DeviDevī ('deivi; Sanskrit: देवी) is the Sanskrit word for 'goddess'; the masculine form is deva. Devi and deva mean 'heavenly, divine, anything of excellence', and are also gender-specific terms for a deity in Hinduism. The concept and reverence for goddesses appears in the Vedas, which were composed around the 2nd millennium BCE. However, they do not play a vital role in that era. Goddesses such as Durga, Kali, Lakshmi, Parvati, Radha, Saraswati, and Sita have continued to be revered in the modern era.
Govardhan HillGovardhan Hill (गोवर्धन पर्वत; ; Pronunciation: [ɡoʋəɾdɦən]), also called Mount Govardhana and Giriraj, is a sacred Hindu site in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India on an 8 km long hill located in the area of Govardhan and Radha Kund, which is about from Vrindavan. It is the sacred centre of Braj and is identified as a natural form of Krishna, the Govardhana Shila. The name 'Govardhana' has two primary translations. In the literal meaning, 'Go' translates to 'cows', and 'vardhana' translates to 'nourishment'.
Bhakti yogaBhakti yoga (भक्ति योग), also called Bhakti marga (भक्ति मार्ग, literally the path of Bhakti), is a spiritual path or spiritual practice within Hinduism focused on loving devotion towards any personal deity. It is one of the three classical paths in Hinduism which lead to Moksha, the other paths being Jnana yoga and Karma yoga. The tradition has ancient roots. Bhakti is mentioned in the Shvetashvatara Upanishad where it simply means participation, devotion and love for any endeavor.
Lathmar HoliLathmar Holi (Holi of sticks) is a Hindu festival celebrated in the twin towns of Barsana and Nandgaon, also known as the towns of Radha and Krishna respectively. Every year, during the period of Holi, thousands of devotees and tourists visit these towns to celebrate the festival. The festivities usually last for more than a week and ends on Rang Panchami. Associated with legend that is linked to the divine couple Radha Krishna, the festival seeks to recreate it.
VidyapatiVidyapati (1352 – 1448), also known by the sobriquet Maithil Kavi Kokil (the poet cuckoo of Maithili), was a Maithili and Sanskrit polymath-poet-saint, playwright, composer, biographer, philosopher, law-theorist, writer, courtier and royal priest. He was a devotee of Shiva, but also wrote love songs and devotional Vaishnava songs. He knew Sanskrit, Prakrit, Apabhramsha and Maithili. Vidyapati's influence was not just restricted to Maithili and Sanskrit literature but also extended to other Eastern Indian literary traditions.
SurdasSurdas (IAST: Sūr, Devanagari: सूर) was a 16th-century blind Hindu devotional poet and singer, who was known for his works written in praise of Krishna, the supreme lord. He was a Vaishnava devotee of Lord Krishna, and he was also a revered poet and singer. His compositions glorified and captured his devotion towards lord Krishna. Most of his poems were written in the Braj language, while some were also written in other dialects of medieval Hindi, like Awadhi.
JayadevaJayadeva (dʑɐjɐˈdeːʋɐ; born 1170 CE), also spelt Jaideva, was a Sanskrit poet during the 12th century. He is most known for his epic poem Gita Govinda which concentrates on Krishna's love with the gopi, Radha, in a rite of spring. This poem, which presents the view that Radha is greater than Krishna, is considered an important text in the Bhakti movement of Hinduism. Little is known of his life, except that he was a loner poet and a Hindu mendicant celebrated for his poetic genius in eastern India.
