| Quick answer |
| Daan Ghati Mandir is a famous temple in Govardhan town, Mathura district, about 22 km from Mathura, at the foot of Govardhan Hill. Its name comes from the Daan Leela: Krishna, with his friends, would stop the gopis carrying butter and milk through this narrow pass and playfully demand a daan, a toll, claiming he was the King of Braj. The deity worshipped here is Giriraj Ji Maharaj, the sacred Govardhan shila, honoured as a direct form of Krishna. It is the conventional starting and ending point of the 21 km Govardhan Parikrama. Entry is free and the temple is open morning and evening. To include it in your Govardhan visit, call or WhatsApp +91 7302265809. |
At the foot of Govardhan Hill, in a narrow pass where the old road squeezes between the rocks, stands the temple where the great parikrama begins and one of Krishna’s most charming childhood pastimes unfolded. This is Daan Ghati, where the boy Krishna, calling himself the King of Braj, stopped the gopis and playfully demanded a toll of their butter. Here, from a guide born in Braj, is the verified Daan Ghati Mandir timing, the story, the aarti and how to reach it, with the key details in tables. Plan your visit with our Mathura Vrindavan tour Package, which can include Govardhan.
Key takeaways
- Daan Ghati Mandir is in Govardhan town, at the foot of Govardhan Hill, about 22 km from Mathura.
- The name means the pass of the toll, from the Daan Leela of Krishna and the gopis.
- Krishna would stop the gopis here and playfully demand a daan of their butter and milk.
- The deity is Giriraj Ji Maharaj, the sacred Govardhan shila, worshipped as a form of Krishna.
- It is the conventional starting and ending point of the 21 km Govardhan Parikrama.
- Devotees offer milk, sweets and milk products to the Giriraj deity.
- Entry is free; the temple is open morning and evening, with a Shayan aarti at night.
I am Gurudutt, born in Gokul in the Mathura district, guiding pilgrims through Braj since 2018, more than 50,000 of them. Daan Ghati is where I bring pilgrims to begin their Govardhan Parikrama, so let me give you the story and the practical details in tables.
Shri Daan Ghati Mandir at a glance
| Detail | Information |
| Location / Address | Daan Ghati Mandir, Surya Nagar, Govardhan town, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh 281502 |
| Deity | Giriraj Ji Maharaj, the sacred Govardhan shila, worshipped as a form of Krishna |
| Meaning | Daan, toll or donation; Ghati, a narrow pass |
| Entry fee | Free |
| Best time to visit | Dawn, to start the parikrama; or the evening aarti |
| Distance from Mathura | About 22 to 24 km |
| On | The Govardhan-Deeg road, at the start of the Parikrama Marg |
| Famous for | The Daan Leela; the start of the Govardhan Parikrama |
Daan Ghati Mandir timings and aarti
The temple is open in a morning and an evening session, with aartis through the day.
| Session or aarti | Timing |
| Morning darshan | 5:00 AM to 1:00 PM |
| Evening darshan | 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM |
| Morning aarti | Around 5:30 AM |
| Rajbhog aarti | Around 12:00 PM |
| Shayan aarti | Around 8:30 PM |
Entry is free. Timings vary by source, with some listing an opening of 5:30 AM and a close around 10:00 PM and others describing the shrine as open all day, so treat these as a guideline and confirm on the day. Festivals extend the hours. Our Mathura temple timings guide keeps the wider list.
The story of Daan Ghati: the Daan Leela
The name tells the story. In the days of Krishna’s youth, the gopis of Braj would carry their butter, curd and milk through this narrow pass of Govardhan on their way to sell it in Mathura and Vrindavan. Krishna, with his cowherd friends, would wait here and stop them, playfully demanding a daan, a toll or tax, before they could pass. When the gopis, Radha, Lalita, Vishakha and the others, protested, “Who are you to tax us?”, Krishna would grin and declare that he was the King of Braj and so everything in it belonged to him. There would be laughter, teasing and argument and in the end the gopis would surrender a little of their butter. It is one of the sweetest and most human of all the Braj leelas and because the daan of butter was given here, the pass became known as Daan Ghati.
The Giriraj deity
The deity worshipped at Daan Ghati is not an idol in the usual sense; it is Giriraj Ji Maharaj, a sacred shila, a stone, of Govardhan Hill itself, honoured as a direct manifestation of Krishna, for in Braj the whole hill is the Lord. The shila here is believed to be slowly returning to soil, a few millimetres each year, which devotees see as a living sign of its divinity. Pilgrims offer milk, sweets and milk products to Giriraj, in memory of the very butter of the Daan Leela. For the story of the hill itself, read our history of Govardhan and why Krishna lifted it.
Daan Ghati and the Govardhan Parikrama
For most pilgrims, Daan Ghati is where the Govardhan Parikrama begins. It is the conventional and most popular starting point of the 21 km circuit around Giriraj and there is a long tradition of taking darshan of Giriraj Ji here, seeking his blessing, before setting out barefoot on the marg. Many pilgrims also finish their parikrama back at Daan Ghati. So a visit to the temple and the start of the great walk go together.
Location and how to reach
Daan Ghati sits at the foot of Govardhan Hill, on the Govardhan-Deeg road, near Mansi Ganga and the Govardhan bus stand.
| From | Distance and mode |
| Govardhan bus stand | A short ride or walk |
| Mansi Ganga | Close by, in the same town |
| Mathura Junction | About 22 to 24 km, by auto, taxi or cab |
| Delhi | About 167 km, 3 to 4 hours via the Yamuna Expressway |
It is reached by road from Mathura or Vrindavan, at the start of the Parikrama Marg. Our Mathura to Vrindavan distance and route guide covers the approach and it fits our Gokul and Govardhan combo tour.
Best time to visit
If you are starting the Govardhan Parikrama, come at dawn, when the marg is cool and calm, taking darshan of Giriraj Ji at Daan Ghati first. If you are not walking the parikrama, the evening aarti is a beautiful time. The most charged days are Guru Purnima, also called Mudia Purnima, Govardhan Puja after Diwali and the whole of Kartik month, when Govardhan fills with pilgrims. Across the year, October to March is the comfortable season.
The honest bit
Honest words from one born in Braj. Daan Ghati is easy to treat as just the gate where the parikrama starts, a quick darshan before the long walk, but it deserves a moment of its own. Stand in the narrow pass and picture the Daan Leela, Krishna and his friends teasing the gopis for their butter; it is one of the most charming scenes in all of Braj and it happened right here. Take darshan of Giriraj Ji unhurried, offer a little milk or sweets and then begin your parikrama with his blessing. Come at dawn for the walk or in the evening for the aarti and do not rush past this sweet and sacred spot.
Why Experience My India is the right choice
I was born in Gokul in the Mathura district and Daan Ghati is where I bring pilgrims to begin their Govardhan Parikrama. Guiding since 2018, more than 50,000 pilgrims, 4.5 stars on Google, WhatsApp first, 8 AM to 9 PM daily. We bring you here at the right hour, tell the Daan Leela on the ground where it happened, arrange the darshan of Giriraj Ji and plan the parikrama, on foot or by car, to suit you. One clear fare and never a charge for free darshan.
Tip from Gurudutt: take darshan of Giriraj Ji at Daan Ghati first, offer a little milk or sweets in memory of the Daan Leela and only then begin your parikrama, so you set out with his blessing. Start at dawn for the cool, calm marg and keep Mansi Ganga and the other Govardhan stops for the circuit itself.
Plan your Govardhan visit
Tell me your dates and how you are arriving and I will build Daan Ghati and the Govardhan Parikrama into your trip, on foot or by car, for one clear price from ₹1,999 per person. A few good places to start:
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Frequently asked questions
What are the Daan Ghati Mandir timings?
The temple is open from 5:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 4:00 to 9:00 PM, with the morning aarti around 5:30 AM, Rajbhog aarti around 12 noon and Shayan aarti around 8:30 PM. Timings vary by source, so confirm before you travel. Entry is free.
What is the story of Daan Ghati?
Krishna, with his friends, would stop the gopis carrying butter and milk through this narrow pass of Govardhan and playfully demand a daan, a toll, claiming he was the King of Braj. This charming pastime is the Daan Leela and because butter was given here, the pass became Daan Ghati.
What does Daan Ghati mean?
Daan means a toll, tax or donation and Ghati means a narrow pass or valley. Together, Daan Ghati is the pass where the toll was given, named after Krishna’s playful Daan Leela with the gopis.
Which deity is worshipped at Daan Ghati Mandir?
Giriraj Ji Maharaj, a sacred shila or stone, of Govardhan Hill, worshipped as a direct form of Krishna, since in Braj the whole hill is the Lord. Devotees offer milk, sweets and milk products to Giriraj here.
Is there an entry fee for Daan Ghati Mandir?
No, entry is free for all devotees. It is one of the two main temples of Govardhan and the conventional starting point of the Govardhan Parikrama.
Is Daan Ghati the start of the Govardhan Parikrama?
Yes, Daan Ghati is the conventional and most popular starting and ending point of the 21 km Govardhan Parikrama. There is a tradition of taking darshan of Giriraj Ji here before setting out on the marg.
Where is Daan Ghati Mandir located?
In Surya Nagar, Govardhan town, Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh 281502, at the foot of Govardhan Hill on the Govardhan-Deeg road, near Mansi Ganga and the Govardhan bus stand. It is about 22 to 24 km from Mathura.
What is the best time to visit Daan Ghati Mandir?
Dawn, if you are starting the parikrama or the evening aarti otherwise. Guru Purnima, Govardhan Puja and Kartik month are the most charged but most crowded times. October to March is the comfortable season.
Can you arrange a Daan Ghati and Govardhan Parikrama visit?
Yes. Tell us your dates and we will bring you to Daan Ghati at the right hour, tell the Daan Leela on the ground and plan the parikrama on foot or by car, from ₹1,999 per person. WhatsApp +91 7302265809, daily 8 AM to 9 PM.
