Why Krishna is Called Banwari

The term Banwari is also spelled as Banwahree or Banvari. Referring to one of the most popular names of Lord Krishna, the term means the resident of the groves of Vrindavan. Situated on the banks of Yamuna River, Vrindavan (meaning the forest of Tulsi plants) was the seat of Krishna’s childhood life replete with a lot of divine plays and miracles. The term Banwari brings to our memories, many highlights of Lord Krishna’s divine plays.

The childhood

The soils of Gokul and Vrindavan were highly fortunate to be trodden by the tiny and silky feet of Lord Krishna who grew up in the family of Nanda, the chieftain of the village. The traditional occupation of Vrindavan and Gokul were dairy farms with each of the households rearing a few cows. The primary task of the village lads in Vrindavan was to take the cows for grazing to the forests and get them safely back to the homes in the evening. Lord Krishna was the king of the cowherds. He wore a turban on his tiny head as the son of the village chieftain and led the team grazing the cows. The team was engaged in pranks and plays all through the day and Krishna miraculously saved the cowherds and the cows from the attacks by demons.

The little divine child of Gokul was the apple of everyone’s eye. The little Lord sneaked into every household and stole butter. He played with the girls and women of the households charming them and spreading the seeds of devotion in their hearts. The eight years of his childhood Krishna spent in Gokul and Vrindavan have etched indelible memories that have given rise to the immortal and eternal stories of Bhagavata and several other texts centered on Lord Krishna. The term Banwari brings in front of our eyes the cute little Krishna wandering in the forests, stealing butter in the households, slaughtering the demons, lifting the hill of Govardhan, dancing on the hoods of serpent Kalia, charming the village lads and ladies, and playing in the waters of river Yamuna.