Mathura, the birth city of Bhagwan Krishna is situated on the banks of river Yamuna and is approximately 145 km from the capital city Delhi. The town is renowned for being the birthplace of Lord Krishna which is now the famous Krishna Janma Bhoomi Mandir. The temple is the place where lord is said to have been born thousands of years ago.
According to historians, the prison cell, popularly known as ‘Garbha Griha’, in the temple premise is the exact place where lord Krishna was born. The prison cell was gradually turned into the present beautiful temple. Lakhs of devotees throng the temple during Janmashtami when festivities and celebrations begin during mid night with the birth of Krishna.

The temple had been destroyed number of times in the ages of Mohammed Gazni, Sikander Lodi and Aurangzeb but had been restored every time. You have to undergo a security checking at the gate and we request you to co-operate with the guards. You will be asked to leave you mobile phone outside the premises.

Vishram Ghat is the most important bathing ghat in Mathura. Lord Krishna is said to have rested here after killing Kamsa, the tyrant king of Mathura. The ‘Aarti’ being offered in the morning and evening at the riverside is a visual treat to the eyes.

The Govindaji Temple built in 1590, is another attraction in Mathura. The original Govindaji Deity was removed from this temple and kept in Jaipur when Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb tried to destroy it. This magnificent temple houses a spectacular marble altar adorned with gold and silver and hold the idols of Govindaji in the middle, Lord Chaitanya to His left and Lord Nityananda to His right. A sculptured lotus flower weighing several tons decorates the main hall of the temple.

Don’t forget to gorge on the famous Mathura Pedhas.

Best time to Visit: : Between October to Mid- March

How to Reach:
By Air: The nearest airport is Agra which is 66 km away.
By Rail: Mathura Junction is well connected to Delhi by numerous trains including the Punjab Mail and Taj Express, to Mumbai by the August Kranti and Mumbai Rajdhani and to Kolkata by the Toofan Express.
By Road: Mathura and Vrindavan are well connected with Agra, Delhi, Bharatpur, Alwar and Lucknow by well maintained road.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 17th, 2010 at 3:22 am and is filed under Historical Places. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.