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{{For|the language|Braj Bhasha}}
{{Redirect|Brij Bhoomi|the 1982 film|Brij Bhoomi (film)}}
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{{Use Indian English|date=December 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox region <!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
| name               = Braj
| type               = [[Region]]
| image_skyline      = {{Photomontage |border=0 |size=250 |spacing=2 |color=none | photo1a = Radha Krishna 20.jpg |photo2a= Mathura Temple-Mathura-India0002.JPG |photo3a=Chhatris of Barsana 03.jpg |photo4a =Madanmohan_Mandir_Vrindavan.JPG| photo5a = Kusuma Sarovar Ghat.jpg}}
| image_caption      = ''top to bottom:'' [[Radha Krishna]] at [[Rangeeli Mahal Barsana|Kirti Temple, Barsana]], 
[[Krishna Janmasthan Temple Complex|Krishna Janmasthan]] in [[Mathura]], [[Radha Rani Temple]] in [[Barsana]], Radha Madan Mohan Temple, [[Vrindavan]]
 and [[Kusum Sarovar]] in [[Govardhan Hill]].
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type2  = Region
| subdivision_name2  = [[Northern India]]
| blank_name_sec1    = [[Language]]
| blank_info_sec1    = [[Braj Bhasha]]
}}

'''Braj''', also known as '''Vraj''', '''Vraja''', '''Brij''' or '''Brijbhumi''', is a region in [[India]] on both sides of the [[Yamuna]] river with its centre at [[Mathura district|Mathura]]-[[Vrindavan]] in [[Uttar Pradesh]] state encompassing the area which also includes [[Palwal]], [[Ballabhgarh]] and [[Nuh (city)|Nuh]] in [[Haryana]] state, [[Deeg district|Deeg]], [[Bharatpur district|Bharatpur]], [[karauli district|Karauli]], and [[Dholpur district|Dholpur]] in [[Rajasthan]] state and [[Morena District]] in [[Madhya Pradesh]].<ref name="janet1">Janet Cochrane, 2008, [https://books.google.com/books?id=LC4c7i3WrPgC&dq=Braj+region+covers+haryana+and+rajasthan&pg=PA249 Asian Tourism: Growth and Change], page 249.</ref> Within Uttar Pradesh, it is very well demarcated culturally, the area stretches from the [[Mathura district|Mathura]], [[Aligarh]], [[Agra district|Agra]], [[Hathras district|Hathras]] and districts up to the [[Etawah]] district.<ref name="LuciaMichelutti1">{{cite web | url=http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/2106/1/U613338.pdf | title=Sons of Krishna: the politics of Yadav community formation in a North Indian town | publisher=London School of Economics and Political Science University of London | work=PhD Thesis Social Anthropology | date=2002 | access-date=20 May 2015 | author=Lucia Michelutti | pages=49}}</ref> Braj region is associated with [[Radha]] and [[Krishna]] who according to scriptures were born in [[Barsana]] and [[Mathura]] respectively.<ref>{{Citation|title=ONE. The Social Construction of Emotion in India|date=1990-12-31|work=Divine Passions|pages=3–34|publisher=University of California Press|doi=10.1525/9780520309753-002|isbn=978-0-520-30975-3|last1=Lynch |first1=Owen M. }}</ref><ref name="Lucia Michelutti00"/> It is the main centre of [[Hindu pilgrimage sites in India|Krishna circuit of Hindu pilgrimage]].<ref name=janet1/>

It is located 150&nbsp;km south of [[Delhi]] and 50&nbsp;km northwest of Agra.<ref name=janet1/>

Ecologically, the character of Braj has drastically changed in the last 200 years, with a heavy decline in the number of wild animals along with [[deforestation]]. Writing in the late 1980s, Entwistle noted there were only a few groves left in the region, and that many sacred sites were being encroached upon by human agricultural settlements.{{Sfn|Entwistle|1987|p=2-3}}

==Etymology==
The term Braj is derived from the [[Sanskrit]] word व्रज ''vraja''.<ref name="Lucia Michelutti00">{{cite web | url=http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/2106/1/U613338.pdf | title=Sons of Krishna: the politics of Yadav community formation in a North Indian town | publisher=London School of Economics and Political Science University of London | work=PhD Thesis Social Anthropology | date=2002 | access-date=20 May 2015 | author=Lucia Michelutti | pages=46}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Prasad|first=Dev|title=Krishna: A Journey through the Lands & Legends of Krishna|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o0_5caqiUH0C&pg=PT16|year=2015|publisher=Jaico Publishing House|isbn=978-81-8495-170-7}}</ref> Vraja was first mentioned in [[Rigveda]], and in [[Sanskrit]] it means a [[goshala|pasture, shelter or resort for cattle]] from the Sanskrit term ''"{{lang|sa-Latn|vraj}}"'' which means "to go" in English.

==Braj pilgrimage circuits==
{{anchor | Braj Yatra | Braj pilgrimage | Krishna pilgrimage }}
{{main | Vraja Parikrama}}
{{see | 48 kos parikrama of Kurukshetra | Dwarka | Hindu pilgrimage sites in India }}

The'' [[Vraja Parikrama|Braj Yatra]]'' circuit of pilgrimage was formally established by the 16th-century [[sadhu]]s of the [[Sampradaya#Vaishnava sampradayas|vaishnava sampradaya]] with fixed routes, itinerary and rituals. The area the circuit covers is spread across 2500&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> with 84 [[Kos (unit)|kos]] or 300&nbsp;km long periphery extending 10&nbsp;km to the east and 50&nbsp;km to the north and west. Braj has two main types of pilgrimage circuits, the traditional longer ''Braj Yatra'' encompassing the whole circuit, and the other shorter significantly modified contemporary point-to-point pilgrimage to visit the main sites at Mathura, Vrindavan, [[Gokul]], [[Govardhan]]. The former, longer traditional pilgrimage route, also includes additional sacred sites [[Nandgaon, Uttar Pradesh|Nandgaon]] and [[Barsana]] with travel on foot.<ref name="janet1" />

=== Notable pilgrimage sites ===
Notable pilgrimage sites taken from Entwistle (1987).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Entwistle |first=Alan William |title=Braj: A Center of Krishna Pilgrimage |publisher=Egbert Forsten |year=1987 |pages=309–429, 521-552|chapter=The Pilgrimage Itinerary}}</ref>
* [[Mathura]] (Mathurā)
** [[Vishram Ghat]] (Viśrām Ghāṭ)
** [[Krishna Janmasthan Temple Complex]] (Kr̥ṣṇa Janmasthān)
** [[Kans Quila]] (Kans Kilā)
** [[Dwarkadhish Temple, Mathura]] (Dvārkādhīś Temple)
* [[Madhu Forest]] (Madhuban)
* [[Radha Kund]] (Rādhākuṇḍ)
* [[Kusum Sarovar]] 
* [[Govardhan Hill]] 
* [[Bachhgaon]] (Bacchagā̃v)
* [[Deeg]] (Ḍīg)
* [[Kaman, Rajasthan]] (Kāmā̃)
* [[Barsana]] (Barsānā)
* [[Nandgaon, Uttar Pradesh]] (Nandgā̃v)
* [[Kamai, Uttar Pradesh]] (Kamāī)
* [[Chhata]] (Chātā)
* [[Kokilavan]] (Kokilāban)
* [[Kosi Kalan]] (Kosī)
* [[Paigaon]] (Paigā̃v)
* [[Shergarh, Uttar Pradesh]] (Śergaṛh)
* [[Bhandirvan, Vrindavan]] (Bhāṇḍīrvan)
* [[Vrindavan]] (Vr̥ndāvana)
** [[Radha Madan Mohan Temple, Vrindavan|Radha Madan Mohan Temple]] (Rādhā Madanmohan)
** [[Banke Bihari Temple]] (Bā̃ke Bihārī)
** [[Radha Vallabh Temple, Vrindavan|Radha Vallabh Temple]] (Rādhāvallabh)
** [[Radha Damodar Temple, Vrindavan|Radha Damodar Temple]] (Rādhādāmodar)
** [[Nidhivan, Vrindavan|Nidhivan]]
** [[Radha Raman Temple, Vrindavan|Radha Raman Temple]] (Rādhāramaṇ)
* [[Baldeo]] (Baldev)
* [[Mahaban]] (Mahāban)
* [[Gokul]]
Brij Mahotsav is a festival that is celebrated for three days in [[Paksha|Shukla paksha]] of [[Phalgun]]. It is celebrated in the month of March. Held in honour of [[Lord Krishna]], this festival is marked by verve and zest. Villagers, in gay, multicoloured attire, can be seen singing and performing the [[Raslila]] dance (dance depicting the immortal love-story of [[Radha]] and Krishna). All of Bharatpur echoes the sound of folk melodies on this festival held on the eve of [[Holi]].<ref name="rajasthantourism1">{{cite web |title=Rajasthan Tourism |url=http://www.rajasthantourism.gov.in/Attractions/Fairs-Festivals/BrajMahotsav(Festival).aspx |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140505220814/http://www.rajasthantourism.gov.in/Attractions/Fairs-Festivals/BrajMahotsav%28Festival%29.aspx |archivedate=2014-05-05 |accessdate=2014-05-31 |publisher=rajasthantourism.gov.in}}</ref>

== Demographics ==
Hindus form the majority of residents of the Braj region. The major [[Brahmin]] castes include the [[Sanadhya Brahmin|Sanadhyas]], [[Gaur Brahmins|Gaurs]], [[Chaube|Chaubes]], and [[Ahiwasi|Ahiwasis]]. Among the cultivating and pastoral castes, there are the [[Yadav|Yadavs]] ([[Ahirs]]),<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Palshikar |first1=Suhas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ONcNDgAAQBAJ&dq=Braj+area+%28Doab+Yadavs&pg=PT62 |title=Electoral Politics in India: The Resurgence of the Bharatiya Janata Party |last2=Kumar |first2=Sanjay |last3=Lodha |first3=Sanjay |date=2017-02-03 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-351-99691-4 |language=en}}</ref> [[Jats]], [[Jadaun (clan)|Jadauns]], [[Rajput|Rajputs]], [[Gujars]], [[Meo (ethnic group)|Meos]], and [[Chamar|Chamars]]. The main merchant castes are [[Agrawal|Agrawals]], [[Khandelwal Vaishya|Khandelwals]], [[Maheshwari|Maheshwaris]], and [[Varshney|Barahsainis]]. Muslims form a small minority, with nearly negligible presence of [[Jains]], [[Sikhs]], and [[Christians]].{{Sfn|Entwistle|1987|p=4-8}}

== Braj culinary tradition ==
Braj region is known for its rich and flavorful culinary tradition. The twin cities, [[Mathura]] and [[Vrindavan]], which are associated with Shri Krishna are main centers of [[Braj Cuisine]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Braj Cuisine Echoes The Legends Of Lord Krishna, Radha And Holi |url=https://www.slurrp.com/article/holi-2023-braj-cuisine-echoes-the-legends-of-lord-krishna-radha-and-holi-1677850126840 |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=Slurrp |language=en |quote=Even now, Krishna is an integrated part of the Braj community and diet, influencing the culture in indelible ways. The essential elements of Braj cuisine are based on a few beliefs and traditions}}</ref>

==See also==
; Regional
* [[Braj language]]
* [[Vajjika League|Vajji]], the ancient region of the Vṛji janapada that Bajjika evolved from
* [[Charkula]], Braj dance done with wooden pyramids
* [http://www.indianfolkdances.com/mayur-dance.html Mayur], peacock dance with Krishna and Radha
* [[Rasiya]], local style of music
* [[Dhrupad]], Indian music genre started in Braj

; Religious
* [[48 kos parikrama of Kurukshetra]]
* [[Dwarka]]
* [[Hindu pilgrimage sites in India]]

; Vedic era
* [[King Kuru]]
* [[Cemetery H culture]]
* [[Painted Grey Ware culture]]

; General
* [[Kingdoms of Ancient India]]
* [[Administrative divisions of Haryana|Regions of Haryana]]
* [[:Category:Regions of Rajasthan|Regions of Rajasthan]]
* [[Administrative divisions of Uttar Pradesh|Regions of Uttar Pradesh]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Rupert Snell, ''The Hindi Classical Tradition: A Braj Bhasa Reader.''  Includes grammar, readings and translations, and a good glossary.

{{coord missing|Uttar Pradesh}}

{{Mahajanapada}}
{{Tribes and kingdoms of the Mahabharata}}
{{Mahabharata}}
{{Historical regions of North India}}

[[Category:Krishna]]
[[Category:Mahabharata]]
[[Category:Yadava kingdoms]]
[[Category:Rigvedic tribes]]
[[Category:Indo-Aryan peoples]]
[[Category:Iron Age countries in Asia]]
[[Category:Iron Age cultures of South Asia]]
[[Category:Ancient peoples]]
[[Category:Places in Hindu mythology]]
[[Category:Regions of Haryana]]
[[Category:Regions of Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Regions of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Tourism in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Brij]]