Travel Guide · Stories & Experiences · Updated August 2026
Banke Bihari Chalisa: Lyrics in Hindi and English with Meaning
By Gurudutt, Experience My India·15 August 2026
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Banke Bihari Chalisa: an overview
Of all the deities of Vrindavan, none is loved quite like Shri Banke Bihari, the enchanting, thrice-bent form of Krishna whose glance, the devotees say, is so powerful that the temple curtain is drawn again and again so that none may gaze too long. The Banke Bihari Chalisa is the hymn that pours out that love in verse, praising his beautiful form and adornments, his daily worship and his festivals through the year and humbly begging his grace. It belongs to the tradition of the saint Swami Haridas, who, by the tradition, gave Banke Bihari to the world. Our banke bihari temple page covers the temple in full.
This guide gives the complete Banke Bihari Chalisa in both Hindi and English, so that any devotee may recite it, followed by its meaning and themes, the life of Swami Haridas, the benefits and the right way to recite it, the festivals of Banke Bihari that the chalisa celebrates and how to visit the temple. We present all of it with the reverence of the tradition, held with faith.
From the ground (Gurudutt): Ask anyone in Vrindavan and they will tell you Banke Bihari is not a deity you merely see, but one who steals your heart in a glance. The chalisa is dear to us here because it is not only praise; it is a walk through the whole year of Bihari ji's seva, the summer flower bungalows, the Jhulan swings in the rains, the Holi colours, the crown of Sharad Purnima, the one day at Akshaya Tritiya when his lotus feet are shown. If you cannot read Hindi, use the English below and simply sing it with love; that is all he asks. And when you come to Vrindavan, do have his darshan in person, early, before the crowds. See our Mathura Vrindavan tour Package or message WhatsApp +91 7302265809.
Banke Bihari Chalisa lyrics in Hindi
The complete Banke Bihari Chalisa in the original Hindi, in the Devanagari script, is given below, beginning with the opening doha, then the chaupais and closing with the final doha and jaikara.
दोहा (Doha)
बांकी चितवन कटि लचक, बांके चरन रसाल ।
स्वामी श्री हरिदास के बांके बिहारी लाल ।।
चौपाई (Chaupai)
जै जै जै श्री बाँकेबिहारी ।
हम आये हैं शरण तिहारी ।।
स्वामी श्री हरिदास के प्यारे ।
भक्तजनन के नित रखवारे ।।
श्याम स्वरूप मधुर मुसिकाते ।
बड़े-बड़े नैन नेह बरसाते ।।
पटका पाग पीताम्बर शोभा ।
सिर सिरपेच देख मन लोभा ।।
तिरछी पाग मोती लर बाँकी ।
सीस टिपारे सुन्दर झाँकी ।।
मोर पाँख की लटक निराली ।
कानन कुण्डल लट घुँघराली ।।
नथ बुलाक पै तन-मन वारी ।
मंद हसन लागै अति प्यारी ।।
तिरछी ग्रीव कण्ठ मनि माला ।
उर पै गुंजा हार रसाला ।।
काँधे साजे सुन्दर पटका ।
गोटा किरन मोतिन के लटका ।।
भुज में पहिर अँगरखा झीनौ ।
कटि काछनी अंग ढक लीनौ ।।
कमर-बांध की लटकन न्यारी ।
चरन छुपाये श्री बाँकेबिहारी ।।
इकलाई पीछे ते आई ।
दूनी शोभा दई बढाई ।।
गद्दी सेवा पास बिराजै ।
श्री हरिदास छवी अतिराजै ।।
घंटी बाजे बजत न आगै ।
झाँकी परदा पुनि-पुनि लागै ।।
सोने-चाँदी के सिंहासन ।
छत्र लगी मोती की लटकन ।।
बांके तिरछे सुधर पुजारी ।
तिनकी हू छवि लागे प्यारी ।।
अतर फुलेल लगाय सिहावैं ।
गुलाब जल केशर बरसावै ।।
दूध-भात नित भोग लगावैं ।
छप्पन-भोग भोग में आवैं ।।
मगसिर सुदी पंचमी आई ।
सो बिहार पंचमी कहाई ।।
आई बिहार पंचमी जबते ।
आनन्द उत्सव होवैं तबते ।।
बसन्त पाँचे साज बसन्ती ।
लगै गुलाल पोशाक बसन्ती ।।
होली उत्सव रंग बरसावै ।
उड़त गुलाल कुमकुमा लावैं ।।
फूल डोल बैठे पिय प्यारी ।
कुंज विहारिन कुंज बिहारी ।।
जुगल सरूप एक मूरत में ।
लखौ बिहारी जी मूरत में ।।
श्याम सरूप हैं बाँकेबिहारी ।
अंग चमक श्री राधा प्यारी ।।
डोल-एकादशी डोल सजावैं ।
फूल फल छवी चमकावैं ।।
अखैतीज पै चरन दिखावैं ।
दूर-दूर के प्रेमी आवैं ।।
गर्मिन भर फूलन के बँगला ।
पटका हार फुलन के झँगला ।।
शीतल भोग , फुहारें चलते ।
गोटा के पंखा नित झूलते ।।
हरियाली तीजन का झूला ।
बड़ी भीड़ प्रेमी मन फूला ।।
जन्माष्टमी मंगला आरती ।
सखी मुदित निज तन-मन वारति ।।
नन्द महोत्सव भीड़ अटूट ।
सवा प्रहार कंचन की लूट ।।
ललिता छठ उत्सव सुखकारी ।
राधा अष्टमी की चाव सवारी ।।
शरद चाँदनी मुकट धरावैं ।
मुरलीधर के दर्शन पावैं ।।
दीप दीवारी हटरी दर्शन ।
निरखत सुख पावै प्रेमी मन ।।
मन्दिर होते उत्सव नित-नित ।
जीवन सफल करें प्रेमी चित ।।
जो कोई तुम्हें प्रेम ते ध्यावें।
सोई सुख वांछित फल पावैं ।।
तुम हो दिनबन्धु ब्रज-नायक ।
मैं हूँ दीन सुनो सुखदायक ।।
मैं आया तेरे द्वार भिखारी ।
कृपा करो श्री बाँकेबिहारी ।।
दिन दुःखी संकट हरते ।
भक्तन पै अनुकम्पा करते ।।
मैं हूँ सेवक नाथ तुम्हारो ।
बालक के अपराध बिसारो ।।
मोकूँ जग संकट ने घेरौ ।
तुम बिन कौन हरै दुख मेरौ ।।
विपदा ते प्रभु आप बचाऔ ।
कृपा करो मोकूँ अपनाऔ ।।
श्री अज्ञान मंद-मति भारि ।
दया करो श्रीबाँकेबिहारी ।।
बाँकेबिहारी विनय पचासा ।
नित्य पढ़ै पावे निज आसा ।।
पढ़ै भाव ते नित प्रति गावैं ।
दुख दरिद्रता निकट नही आवैं ।।
धन परिवार बढैं व्यापारा ।
सहज होय भव सागर पारा ।।
कलयुग के ठाकुर रंग राते ।
दूर-दूर के प्रेमी आते ।।
दर्शन कर निज हृदय सिहाते ।
अष्ट-सिध्दि नव निधि सुख पाते ।।
मेरे सब दुख हरो दयाला ।
दूर करो माया जंजाल ।।
दया करो मोकूँ अपनाऔ ।
कृपा बिन्दु मन में बरसाऔ ।।
दोहा (Doha)
ऐसी मन कर देउ मैं , निरखूँ श्याम-श्याम ।
प्रेम बिन्दु दृग ते झरें, वृन्दावन विश्राम ।।
जय श्री बाँकेबिहारी जी महाराज की जय
जय श्री राधिका रानी महारानी की जय
जय श्री हरिदास जी महाराज की जय
Banke Bihari Chalisa lyrics in English
For devotees who do not read Hindi, the complete Banke Bihari Chalisa is given below in English transliteration, so it may be recited correctly by its sound.
Doha
Baanki chitvan kati lachak, baanke charan rasaal.
Swami Shri Haridas ke baanke bihari laal.
Chaupai
Jai jai jai Shri Baanke Bihari,
Hum aaye hain sharan tihari.
Swami Shri Haridas ke pyaare,
Bhakt janan ke nit rakhvaare.
Shyaam swaroop madhur muskaate,
Bade bade nain neha barsaate.
Patka pag peetambar shobha,
Sir sirpech dekh man lobha.
Tirchi pag moti lar baanki,
Sees tipare sundar jhaanki.
Mor pankh ki latak niraali,
Kaanan kundal lat ghunghraali.
Nath bulak pai tan-man waari,
Mand hasan lagai ati pyaari.
Tirchi greev kanth mani maala,
Ur pai gunja haar rasaala.
Kaandhe saaje sundar patka,
Gota kiran motin ke latka.
Bhuja mein pahiran angarakha jeena,
Kati kachani ang dhak leena.
Kamar-band ki latkan nyaari,
Charan chhupaaye Shri Baanke Bihari.
Ikkalai peeche te aaye,
Dooni shobha dai badaaye.
Gaddi seva paas biraajai,
Shri Haridas chhavi atiraajai.
Ghanti baje bajat na aagai,
Jhaanki parda puni-puni laagai.
Sone-chandi ke singhasan,
Chhatar lagi moti ki latkan.
Baanke tirche sundar pujari,
Tinki hoo chhavi lage pyaari.
Atar phulel lagaye sihaavein,
Gulab jal kesar barasaavein.
Doodh-bhaat nit bhog lagaavein,
Chhappan-bhog bhog mein aavein.
Maghsar sudi panchmi aaye,
So Bihar Panchmi kahaaye.
Aayi Bihar Panchmi jabte,
Anand utsav hovein tabte.
Basant panchhe saaj basanti,
Lagai gulaal poshaak basanti.
Holi utsav rang barsaavein,
Udat gulaal kumkuma laavein.
Phool dol baithe piy pyaari,
Kunj vihaarin kunj bihaari.
Jugal swaroop ek murat mein,
Lakho Bihari ji murt mein.
Shyaam swaroop hain Baanke Bihari,
Ang chamak Shri Radha pyaari.
Dol-ekadashi dol sajaavein,
Phool phal chhavi chamkhaavein.
Akshay Teej pe charan dikhaavein,
Door-door ke premi aavein.
Garmi bhar phoolan ke bangla,
Patka haar phoolan ke jhangla.
Sheetal bhog fuharein chalate,
Gota ke pankha nit jhoolte.
Hariyali teej ka jhoola,
Badi bheed premi man phoola.
Janmashtami mangla aarti,
Sakhi mudit nij tan-man waarati.
Nand Mahotsav bheed atoot,
Sawa prahar kanchan ki loot.
Lalita chhath utsav sukhkari,
Radha Ashtami ki chhav savaari.
Sharad chandani mukut dharavein,
Murlidhar ke darshan paavein.
Deep Diwali hatri darshan,
Nirakhat sukh paave premi man.
Mandir mein hote utsav nit-nit,
Jeevan safal kare premi chit.
Jo koi tumhe prem te dhyaave,
Soi sukh vanchhit phal paave.
Tum ho deen bandhu Braj-nayak,
Main hoon deen suno sukhdayak.
Main aaya tere dwar bhikhari,
Kripa karo Shri Baanke Bihari.
Din dukhi sankat harte,
Bhaktan par anukampa karte.
Main hoon sevak naath tumhaaro,
Baalak ke aparadh bisaaro.
Moko jag sankat ne ghero,
Tum bin kaun harai dukh mero.
Vipada te Prabhu aap bachaao,
Kripa karo moko apnaao.
Shri agyaan mand-mati bhaari,
Daya karo Shri Baanke Bihari.
Baanke Bihari Vinay Pachasa,
Nit padhe paave nij aasha.
Padhe bhaav se nit pratidin gaave,
Dukh daridrata nikat na aave.
Dhan parivaar badhe vyaapaara,
Sahaj hoye bhav saagar paara.
Kaliyug ke Thakur rang rate,
Door-door ke premi aate.
Darshan kar nij hriday sihaate,
Ashta-siddhi nav nidhi sukh paate.
Mere sab dukh haro dayala,
Door karo maya janjaal.
Daya karo moko apnaao,
Kripa bindu man mein barasaao.
Doha
Aisi man kar deu main, nirakhu Shyaam-Shyaam.
Prem bindu drig te jharein, Vrindavan vishraam.
Jai Shri Baanke Bihari Ji Maharaj Ki Jai!
Jai Shri Radha Rani Maharani Ki Jai!
Jai Shri Haridas Ji Maharaj Ki Jai!
The meaning and themes of the chalisa
The Banke Bihari Chalisa is, at heart, a loving description of the Lord and a humble prayer. It opens by taking refuge in Banke Bihari, the beloved of Swami Haridas and the ever-protector of his devotees and then dwells tenderly on his form: his sweet smile and large loving eyes, his yellow pitambar and turban with its jewelled sirpech, the peacock feather, the earrings and curling locks, the garland of gunja beads and the many fine ornaments of his daily shringar.
From his form, the chalisa moves through his seva and his festivals across the year and then turns to prayer: the devotee comes as a beggar to his door, owning his faults like a child before a parent and begs the Lord to remove his troubles and take him as his own. It closes, as devotional hymns do, with the promise that those who recite it with love are kept from sorrow and with a final longing to gaze forever on Shyam and find rest in Vrindavan. We present its themes with the reverence of the tradition, held with faith and recounted with reverence.
About Banke Bihari and Swami Haridas
The name Banke Bihari means the one who is bent, banke, in three places, in the graceful tribhanga pose and who ever delights, bihari; it is the beloved form of Krishna enshrined at the Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan. By the tradition, the deity was revealed from the sacred grove of Nidhivan through the devotion and divine song of Swami Haridas, the great saint, poet and musician of the sixteenth century, revered also as the guru of the legendary singer Tansen. The chalisa lovingly names Swami Haridas again and again, for Banke Bihari is his gift to the world.
The Banke Bihari temple is the most beloved and most visited of all the temples of Vrindavan, known for the curtain that is drawn again and again before the deity, for it is said that his glance is too powerful to meet for long and for having no bells or conches in the usual way, in the intimate mood of his worship. Our radha raman temple and prem mandir vrindavan pages cover other great temples nearby. We present Banke Bihari and Swami Haridas with the reverence of the tradition, held with faith and recounted with reverence.
Benefits and how to recite the chalisa
By the tradition, the Banke Bihari Chalisa is recited to feel closer to the Lord, to steady and calm the mind and to seek his grace in times of difficulty; the chalisa itself says that those who read it daily with devotion are kept far from sorrow and want. These are the fruits of devotion as the tradition holds them, matters of faith rather than any worldly guarantee and the true reward is the love of the Lord himself.
To recite it, bathe and sit cleanly before Banke Bihari or his image, light a ghee lamp and read with a calm and loving heart: begin with the opening doha, then the chaupais in order and close with the final doha and the jaikara. What matters most is bhaav, devotion, not speed or a perfect accent, so those who cannot read Hindi may use the English transliteration above and sing it with love. Many recite it in the morning or evening as part of their daily worship and especially on the festivals of Banke Bihari. Our mathura vrindavan temple timings guide covers the temple's worship hours. We present the practice with the reverence of the tradition, held with faith.
The festivals of Banke Bihari in the chalisa
One of the loveliest things about the Banke Bihari Chalisa is that it walks the devotee through the whole year of the deity's seva and festivals, each of which is kept with special splendour at the temple.
Bihar Panchami: the appearance day of Banke Bihari, on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of Margashirsha (Magsar), the greatest festival of the temple.
Basant Panchami and Holi: the coming of spring in yellow basanti dress and the joyful colours of Holi with gulal and kumkum.
Phool Dol and Jhulan: the flower-swing of the Divine Couple and the Hariyali Teej and Jhulan swings in the monsoon.
Janmashtami and Nand Mahotsav: the birth of Krishna with the Mangala Aarti and the great crowds of Nand Mahotsav the next day.
Radha Ashtami and Lalita Shashthi: the appearance of Radha Rani and her dear sakhi, kept with joy.
Sharad Purnima, Akshaya Tritiya and Diwali: the autumn full moon when the Lord wears a crown; Akshaya Tritiya, the one day his lotus feet are shown; and the lamps and hatri of Diwali.
In the summer, the chalisa notes, the Lord is kept in cool flower bungalows with fans and cooling bhog. So the chalisa is a calendar of devotion as much as a hymn. So each festival draws devotees from far and wide. For priority darshan on these busy days, see our banke bihari vip darshan page. We present the festivals with the reverence of the tradition, held with faith.
Visiting the Banke Bihari temple
The Banke Bihari temple is in the heart of old Vrindavan, about 12 to 15 km from Mathura and about 150 km from Delhi, reached through the narrow lanes of the old town, best on foot or by rickshaw for the final stretch. It is busiest on festivals and weekends, so come early for a calmer darshan. Our how to reach vrindavan, how to commute in vrindavan and best time to visit vrindavan mathura guides help you plan; the iskcon temple vrindavan and the other great temples are close by.
We arrange Vrindavan tours and Banke Bihari darshan, with transport, local hops, routing timed around the darshan hours and a knowledgeable local guide; our mathura vrindavan tour itinerary helps you plan. A shared day tour starts from around ₹1,499 per person, with darshan free at the temples; our one-day vrindavan tour package covers Vrindavan and our two-day mathura vrindavan tour the twin cities. Message me on WhatsApp at +91-7302265809 to plan your visit to Banke Bihari.
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Meet Gurudutt — Your Mathura Vrindavan Guide
Not just a tour operator — Gurudutt was born and raised in Braj Bhoomi. He has spent over a decade personally guiding pilgrims through the sacred lanes of Mathura & Vrindavan.
Founder – Experience My India
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Founder · Experience My India
