On the Bhanugarh hill above the town of Barsana in the Braj region of Uttar Pradesh stands the Radha Rani temple, lovingly known as Shriji, revered as the very birthplace of Goddess Radha, the beloved consort of Krishna and the embodiment of pure devotion. Here Radha and Krishna are worshipped together as Ladli Lal, the beloved daughter and son of the town; tradition holds the shrine was first established by Krishna's great-grandson Vajranabh, and the lost deities were later rediscovered by a disciple of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Built of red and white sandstone — the colours said to symbolise the love of Radha and Krishna — the palatial temple crowns the hill above Barsana. It is the joyous heart of the famous Lathmar Holi and the great Radhashtami festival celebrating Radha's birth. Shriji of Barsana is the supreme shrine of the Divine Mother of Braj.
