"The Holy City of Vrindavan: A Guide to Its History and Culture"

Shri Banke Bihari Ji    The "Swarup" of Bihariji installed in the Shri Banke Bihari Mandir, is the one granted to Swami Haridas by the celestial couple Shyama-Shyam themselves. Submitting to the desire of devotees The Lord appeared in person with his divine consort and left back a black charming image before disappearing. Swami Haridas ji was born to Shri Ashudhir and his wife Smt Gangadevi on the day of  Radha Ashtami   i.e. eighth day of second (bright) fortnight of Bhadrapad month of the year 1535 Vikrami(1478 A.D.). He was born in a small village, now known as Haridaspur, near Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh. The linage of the family can be traced back to  Shri Gargacharya .  Shri Gargachrya was the kulguru (family guru) of Yadavs  and visited Brij secretly for conducting the Namkaran Samskar (naming ceremony) of young Krishna and Balram on request of Sri Vasudev. A branch of the family migrated to Multan (now in Pakistan), but some of them returned after...