North India · Uttar Pradesh
Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
Sources: wikimedia
Before you go
One of the Sapta Puri; Mathura and Vrindavan (~12 km apart) are one pilgrimage. Holi in Braj (Barsana's Lathmar Holi, Vrindavan's temples) and Janmashtami are the two great seasons -- expect the temples at full capacity.
About Mathura
- Riverside
Where it is
Mathura is a city on the Yamuna in western Uttar Pradesh, the heart of the Braj region, about 60 km north-west of Agra and some 160 km south-east of Delhi, with Vrindavan just upstream.
History
Capital of the ancient Surasena kingdom and revered as the birthplace of Krishna, Mathura was a great trading city, and under the Kushans in the early centuries CE it was home to one of India's most important schools of sculpture. It was raided by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1018, later ruled by the Mughals and the Jats, and came under British control in the early 19th century.
People
Mathura's people speak Hindi and Braj Bhasha, the language of much Krishna devotional poetry, and pandas, or pilgrim priests, guide visitors around the ghats and temples. The city is famous for its milk sweets, and for Holi and Janmashtami celebrated across Braj with song, dance and the raslila.
Known for
- The Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple
- Vishram Ghat and the Yamuna aarti
- Vrindavan's temples nearby
- Holi and Janmashtami in Braj
- Mathura peda
Did you know?
Mathura's Government Museum holds a famous headless statue of the Kushan emperor Kanishka, found near the city.
Shrines and sites
- Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi
- Banke Bihari Temple
- Prem Mandir and ISKCON
- Vishram Ghat on the Yamuna
Traditions
- Hindu
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.