Mathura: Lord Krishna´s Birth Place

Of all the places related with the name of the Lord Krishna, such as Vrindavan, Mathura and Dwarka, Mathura--located in Uttar Pradesh, on the western banks of the Yamuna River--enjoys an important place. It was at Mathura that Lord Krishna was born. Maybe, that´s why Mathura is called Krishna Janmabhoomi which literally means Lord Krishna´s birth place.

The pilgrimage destination of Mathura is an ancient city. It finds mention in Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavat Purana. Mathura´s strategic location ensured it remained one of the most visited destinations of India for long. Earlier, it was an important centre of trade and meeting place for different cultures. For about 3000 years it remained an excellent centre of cultures and civilizations.

Mathura is regarded sacred by not only the Hindus but also by the Buddhists and the Jains. Mathura was also one of the two places where the statues of Lord Buddha was made, the other being Gandhara (Afghanistan). In fact, the Mathura School of Arts that flourished for about 1200 years was much renowned throughout the world.

Attractions The sacred city of Mathura has several tourist spots, mostly temples and ghats, which attract the visitors much. Krishna Janmabhoomi, Dwarkadhish Temple, Jama Maszid, Vishram Ghat, Gita Mandir, Government Museum and Gokul are some of the chief attractions of Mathura.

Krishna Janmabhoomi is the spot at Mathura where Lord Krishna was born. Dwarkadhish Temple is a wonderful temple built in 1814. At the time of Holi, Diwali and Janmashtami this temple is well decorated. Jama Maszid that has four minarets and bright color mosaic is a beautiful mosque built in 1661. Vishram Ghat is the place where Lord Krishna is believed to have taken rest after killing Kansa, his maternal uncle who was then the ruler of Mathura.

Gita Mandir is a magnificent temple much popular for intricate temple carvings and beautiful paintings. The Government Museum is a superb museum having Gupta, and Kushan artifacts of 400 BC to 1200 AD period. And, last but not the least; Gokul is the place where Lord Krishna was raised.

How to reach

Mathura is 150 km away from Delhi, 50 km away from Agra and 10 km away from Vrindavan and is well connected by rail, road and air.