Kusum Sarovar, Mathura Overview

Located between Govardhan and Radha Kund in Vrindavan, Mathura, Kusum Sarovar is a beautiful reservoir fringed by palatial sandstone building from the bygone era. The reservoir has a flight of stairs which can be used to descend in the pond. The sarovar is believed to have got its name from one of the girl attendants of Radha, named Kusum. The water is ideal for swimming and dips. Kusum Sarovar also has several temples and ashrams in the vicinity.

Filled with emerald green water, Kusum Sarovar dates back to the era of Radha and Krishna. The pond is bordered on all sides by forest containing flowers like beli, chameli, juhi, yuthi, mallika and campaka. It is believed that Krishna would collect flowers and make garlands for Radha here. Pilgrims from all over the country visit the lake to explore the magnificent structures that surround the Sarovar, the beautiful paintings depicting the life of Krishna and his pastimes and the temple dedicated to Grijraja in there. The Kusum Sarovar is perfect for quiet evening outings where one can spend a complete evening watching the sunset while resting under the Kadamb tree under which Krishna would play and hide mischievously.

Layout of Kusum Sarovar

The architectural beauty of Kusum Sarovar is spellbinding. The central chhatri is square-shaped, with a lofty stone terrace adorned with corner booths and lateral bays. Raised on an ornamented plinth in the centre is the principal monument. The central chhatri is flanked on both sides by two other monuments supported on a 460 feet terrace, commemorating Raja Suraj Mal's two queens - Hansiyat Devi and Kishori Devi. There is a huge garden filled with blooming flowers of various kinds, behind this building.

At the front of the monuments lies the huge masonry tank, Kusum Sarovar, which has a flight of stairs on all four sides leading down to the deep water reservoir. The panelled and arcade walls enclosing the tank on four sides run about 60 feet into the water. The splendid building dedicated to Raja Suraj Mal has a replica of Lord Krishna and Radharani's lotus feet. The ceilings and walls are decorated with exquisite paintings depicting the life of Krishna and Radha and the events from the history of the family to which it is dedicated.

History

The magnificent buildings made of red sandstone was built Jawahar Singh in honour of Raja Suraj Mal, his father and the famous King of Bharatpur. In 1735, the simple pond was reconstructed by the King of Orchha city, Raja Veer Singh, which was changed into a garden by Maharaja Suraj Mal for his queen, Kishori Rani. This is the reason why Jawahar Singh considered it as a memento of his parents. The Raja's monument is flanked on both sides, commemorating his two queens - Hansiyat Devi and Kishori Devi.