Sri Krishna and Srimati Radharani still visit the Rāsa Sthali at night and rituals are performed to honor their presence.

Objective 2: To know about Other Rāsa Sthalis near Govardhan.

While the most famous Rāsa Sthali is in Vrindavan, Vrajavasis, through oral tradition, identify certain groves near Govardhan Hill like Sutala-vana (near Apsara-kunda) and Sutala-Kunda as places where Srimati Radharani and Sri Krishna performed springtime Rāsa-lila.

Sutalavana
This small grove of kadamba and tamala trees, located on the northern bank of Apsara-Kunda, is remembered as the sacred site where Srimati Radharani and Sri Krishna performed their springtime Rāsa-lila pastimes. In earlier times, the area was filled with many kadamba and tamala trees, and several of them grew intertwined. The Vrajavasis see this natural entwining as a beautiful symbol of the divine union of Srimati Radharani and Sri Krishna.

Sutala-kunda
In the forest of Sutalavana there is this small and very isolated Kunda known as Sutala-kunda. This Kunda is a favorite haunt of peacocks and is a place where they come to drink water and rest beneath the shade of the trees.
Apart from this, according to local tradition, there is a place near Ratna-Kunda remembered as Rāsa-Sthali, where Sri Krishna would joyfully dance with the gopis.

Scriptural Reference
In his Stavāvalīன (Govardhana-āśraya-daśaka) Raghunath Das Goswami praises the sacred place called Rāsa-sthali at Govardhan. The description given is as follows:

“Here at Govardhana is the circle of the spring Rāsa dance, where Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, the beloved of Mādhava, shone brilliantly, adorned with fresh garlands and surrounded by Her charming youthful sakhīs. Her neck was beautifully decorated with the sweet fragrance of flowers placed by Sri Krishna’s own hand. Who indeed would not take shelter of this Govardhana Rāsa-līlā?”