Vrindavan, the temple town in Uttar Pradesh, has been struggling with such heavy crowds these days that there is barely any room to walk on its streets. Hours-long traffic jams on the town's lanes and main roads are leaving both visiting devotees and local residents equally frustrated.
It's Vrindavan, Not Mathura, Where Traffic Has Come to a Standstill
Notably, this congestion problem is not centred in the city of Mathura but specifically in Vrindavan, where long queues of vehicles and dense crowds can be seen everywhere. Devotees arriving from outside the town find themselves stuck in traffic for hours, facing serious difficulty simply getting around. Conditions have deteriorated to the point that vehicles have almost come to a complete halt, while the crowds are so thick that even walking has become difficult. This trouble is not limited to visiting pilgrims alone, local residents are just as badly affected.
Hours of Waiting for Darshan at Prem Mandir
Outside Prem Mandir in Vrindavan, devotees are having to stand in line for hours just to get darshan. Because of the jams, hundreds of vehicles remain stranded on the roads, with passengers growing anxious about reaching their destinations on time. A stretch of road that would normally take just 10 minutes to cross is now taking several hours to navigate. The pressure of the crowd builds further as evening sets in, when thousands of devotees head towards the temple complex for darshan and can be seen waiting their turn.
Crowds Just as Heavy on the Road to Banke Bihari Temple
The crowding is not confined to Prem Mandir alone. A similar surge of devotees is visible on the route leading to the Banke Bihari temple, where visitors keep arriving steadily for darshan, adding to the crowd day after day. As a result of this heavy footfall, almost all of Vrindavan's roads and lanes appear choked.
Around 50,000 Devotees Visit Prem Mandir Every Day
The town associated with Thakur Banke Bihari is also known as a city of dhams and temples. Alongside the Banke Bihari temple, thousands of devotees arrive at Prem Mandir every single day for darshan. According to sources, Prem Mandir alone sees close to 50,000 visitors a day, keeping constant pressure on the town's roads and turning near-daily traffic jams into the norm.
