- The Meeting Place: According to scriptural tradition, the sakhis (female friends of Radha) and sakhas (male friends of Krishna) arranged their secret meetings here through subtle signals, giving the village its name.
- Engagement Site: The Garg Samhita mentions that Lord Brahma performed the Lagan Sagai (engagement) ceremony of Radha and Krishna at this very spot.
- Yogamaya's Role: Vrinda Devi (an embodiment of Yogamaya) is credited with orchestrating these meetings by signaling Krishna as he traveled from Nandgaon to Govardhan with his friends and calves.
- Sanket Bihari Temple: An ancient temple dedicated to Radha and Krishna (worshipped here as Sanket Bihari), marking the spot of their first meeting.
- Sanket Devi Temple: A temple dedicated to Sanket Devi (an incarnation of Yogamaya), who facilitates the divine union.
- Krishna-kunda and Vihvala-kunda: Sacred ponds where specific pastimes occurred; Vihvala-kunda is said to have formed from Krishna's tears when he was overwhelmed by feelings of separation from Radha.
- Sanket Vata: A famous ancient banyan tree under which Radha and her friends would play and wait for Krishna.
- Location: Situated roughly 4 miles from Barsana.
- Bhajana Site: The village contains the Bhajana Kutir (meditation hut) of Gopala Bhatta Goswami, one of the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan, who performed worship here for a long time.
- Festivals: An annual fair is held here from Radhastami to Anant Chaturdashi. In 2025, Sanket remains a vital stop on the 84 Kos Braj Yatra pilgrimage route.
Between Barsana – Nandgram : Sanket grama
Sanket is mentioned in the Puranas to be one of the adhivanas or sub-forests of Vraja.
In the village one can visit the Sanket Devi Mandira containing the deity of Sanket Devi, an expansion of Yogamaya seen here in her form as Durga, who is also considered non-different from the gopi named Vira Devi, one of Vrinda Devi’s most important assistants who are responsible for arranging the pastimes at Sanket. This deity of Sanket Devi was discovered here by Shrila Narayana Bhatta, who re-installed the deity said to have been originally established by Vajranabha Maharaja. There is also a rasa-mandala commemorating the rasa- lila pastimes enacted here by Radha and Krishna, and jhulana-sthali where the swing pastimes of the ‘divine lovers’ took place. Situated near the Sanket Devi Mandira is the bhajana-kutira of Gopala Bhatta Goswami, who spent a considerable time staying at Sanket. (Some say the sitting place or baithaka of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is located here but this baithaka is not mentioned in Bhakti–ratnakara and is certainly the baithaka of Vallabhacharya, who also called himself Mahaprabhu and established many baithakas where he recited Bhagavatama which has led to this confusion)
To the south of the Sanket Devi Mandira is Krishna-kunda where many wonderful pastimes took place and also the famous banyan tree known as Sanket Vata. To the east is Vivhala-kunda, where Krishna became overwhelmed (vivhala), when He suddenly heard the name of His beloved Radha being chanted somewhere nearby by a parrot. It is said that this kunda was formed from the tears shed by Krishna while overcome by all the symptoms of mahabhava. Subala had to immediately bring Radharani there in order to pacify Krishna’s intense mood of separation from Her.
Sanket is situated half-way between Varsana and Nandagrama, and was therefore the perfect place for the ‘divine lovers’ Radha and Krishna to meet secretly while unseen by others. In fact, this is the actual place where the ‘young lovers’ first met each other at the start of Their much celebrated ‘love affair’. Their first meeting was secretly arranged with the help of Vrinda Devi and Vira Devi, as well as Lalita-sakhi who accompanied Radharani, and Subala-sakha who accompanied Krishna. The word ‘sanket’ means ‘to give a hint’ or ‘to give a signal’, which is the way the sakhis and sakhas used to arrange secret meetings between Radha and Krishna at this place. In the Bhakti-ratnakara it says. “In this Sanket– kunja the sakhis were giving hints to one-another and very carefully brought Radha and Krishna together here. At an auspicious moment, they briefly became united together for the first time at this place. Just see, there is Krishna-kunda and many other enchanting places where innumerable unseen pastimes took place”.
Sanket is especially well known because of the midnight meetings between the ‘secret lovers’ Radha and Krishna. With the help of Their intimate assistants, especially the gopis Vrinda Devi and Vira Devi, The ‘divine lovers’ would come to Sanket Kunja and enjoy various loving pastimes and would later take rest together on a bed of flowers prepared by the gopis within the kunja. Just before dawn, Vrinda Devi would awaken Radha and Krishna and They would secretly return to their respective homes. During their midnight rendezvous, the ‘divine lovers’ would sometimes enjoy together on a swing, or partake of drinking honey liquor, or engage in rasa-dancing, besides many other transcendental pastimes. Sanket-kunja is also considered to be the residence of Yogamaya Devi, who is the controlling deity and facilitator of all Krishna’s pastimes, Purnamasi Devi is her immediate expansion. Purnamasi and Vrinda Devi meet one-another every morning and make all the arrangements for the various pastimes of Radha and Krishna, as well as their secret meetings at Sanket. In the Bhaktivedanta purports to Chaitanya-charitamrta it says. “Yogamaya is the name of the internal potency that makes the Lord forget Himself and become an object of love for His pure devotees in different transcendental mellows. The yogamaya potency creates a spiritual sentiment in the minds of the damsels of Vraja by which they think of Krishna as their paramour.”
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