The birth place of Lord Krishna, Mathura is an
ancient city of India known for its various monasteries of the Hindu
religion and various pilgrim spots and temples. The city is one of the
oldest in India and is mentioned in the ancient Hindu epic Ramayana. The
region however was inhabited since the 6th century BC and came under
various historical and mythological dynasties of India. Owing to its
ancient culture and tradition Mathura contains a plethora of tourist attractions, the best ones of those are as follows.
1. Krishna Janma Bhoomi Mandir
“Krishna Janma Bhoomi Mandir”
is known to be the birthplace of the Hindu deity Lord Krishna who was
the 8th incarnation of the deity Lord Vishnu. The God king was said to
be born in a prison cell and the exact location of the prison cell is
now occupied by a temple that is frequented by thousands of tourists
each year. The best time to visit is during the festival of Janmashtami
and Holi when the festivities are at their prime.
2. Jama Masjid
The Islamic mosque was built in 1662 AD by the governor of the Mughals, Abd-un-Nabi. Jama Masjid
in Mathura is one of the major historical monuments in Uttar Pradesh.
The mosque houses the tomb of the Mughal governor and is located close
to the aforementioned Krishna Janma Bhoomi Mandir.
3. Dwarkadhish Temple
A fairly new temple in the ancient city of Mathura, the Dwarkadhish Temple
was established around 150 years ago by a devotee of Lord Krishna. The
temple is known for its amazing swing festival at the start of the
monsoons in this region. The Lord Krishna depicted in the idol here is
in his “King of Dwarka’ form and is depicted without the peacock feather
and the flute.
4. Kusum Sarovar
Located near Radha Kunj, Kusum Sarovar
is 450 feet long and 60 feet deep. The reservoir got its name from
Krishna’s famous consorts Radha, who was said to meet Lord Krishna near
the tank. The reservoir has a calm and serene environment and can be
used by visitors for a swim. The major attraction here is the evening
Aarti which is not to be missed and is commonly photographed by the
shutterbugs.
5. Radha Kund
The
town is considered to be a major pilgrim spot for the Vaishnavites in
India and is known to be the place where Lord Krishna slew a Demon Bull.
The pool of the Radha Kund is said to be formed by
Lord Krishna who struck the earth and the water emerged at this spot.
the pool is considered to be the most sacred and the various pilgrims
frequent the place in thousands of numbers.
6. Kans Qila
Also known as Kans Fort, the Kans Qila
is named after Lord Krishna’s maternal uncle and was built by Raja
Mansingh I of Jaipur. Raja Mansingh was one of the Navratnas of the
Mughal emperor Akbar. The fort is built in a unique Hindu and Mughal
styled architecture near the banks the the Yamuna River.
7. Mathura Museum
Formerly known as Curzon Museum of Archeology, the Mathura Museum
was constructed in the year 1874. The museum due to its unique
architecture and the important artifacts housed here has also appeared
on postage stamps issued by the government of India. The museum houses
various ancient archeological findings dating back to the Kushana and
the Gupta Empire.
8. Govardhan Hill
Govardhan Hill
is located near the Vrindavan and is one of the major pilgrim spots for
the Vaishnavites. The hill is mentioned in the ancient texts of the
Hindus and was once lifted by lord Krishna to defeat Indra the god of
Rain and thunder in Hindu Mythology. The story related to the legend of
this pilgrim spot is pretty interesting and will lead you to explore
more about the Hindu myths and legends.
The holy town of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh is also famous for its special sweet dish called the ‘Peda’
and the city has been mentioned several times in the religious texts as
one of the revered pilgrim sites for the Hindus. The above-mentioned
places are a must visit as it provides the deep insight of the cultural
and ancient historical relevance of Mathura.
