NPR’s recurring collaboration with National Geographic Radio Expeditions began a series this week titled, “The Geography of Heaven.”

Radio Expeditions explores how shared beliefs of the afterlife shape the lives of the faithful. The journey begins in Vrindavan, the Indian City where the Hindu faithful believe the god Krishna once took human form.

Long time NPR listeners will be quite familiar with the pleasure of a Radio Expedition:

Radio Expeditions blends narrative, interviews, and digital sound to document stories of our world’s threatened environments and diverse cultures. This pioneering series is a coproduction of NPR and the National Geographic Society. [link]

As you wake up sleepy-eyed in your bed, it is their job to aurally transport you to the scene of the story. When they succeed the result is incredible and the images sometimes enter into your dream world. As the quote above mentions, this week’s running story has been focusing on Vrindavan (Monday, Tuesday).

Among the constellation of Hindu deities, Krishna is the truest expression of God. The faithful believe Krishna assumed human form in Vrindavan thousands of years ago and lived a single life as a man. For countless generations since, the town and the miles of low hill countryside surrounding it have been considered sacred.

Reminders of the Hindu faith are everywhere. There are countless temples, pilgrims marching through narrow streets following holy men in saffron robes, devotional music and singing. There is also stark, third-world poverty and suffering. It’s city of narrow, trash-blown streets and open sewers, alongside a river black will pollution — the overcrowded capital of New Delhi lies upstream.

As if the audio was not enough, the website features a breathtaking slide-show for those whose curiosity overpowers their imagination. In addition to the main stories, NPR also has a running tape of the ambient sounds in four locations around Vrindavan:

• A Rickshaw Ride Through the Streets of Vrindavan
• Women Gather to Sing on the Shores of the Yamuna River
• Bells Call the Faithful to See a Statue of Krishna
• A Song of Devotion at the Shri Raman Temple