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Braj

Braj is a historical and cultural region in northern India, centered on the towns of Mathura and Vrindavan in present-day Uttar Pradesh. The area lies along the Yamuna River and includes parts of western Mathura District and nearby towns such as Govardhan, Barsana, and Nandgaon. In traditional usage, Braj denotes both a geographical zone and a cultural-linguistic area closely associated with the life of Krishna and the legends of Braj Bhakti.

Braj is home to Braj Bhasha, a western Hindi dialect used in medieval devotional poetry and songs.

Religious practice in Braj centers on Krishna’s earthly pastimes. The region contains famous pilgrimage sites including

Today Braj is recognized as a historic and cultural landscape within Uttar Pradesh, attracting pilgrims, scholars,

The
literature
flourished
from
the
15th
to
18th
centuries,
with
poets
such
as
Surdas
and
other
Bhakti
writers
composing
in
Braj.
This
body
of
work
helped
shape
Krishna
devotion,
the
region’s
religious
identity,
and
the
spread
of
Krishna-centered
pilgrimage
and
performance
traditions.
Mathura,
Vrindavan,
Govardhan
Hill,
Barsana,
and
Nandgaon.
Braj
culture
features
annual
festivals,
Raslila
dramas,
and
the
celebration
of
Janmashtami
and
Holi
with
distinctive
regional
customs.
Temples,
ghats
along
the
Yamuna,
and
rural
festivals
are
common
features
of
Braj’s
cultural
landscape.
and
tourists.
Efforts
exist
to
preserve
its
temples,
folk
arts,
and
linguistic
heritage,
while
contemporary
Braj
art,
music,
and
literature
continue
to
draw
on
traditional
themes.