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Braj, also known as Vraj, Vraja, Brij or Brijbhumi, is a region in on both sides of the river with its centre at - in state encompassing the area which also includes , and Nuh in state, , Bharatpur, , and in state and in .Janet Cochrane, 2008, Asian Tourism: Growth and Change, page 249. Within Uttar Pradesh, it is very well demarcated culturally, the area stretches from the , , , and districts up to the district. Braj region is associated with and who according to scriptures were born in and respectively. It is the main centre of Krishna circuit of Hindu pilgrimage.

It is located 150 km south of and 50 km northwest of Agra.

Ecologically, the character of Braj has drastically changed in the last 200 years, with a heavy decline in the number of wild animals along with . Writing in the late 1980s, Entwistle noted there were only a few groves left in the region, and that many sacred sites were being encroached upon by human agricultural settlements.


Etymology
The term Braj is derived from the word व्रज vraja.
(2025). 9788184951707, Jaico Publishing House. .
Vraja was first mentioned in , and in it means a from the Sanskrit term "vraj" which means "to go" in English.


Braj pilgrimage circuits
The circuit of pilgrimage was formally established by the 16th-century of the vaishnava sampradaya with fixed routes, itinerary and rituals. The area the circuit covers is spread across 2500 km2 with 84 kos or 300 km long periphery extending 10 km to the east and 50 km to the north and west. Braj has two main types of pilgrimage circuits, the traditional longer Braj Yatra encompassing the whole circuit, and the other shorter significantly modified contemporary point-to-point pilgrimage to visit the main sites at Mathura, Vrindavan, , . The former, longer traditional pilgrimage route, also includes additional sacred sites Nandgaon and with travel on foot.


Notable pilgrimage sites
Notable pilgrimage sites taken from Entwistle (1987).
  • (Mathurā)
    • (Viśrām Ghāṭ)
    • Krishna Janmasthan Temple Complex (Kr̥ṣṇa Janmasthān)
    • (Kans Kilā)
    • Dwarkadhish Temple, Mathura (Dvārkādhīś Temple)
  • (Madhuban)
  • (Rādhākuṇḍ)
  • Raval, Uttar Pradesh, Radha birthplace
  • (Bacchagā̃v)
  • (Ḍīg)
  • Kaman, Rajasthan (Kāmā̃)
  • (Barsānā)
  • Nandgaon, Uttar Pradesh (Nandgā̃v)
  • Kamai, Uttar Pradesh (Kamāī)
  • (Chātā)
  • (Kokilāban)
  • (Kosī)
  • (Paigā̃v)
  • Shergarh, Uttar Pradesh (Śergaṛh)
  • Bhandirvan, Vrindavan (Bhāṇḍīrvan)
  • (Vr̥ndāvana)
    • Radha Madan Mohan Temple (Rādhā Madanmohan)
    • Banke Bihari Temple (Bā̃ke Bihārī)
    • Radha Vallabh Temple (Rādhāvallabh)
    • Radha Damodar Temple (Rādhādāmodar)
    • Nidhivan
    • Radha Raman Temple (Rādhāramaṇ)
  • (Baldev)
  • (Mahāban)
Brij Mahotsav is a festival that is celebrated for three days in of . It is celebrated in the month of March. Held in honour of , this festival is marked by verve and zest. Villagers, in gay, multicoloured attire, can be seen singing and performing the dance (dance depicting the immortal love-story of and Krishna). All of Bharatpur echoes the sound of folk melodies on this festival held on the eve of .


Demographics
Hindus form the majority of residents of the Braj region. The major Brahmin castes include the , , , and . Among the cultivating and pastoral castes, there are the ,
(2017). 9781351996914, Taylor & Francis. .
, Jadauns, , , Meos, and . The main merchant castes are , Khandelwals, , and . Muslims form a small minority, with nearly negligible presence of Jains, Sikhs, and Christians.


Braj culinary tradition
Braj region is known for its rich and flavorful culinary tradition. The twin cities, and , which are associated with Shri Krishna are main centers of .


See also
Regional

Religious
  • 48 kos parikrama of Kurukshetra
  • Hindu pilgrimage sites in India

Vedic era
  • Cemetery H culture
  • Painted Grey Ware culture

General


Further reading
  • Rupert Snell, The Hindi Classical Tradition: A Braj Bhasa Reader. Includes grammar, readings and translations, and a good glossary.

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