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Mathura


India City: Mathura

Population : 272,500
Area : 38,000 sq km
Languages : Hindi and Braj
Best Time to Visit : Winters
STD Codes : 0565

Mathura (Brajbhoomi) is famous as the birthplace of Lord Krishna, an important deity in the Hindu religious pantheon. It is an important pilgrim place of the Hindus and one of the seven sacred cities in India. The main pilgrim center in Mathura is the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple. Mathura is also an important craft center.

The city of Mathura is located in the western part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, in the northern region of India. Mathura is 141 km south of Delhi and 47 km northwest of Agra . Summers are extremely hot and winters are cold and foggy. It experiences southwestern monsoon rains from July to September. The best time to visit Mathura is during winter, between the months of October and March.

Mathura attracts pilgrims from all over the country for being the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi (birthplace of Lord Krishna). Mathura is an important pilgrim place of the Hindus. A stone slab marks the original spot of the birth of Lord Krishna. The earlier Kesava Deo temple had the room where Lord Krishna was born. According to legend, Lord Krishna was born in a small prison room where the tyrant ruler Kansa held his parents captive.

The Archeological Museum of Mathura is an important place to visit. It houses an excellent collection of sculptures belonging to the ancient Mathura school of art. The Vishram Ghat, on river Yamuna, is another place to visit in Mathura. It is said that Lord Krishna had killed the tyrant Kansa here. The Sati Burj, Kans Qila, Jama Masjid and Dwarkadheesh temple are other places to see in Mathura.

Vrindavan is 10 km from Mathura and it is associated with the childhood exploits of Lord Krishna. Like Mathura, Vrindavan is also famous for its temples. There are about 4,000 temples in Vrindavan . The main temples are Govind Dev Temple, Rangaji temple, Bankey Bihari temple, Radha Ballabh temple, Madan Mohan temple, Pagal Baba temple and the Nidhi Van temple.

Gokul is 16 km south of Mathura. It is said that Lord Krishna was secretly raised here. Mahaban is 18 km southeast of Mathura. Lord Krishna is believed to have spent his youth here.

Barsana, 50 km northwest of Mathura, is worth visiting as it is the birthplace of Lord Krishna's consort Radha. The Holi festival of Barsana is unique. The Barsana women attack men from Nandgaon with wooden sticks, when they try to put color on these women.

Govardhan is 25 km west of Mathura. Legend has it that Lord Krishna had protected the local people from the wrath of the rain God Indra by holding up a hill on one finger.

Agra is 47 km southeast of Mathura. It was the one-time capital of the Mughal rulers and is known for the Taj. It also has a number of monuments belonging to the Mughals.

Bus services are available from Mathura to Delhi and Agra . Mathura railway station is located south of the new bus stand. Mathura is well connected by train with Agra (1 hour), Bharatpur , Sawai madhopur and Kota . The Taj Express runs daily between Matura to Delhi s. Travelers can make use of auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws to move around the city.

Accommodation in Mathura ranges from guesthouses to high-end hotels. Hotel Mansarovar Palace, Hotel Madhuvan and Hotel Radha Ashok (3 km from the city on the Delhi road) are the only top-end hotels in Mathura.