? Where are the chirping birds and blossoming creepers?”
Today, neither the Yamuna is pure, nor the trees and forests are alive, nor the birds and animals are happy. Even the winds have changed; the sweet fragrance of Braj is no longer there.
A pilgrim once said: “This is not the Yamuna I had read about in scriptures. This is not Vrindavan, Mathura, or Gokul of my imagination. Everything has turned into concrete and dust. Devotees now see filth and polluted drains instead of lotus-filled ponds.”
The forests, which once resounded with Krishna’s flute, are now silent. Who has silenced them? Modern greed, commercial exploitation, and disregard for nature have replaced devotion and sanctity.
People forget that Yamuna is not just a river; she is ‘Maa Yamuna’ (Mother Yamuna), worshipped and revered. The river is suffocated by pollution, encroachments, and untreated sewage. The forests that gave shelter to peacocks and deer are being replaced by hotels and shops. This is not development but destruction.
It is not just the loss of beauty—it is the loss of spirit. A river that is worshipped as a goddess should not be choked by sewage. A land once defined by devotion should not be consumed by unchecked greed.
If Krishna were to come today, what would he say after seeing Yamuna like this? Would he still play the flute on her banks, or would he cry?
What is happening to Braj is happening everywhere: rivers dying, forests vanishing, mountains crumbling. Our heritage is woven with nature; when nature perishes, culture too collapses. If immediate steps are not taken, then not only will the environment perish, but India’s spiritual heritage will also fade away.
Let us wake up to this warning. Otherwise, the Braj of tomorrow will not be the Braj of Krishna, but only a memory wrapped in dust
