Kunj

Kunjas are mysterious forest groves where the pastimes of Sri Sri Radha and Govinda take place. In our ashram, the kunja is a sacred space intended for meditation on the lilas of the Lord and His eternal associates.
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The kunja is surrounded by a dense forest wall of indigenous Vrindavan plants (which we have described separately). Passing through the stone portal, one enters the true Vrinda-van, the forest of Vrindadevi.

Currently, the kunja contains:

Approximately 700 trees of 160 different species
About 2,000 shrubs of 80 different species
80 different species of flowers and herbs
Additionally, over 8 000 plants are planted in the "green wall" surrounding the kunja.

More than 75 of these trees, shrubs, vines and grasses are mentioned in the sastras. We are compiling a detailed database of these plants, and soon small QR codes will be placed next to them. By scanning the QR code, one could access information about the tree, view photos of its flowers and fruits, learn about its properties, and read quotes from the sastras. In this way, our forest becomes an integral part of the educational process.
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At the entrance to the kunja, a small temple dedicated to Kunjesvara Mahadeva has been built. In the center of the kunja is the temple of Giriraj, whose appearance story we have shared here. Additionally, we have small Radha-kunda and Shyama-kunda.

For the pleasure of Giriraj, right across from the temple, the bank of Shyama-kunda has been adorned with a waterfall. This not only delights the eye but also enriches the water in the kundas with oxygen.

Narrow stone paths lead to traditional Vrindavan mud huts covered with straw, which are the bhajan-kutirs of the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan. Thanks to their thick walls (about 80 cm), these kutirs remain cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Each kutir houses murtis of the Goswamis, crafted by the finest Vaishnava sculptors (we provide more details about them here). You can come to the kutirs to chant mantras, sing kirtan, or gather to discuss sacred scriptures. Our experience in Vaishnava education shows that listening to lectures without subsequent small group discussions is not very effective. These six kutirs allow around a hundred Vaishnavas to gather for such discussions in an atmosphere that is perfectly suited for this purpose.
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Each kutir is surrounded by carefully selected plants. For example, the bhajan-kutir of Srila Sanatana Goswami, whose siddha-svarupa is Lavanga Manjari, is surrounded by trees and shrubs that bloom red: mandara, palash, krishnachuda, red kovidara, semal, pomegranate, and others. The bhajan-kutir of Srila Raghunatha Dasa Goswami (Rati Manjari) is surrounded by white flowers, while Gopal Bhatta Goswami's (Guna Manjari) kutir is adorned with yellow flowers. This correlates to descriptions given in śāstra.