Mathura – The Heart of Braj Bhoomi
Shri Krishna is a pivotal figure of Hinduism in particular and Indian culture in general. Due to the spread of Indian diaspora and their culture to the west, Lord Krishna has become a universally identifiable figure. Stories, myths, and legends related to Krishna has found their way into Indian literature, art, and music, so much so that they have broken the barriers of religion and become a symbol of India’s syncretic culture.
While Krishna temples and related shrines can be found all over India, the region where you can have a definitive Krishna experience is this region in western Uttar Pradesh, called Braj Bhoomi, centered around the city of Mathura. This is the birthplace of Shri Krishna, where he performed most of his “leelas” (miracles), even at a young age. Mathura is located on the banks of the river Yamuna, a tributary of Ganga. It is only 58 kms from Agra – The City of Taj Mahal, and 140 kms from New Delhi – the capital of India.
The history of Mathura goes back to thousands of years and beyond recorded history. Even the present-day city is replete with ancient ghats, arched gateways and temple spires extending along the right bank of the river Yamuna. In the ancient times, Mathura was very strategically located at the center of Northern India. Trade-routes from various directions crisscrossed here, making it an important trade-hub as well as a melting pot of cultures. By the fifth century, BC Mathura was a major metropolis and the capital of the Surasena Kingdom, one of the 16 Mahajanapadas or kingdoms that ruled ancient India before the emergence of the powerful pan-Indian empires. During the Kushana period, Mathura became famous for the Mathura School of sculpture, the remains of which can still be witnessed in the magnificent Government Museum of Mathura, established in the 19th century.
On the other hand, as per the ancient scriptures, Shri Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, was born as the eighth son of the Yadava prince, Vasudev and his wife Devaki. To save him from the murderous intentions of his maternal Uncle Kansa (the ruler of Mathura), the infant Krishna was spirited away soon after birth to Gokul, the village of the gopas (cowherds) in Braj (their pastureland). It was at Braj that Krishna grew into manhood, in the tender care of his foster parents Nand and Yashoda and indulged in romantic escapades during his early youth. Later on, Lord Krishna gets involved in the Great War described in the epic Mahabharata, especially for his precepts to Arjun in the battle of Kurukshetra, revealing the ultimate truths of life. These verses are collectively known as the Bhagavad Gita. At present, the Brajbhoomi region is divided into two separate units- the trans-Yamuna tract (Eastern Side) with places like Gokul, Mahavan, Baldeo, Mat and Bajna and the Western Side of the Yamuna covering the Mathura region that encompasses places like Brindavan, Govardhan, Kusum Sarovar, Barsana and Nandgaon. You can have a tour of the entire region with Mathura as the base, which is the largest city in this area with all necessary facilities.
Government Museum Mathura
The Government Museum in Mathura is one of the attractions to understand the history and heritage of this place. It is one of the richest museums in terms of the archaeological items stored, starting with many prehistoric artifacts and many historical statues, pottery, sculptures, paintings, and coins primarily found in and around Mathura, plus discoveries made by noted colonial archaeologists like Alexander Cunningham, F. S. Growse, and Fuhrer. The museum is famous for ancient sculptures of the Mathura school dating from 3rd century BC to 12th century AD., mainly during Kushan Empire and Gupta Empire.
Dwarkadhish Temple – Scindia Grandeur
Sri Dwarkadhish Mandir is one of the largest temples of Mathura. It looks majestic because the current structure was built with the help of the Scindia Rulers of Gwalior. It was built for the famous Hindu deity Dwarkadheesh (meaning the God or king of Dwarka, to where Lord Krishna had shifted from Mathura and settled till his life on earth). So, the main deity Lord Dwarkadheesh, a form of Lord Krishna seen in a black Marble idol named Dwarkanath, accompanied by the white marble idol of his counterpart deity Rukmini Devi.
Krishna Janmasthan Temple – The Birthplace of Krishna
The Krishna Janmasthan Temple Complex is a group of Hindu temples in Mathura built around the place where major Krishna is said to have been born. This location is believed to have been a site of worship since at least, 6th century BC but it was destroyed repeatedly by invaders. Finally, in the 20th century, the new temple complex was built with grants from many big industrialists and it now contains the Keshavdeva temple, the Garbha Griha Temple (the birthplace) and the Bhagavata Bhavan. The central Deities in the temple are Radha-Keshava. On the left altar, Lord Jagannath, Balarama, and Subhadra, being looked at by Sri Chaitanya can be seen while on the right altar you can find Sita, Rama, and Laksman with Hanuman across them.
Vishram Ghat – The Most Famous Ghat in Town
Vishram Ghat is one of the major ghats in Mathura. It is a place for ablution and worship, on the banks of River Yamuna. The city has as many as 25 Ghats but this is the most prominent one of them. Vishram literally means to rest or relax. It is said that Lord Krishna rested after killing evil King Kamsa and even Lord Varaha also rested here after killing Hiranyaksa. Every evening, there is a Sunset Arati offered here to the sacred Yamuna River. There is a monument called Sati Burj (16th century) nearby. It is a red sandstone tower with a dome, built to commemorate the sacrifice of the wife of the Maharaja of Amber (Jaipur). Another km north of Vishram Ghat is the Kamsa Qila, an old fort built by the same Raja of Amber that is now in ruins.
Barsana & Nandgaon – Lathmar Holi & More
Barsana and Nandgaon are two adjacent, historical towns’ places around 50 kms from Mathura, known for their unique Holi celebrations. According to Hindu texts, Nandgaon was the home of Lord Krishna where he resided for nine years and 50 days along with his foster father Nanda Baba and mother Yashoda. Nanda Baba, the village chieftain, built the house atop a large hill to protect Lord Krishna from demons sent by King Kamsa. On the other hand, Barana is believed to be the village of Radha, his consort. During the ‘Lathmar Holi’ local women masquerade as ‘gopis’ aka cowgirls and hit the men, who dress up as gwalas with wooden sticks, enacting the playful banter between Krishna from Nandgaon and Radha from Barsana.
Gokul – The Place of Infant Krishna
This is the town where infant Lord Krishna was brought up in secrecy by his foster mother Yashoda. Situated on the banks of the Yamuna, Gokul is frequented by pilgrims, especially during Janmashtami and Annakut festival.
Raval – Birthplace of Radha
Around 9 kms from Mathura on the other side of Yamuna, Raval is believed to be the birthplace of Radha, Krishna’s consort. As per the legends, once King Vrishabhanu went to the Yamuna River to take bath and found a child. He brought her home but found her to be blind. Later one, during a ceremony, Nanda Maharaja brought baby Krishna to his place and at that point, due to his divine presence, Radha finally opened her eyes, and thus the first person she saw was her eternal consort, Sri Krishna.
Govardhan Parikrama – Mythical Circumambulation
As per the Hindu mythology, Lord Krishna lifted the Govardhan Hill on one finger when he was a child, in order to save the villagers living in Mathura from extreme rain and thunderstorm. Since then, Govardhan Hill also called as Shri Govardhan, Giri Raj, Govardhana Parbat or Royal Hill, is considered holy and is now worshipped by Hindu devotees from across India. The 80 feet tall hill, made up of sandstone is enthusiastically worshipped during Guru Purnima when devotees walk barefoot around the hill for 23 kilometers. Govardhan Hill is located 22 kilometers away from Mathura in the outskirts of the town. Hindu pilgrims from across the world perform the parikrama or circumambulation around the Govardhan Parvat throughout the year.
Holi in Mathura – Riot of Colors
Holi celebration in the Mathura-Vrindavan-Barsana circuit varies from location to location. People from each location in this area celebrate Holi in their own unique ways. Some of the important locations are Gulal Kund in Braj, which is a lake near the holy Govardhan Parbat, Bakai-Bihari Mandir in Vrindavan and many temples of Nandgaon, Barsana, Jab Baithan, Vrindavan. It is an experience in itself and lasts several days. It needs to be experienced rather than described in words.
Kunds and Sarovars – The Sacred Ponds of Braj
There are several water bodies in this region that are associated with various stories related to Krishna and his various miracles. For example, there is a small town set around a pond called Radha Kund and nearby Shyam Kund, Legend has it that when Lord Krishna slayed a mighty asura (demon) in the form of a bull, his consort Radha told him to wash off his sins by taking dips here and thus the ponds got their name. A 25-minute walk from here is the Kusuma Sarovara, which is the best swimming spot in Braj. Kusuma means “flower,” and here the gopis would pick flowers for Krishna. Similarly, Pavana Sarovara is located at the bottom of Nandagram Hill, where mother Yashoda used to bathe Lord Krishna. Radha also came here to cook for Krishna every morning.