Kusum Sarovara at its most beautiful.

Kusuma Sarovara, a beautiful sandstone monument, is a 25-minute walk from Radha Kunda. Kusuma means “flower,” and here the gopis would pick flowers for Krishna. Kusuma Sarovara is the best swimming spot in Braja. After you go to Radha Kunda you could spend a relaxing hour here. It is a peaceful place, which not many people visit. It is also known as Sumana Sarovara due to the beautiful forest that surrounded the lake formerly. The trees there bore flowers like beli, cameli, juhi, yuthi, mallika and campaka.

During Lord Caitanya’s time Caitanya Caritamrita that Lord Caitanya took bath here.

Kusuma Sarovara is set against a backdrop of exotic palatial buildings in sand stone. These palatial buildings built in memory of one of the most powerful Jat kings contain a replica of Sri Krishna and Srimati Radharani’s Lotus feet. The ceilings depict beautiful pictures of Krishna’s pastimes. There is also a temple dedicated to Giriraj.

n terms of spiritual importance it is said that this Kunda is very dear to Srimati Radharani. Along with Her girlfriends, She used to pick flowers from here. The Divine Couple Radha and Krishna performed many pastimes here.

Ashtavakra Muni performed great austerity at Kusum Sarovar while waiting for the appearance of the Divine couple Radha and Krishna.

t is also said that anyone who bathes in the cooling and soothing waters of Kusuma Sarovara will achieve pure love of Godhead and gain entrance in to the pastimes of the Divine Couple Radha and Krishna.

“Once Narada approached Siva for an explanation of Rasalila. Lord Shiva gave Narada a mantra and asked him to go to Brahma Kund and worship Vrinda devi. When worshiped by Narada, Vrinda devi instructed him to meditate upon Krishna and Krishna’s Vrindavan pastimes. Narada went to Narada Kund and performed his tapasya by which Vrinda devi appeared and asked him to take bath in the north-west side of Kusum Sarovar. Upon doing so, Narada became Naradi Gopi. Later, when he again took bath, he became Narada muni. Narada then returned to Narada Kund to write Narada Bhakti Sutras.”

The ghatas at this kunda and the buildings above the kunda were built by Jawahir Singh, the king of Bharatpur around 1764, in honor of his father Raja Suraj Mall. Suraj Mall attacked the Mughal King of Delhi and was killed in the battle. His son Jawahir Singh then attacked Delhi and killed the Mughal king. On the upper level are three tombs. The main tomb of Raja Suraj Mall has beautiful paintings on its ceiling depicting the pastimes of Krishna and the lotus feet of Krishna engraved on the floor. There are also some paintings of Raja Suraj Mall in his court. The other tombs are those of his two queens, Kishori and Hansiya. There are beautiful paintings on the ceiling of these two tombs. There is also a Giriraja Temple here.