History of the site
No planned development can take place without proper scientific survey of the area concerned. Hence The Braj Foundation has completed professional survey of over 2000 acres of heritage sites in Braj region with the help of modern scientific instruments. No agency, sampradaya or NGO in Braj has taken up this route to Braj development so far. For us this was the most essential work before we took up any restoration or development project in this area.
Popular religious zones like Braj have the advantage of millions of their admirers, who regularly pay visits to these holy places and are always willing to extend charity for Braj cause. Mostly these are small charities but putting together it can turn out to be a huge sum. However the disadvantage is that these piecemeal charities tend to encourage mushrooming growth of civil constructions, without proper planning, architectural sense and aesthetic value, concern for the local environment and culture and without establishing any effective mechanism for the maintenance of sites. Hence it turns out to be a wasteful expenditure.
That is why you feel so disturbed when you come to Braj. Total anarchy and ugly constructions are what you encounter here. Lack of civic sense and apathetic municipal governance adds to your woes. So much so that if you do not have the strong faith in Lord Krishna, you do not want to come again.
The professional and right methodis to have the scientific survey, proper planning and meticulous execution of the plan. Thanks to the inspiration given by one of it’s founder Mr. John Robert Sims, The Braj Foundation since the beginning had this clarity of thought. We entered this field with a long term vision and with patience to slowly inch towards ourgoal of beautifying the whole Braj. Hence we started by setting of aproper survey team at our field office in Vrindavan.
Several scientists, young IITans and social workers of The Braj Foundation and the faculty of IITs and School of Planning Architecture, New Delhi etc. have been doing systematic scientific study of Braj region. Today there is so much valuable information with us that senior government officials regularly contact Braj Foundation’s offices for this. A visit to our offices will present you the evidence of this work. Several Secretaries of Govt. of India and the Chief Secretaries and other Secretaries of Govt. of UP, Raj. & Haryana have also appreciated this effort of Braj Foundation and are extending full support to our efforts.
In February 2013, The Braj Foundation started the restoration of Yashoda Kund. Dr. N. D. Desai, Chairman of Apar Industries (Mumbai), has assured full financial support for its restoration. He wants to dedicate the restoration to the fond memories of his dear mother Late Smt. Shantaben D. Desai. She was the follower of Shri Ballabh Sampradaya and this Kund is associated with this Samradaya. Dr. Desai is popularly known in ISKCON circles by his spiritual name H G Shrinath Das. He is a great devotee and preacher. The Foundation’s team is excited with this new project as it is the opening to the several other projects in Nandgaon.
We are a non-profit organization, established in December 2005 to restore and revitalize the environmental and cultural heritage of Braj Bhoomi (land of Braj)
