There is an interesting story in the Bhagwata and other Puranas about Shri Krishna lifting the ‘Govardhan Parvat’ or Govardhan Hill when he was only a small child. The story goes like this:

Once, when the elder people of Braj including Nanda Maharaj were planning for the Puja of Lord Indra, Shri Krishna, a child then, questioned them as to why they were doing so. Nanda Maharaj explained to Krishna that this was done every year to please Lord Indra so that he continued to grace the people of Braj by providing rain as and when required. But little Krishna debated that they were farmers and they should only do their duty or ‘Karma’ to the best of their abilities, by concentrating on farming and protecting their cattle, rather than performing pujas or conduct sacrifices like this for any natural phenomenon. Finally convinced by Krishna, the villagers did not perform with the puja.

Furious with the inhabitants of Braj for listening to the little child Krishna and worshipping the Govardhan Hill instead of him, lndra, the King of Heaven, decided to punish them by sending terrible rain clouds to flood the land of Vrindavan. Calling the Samavartaka clouds of devastation, lndra ordered them to lash upon Vrindavan with torrents of rain and thunderstorms and cause extensive floods that would destroy the livelihood of the inhabitants.

As terrible rains and thunderstorms ravaged the land and submerged it under water, the frightened and helpless inhabitants of Vrindavan approached Lord Krishna for help. Krishna, who understood the situation perfectly well, lifted up the entire Govardhan Hill at once with His left hand, and held it up like an umbrella. One by one all the inhabitants of Vrindavan, along with their cows and other household possessions, took shelter under Govardhan Hill. For seven days they stayed under the hill, safe from the terrible rains and surprisingly undisturbed by hunger or thirst. They were also astounded to see the huge Govardhan Hill resting perfectly balanced on Krishna’s little finger.

Stunned and mystified with the order of events, King Indra called back the clouds of devastation, thus stopping the thunderstorms and the rains. The sky became clear again and the sun shone brightly over Vrindavan. Little Krishna asked the inhabitants to return home without any fear, and gently placed the Govardhan Hill back to exactly where it was. All the inhabitants of Braj including Nanda Maharaj, Yasoda and Balarama hailed Krishna and embraced Him with happiness.

This was how the false pride of King Indra was shattered to pieces. He came to Lord Krishna with folded hands and prayed to Him for forgiveness. Shri Krishna, being the Supreme Personality of Godhead, bestowed his grace on Indra and also enlightened him about his ‘Dharma’ and duties.

A two-day long ‘Braj Mahotsav’ will be organized by Mathura MP and famous cinestar Hema Malini on 25th & 26th April at the upcoming Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir site at Krishna Bhumi, Vrindavan. The grand cultural event intended to promote the rich art and cultural heritage of Braj to the people and attract the world’s attention to the region will have theater, dance and bhajan performances and is. Several bollywood stars like Arjun Kapoor, Govinda, Jackline Fernades, Shankar Mahadevan and Hariharan are expected to perform at the Braj Mahotsav. The festival also has prominent personalities from the political and entertainment world as invited guests like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav as well as Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor and others.

Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir: Hosting the Braj Mahotsav event, the upcoming Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir will be the tallest Krishna Temple upon completion. Rising up to 700 feet, the iconic temple conceived by ISKCON Bangalore will be at the heart of Krishna Bhumi, a world class township of villas and apartments in Vrindavan. The Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir will house various temples in different wings as well as festival halls, museum, study center, indoor Krishna Lila Park, Vedic Cosmology Exhibit and gallery at 210 meters.

Krishna Bhumi: The Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir is located at the center of Krishna Bhumi with an array of the best apartments and villas in Vrindavan growing around it. Built to premium specifications these multi-storey flats in Vrindavan will offer stunning views of the temple and the vast greenery surrounding it. A development by the Infinity group, Krishna Bhumi will also offer the best in lifestyle amenities and facilities including an elder care center with 24X7 medical and nursing assistance, fully equipped club, retail facility with food court, day care center, shuttle AC bus service and others