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Shri Radha Rani Temple, Barsana: timings, steps, ropeway and festivals
Shri Radha Rani Temple, also called Ladliji or Shriji Mandir, stands on Bhanugarh hill above Barsana, the town revered as the home of Radha, about 45 km from Vrindavan and 40 km from Mathura. UP Tourism dates the temple to 1675. Entry is free. You reach it by more than 200 steps or by the ropeway, and no official darshan timetable is published, so check the day's hours locally.
Barsana is where Radha's family lived, and the Ladli Ji temple, also called Shriji Mandir, crowns Bhanugarh hill above it as the foremost temple of Radha in the country. An hour's drive from Vrindavan, then either two hundred-odd steps or the ropeway running since August 2024: tickets are sold on the spot, a hundred and ten rupees return for adults and sixty for children, though the service is not always working, so ask locally. Sandstone and marble halls at the top, and Braj opening out in every direction. At Lathmar Holi and Radha Ashtami the hill is overwhelmed; a weekday morning is another place entirely.
Radha's own hill town an hour away, and the half of the Braj story Vrindavan does not tell
Radha Rani Temple timings
Neither UP Tourism nor the Ministry of Tourism publishes darshan hours for the temple, and there is no working official temple website to check. Times quoted online differ between summer and winter and include a long midday break, but none of them come from an official source, so the card above shows none.
What is reliable: entry is free, shoes come off before the temple, and on festival days the hill is packed with crowds. If you are coming from Vrindavan for darshan, ask at your hotel or in Barsana for that day's opening and aarti times before you climb.
Steps and ropeway
The temple is on top of Bhanugarh hill, reached by more than 200 steps from the town. At the foot of the steps is the palace of Vrishabhanu, Radha's father, with images of him, Kirtida, Shridama and Radha.
The alternative is the ropeway, running since August 2024. According to the India GO database, tickets are sold on the spot at ₹110 return for adults and ₹60 for children. The service does not always run, so ask in Barsana whether it is working that day before planning around it.
History and the temple
Barsana is revered as the home of Radha, daughter of Vrishabhanu, and the town sits around two hills. Tradition credits the first shrine to Vajranabh, Krishna's great-grandson; the images were later rediscovered by Narayan Bhatt, a follower of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. UP Tourism dates the Ladliji temple to 1675.
The temple is built of red sandstone with white stone, with arches, domes, carving and paintings on the inner walls and ceilings. From the top the whole of Barsana and the Braj countryside open out around the hill.
Festivals and the best time to visit
Two festivals transform the hill. Lathmar Holi (February–March), when the women of Barsana playfully chase the men with sticks; Holi celebrations in Barsana begin about a week before the festival itself. Radhashtami, Radha's birthday, is the temple's main celebration, together with Janmashtami. On these days the steps and lanes are packed.
For a calm visit, choose a weekday morning outside the festivals. Barsana has other Radha sites close by: Man Mandir, Mor Kutir, Prem Sarovar, Roop Sagar and the Bhanokhar tank.
How to reach Barsana
Barsana is about 45 km from Vrindavan, roughly an hour by car, and 40 km from Mathura. The nearest railway station is Mathura Junction; the nearest airports are Agra and Delhi. A taxi from Vrindavan or Mathura makes it easy to add Nandgaon, the twin town on Nandishvar hill associated with Nanda, Krishna's foster father.
❓ FAQ
How many steps are there in Radha Rani Temple?
More than 200 steps lead from Barsana town to the temple on Bhanugarh hill.
Is the Barsana Ropeway open?
It has run since August 2024 (₹110 return for adults, ₹60 for children, per the India GO database), but not every day; ask locally that morning.
Can I book VIP darshan in Barsana?
No official VIP darshan booking is published by the temple or UP Tourism.
Is Barsana crowded?
Extremely so at Lathmar Holi and Radhashtami. A weekday morning outside festivals is far quieter.
Is there an entry fee at Radha Rani Temple?
No, entry is free.