Mathura Vrindavan – Exploring the pious Krishna Janam Bhoomi in UP

Mathura Vrindavan is known as the birthplace of Lord Krishna. It is a part of the Braj region of Uttar Pradesh. As it is said – UTTAR PRADESH NAHI DEKHA, TO INDIA NAHI DEKHA – Braj bhoomi holds a nuclear place to this. In this blog, you will come to know about the various places and tourist spots in Mathura Vrindavan, the best time to visit, the river in Mathura Vrindavan, temples to visit, how to reach here and all other tips to plan a perfect destination visit.

Mathura holds an important place in Hindu culture. It is one of the 7 holy places for Hindus. Brajbhoomi can be divided into two parts – one lying to the east of River Yamuna and the other on the west of the river.

Places to the east of Yamuna –

• Gokul
• Mahavan
• Baldeo
• Mat
• Bajna

Places to the west of Yamuna –

• Vrindavan
• Govardhan
• Kusum Sarovar
• Barsana
• Nandgaon

So let’s dive to explore these places. It will give you a fair idea of various places to visit in the region. It will help you plan your trip accordingly. So, let’s Begin…

Gokul

Gokul is located 15 km southeast of Mathura. There are various famous places in Gokul that you must not miss.

RAMAN RETI

Raman Reti – Raman means Plays that Lord Krishna did with his cowherd friends and brother Balaram. Reti is a Hindi word for sand. At this place, Lord Krishna used to meet with his love Radha before going to Vrindavan. Today, Raman Reti is built in an Ashram form with a humongous compound laid out with sands – renuka. The devotees lay down on these sands and play with them. They make homes and also roll over in the sand. The sand is greyish when dry and does not stick to the clothes.

Also, the temple here has 3 idols. The main deity is in the same form as was revealed to Saint Gyandasji (his Ashram is adjacent to a temple called the Karshni Ashram). Its Darshana is for some specified times and at others, they are closed with curtains. We went there at 11:15 A.M and did Darshana at 11:30 A.M. The temple complex closes at 12:00 P.M. and opens again at 4:00 P.M. The atmosphere of the temple is unmatchable. There are some people who play musical instruments and the devotees dance to their tunes.

Deer Sanctuary

The deer sanctuary is just in front of the Raman Reti door. Here you can find the golden deer as well as the blackbucks. The deer are so friendly that they eat the food from your hand. Their tongue feels warm and you feel love for them. There are stalls of seeds and food to offer the deer.

Raskhan Samadhi

This place is adjacent to the Raman Reti parking. This place is recently renovated for tourism and inaugurated by Chief Minister Yogi Aadityanath Ji on June 7, 2022. You must not miss this place. It has been reconstructed so beautifully. Also, you will find samadhi of Krishna devotee, Taj Bibi. The place has erected panels with dohas/verses of these famous poets all along the garden path.

Shri Thakurani Ghat

This ghat is a popular one at the banks of River Yamuna.  It is believed that at this place Vallabhacharya, the founder of the Vallabh Sect of Vaishnavism, received the Darshana of Yamuna Maharani Ji. Many followers of Vallabh sect visit this place in the month of Kartik, especially from Gujarat.

There are boating facilities here and at the nearby Ram Ghat.

Nanda Bhavan

This is a big house that is believed to be built by a divine architect, Vishwakarma about 5000 years ago. It is situated on a hilltop. Nanda Baba was the foster father of Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna and his brother Balaram used to live in this place during their childhood.

Brahmand Ghat

This place is on the banks of the Yamuna River. According to the folktales, at this place Lord Krishna opened his mouth and his foster mother Yashoda saw the whole universe in his mouth. Child Krishna was accused of butter theft by the Gopis. Therefore Mother Yashoda confronted him and asked him to open his mouth to show.

At Brahmand Ghat, devotees take bath each day during the Kartik month. The ghat has well-built stairs to reach the bottom. There are facilities for toilets as well. Here many devotees live in tents, even many foreigners. There is a temple beside a huge banyan tree as well. The temple is built in old rural architecture.

Chintaharan Mahadev Temple

Chaurasi Khamba Temple

This temple is situated on a hilltop. It is believed that those who cannot do the 84 Kos Yatra, can visit here and it will be deemed to be it’s equal. You have to take a full parikrama of the 84 pillars. The peculiar thing about this place is that each time anyone counts the number of pillars, the result comes out to be different. But beware of the Pandits, who will make you sit and ask for prasad money. This bhoga that bhoga.

But do not miss the famous Lassi, Kalakand and Rabri of this place!

Vrindavan

Vrindavan is the place where Lord Sri Krishna used to tease the gopis. It is this place where he tenderly wooed Radha. Vrindavan is about 15 km from Mathura. It is known for its number of temples ( about 5000 ) – both ancient and modern. Let’s explore some of the most prominent ones –

Banke Bihari Temple

It is the most popular temple in Mathura Vrindavan. The temple was built in 1860 in the Rajasthani style of architecture. The term Banke – means bent at three angles. It refers to the image of Krishna playing the flute: where his right knee is bent across the left knee, his right hand is bent to hold the flute, and his head is tilted slightly.

The temple is three-storeyed. The idol of Banke Bihari was discovered at Nidhi Van by Swami Haridas Ji of the Nimbarka sect. The present temple is a rebuilt version of 1921.

Timings

• Summer : (7:45 AM to 12:00 noon, 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM).
• Winter : (8:45 AM to 1:00 PM, 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM).

Radha Raman Temple

This temple houses shaligram deity in its original form alongside Radha. It was constructed at the request of Gopala Bhatta Goswami around 1542. He was a follower of the Gaudiya sect. Many followers of this sect visit this place. Samadhi of Gopala Bhatt Goswami is behind the temple in the same compound. This temple is near Nidhi Van.

ISCKON Temple

The full form of ISCKON is – The International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The ISCKON temple is also known as the Krishna-Balram Temple. It is situated in the Raman-Reti area on the Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg. This temple was built using white marble in 1975. The temple has a square courtyard with murals on walls depicting the life events of Krishna.

There is a Tamal Tree in the courtyard. According to the priests, it is the same tree under which Radha used to wait for Krishna every evening.

Adjoining the temple is the Samadhi of Shri Prabhupadji. He was the founder of the ISKCON sect. The samadhi is built in pure white marble.

Timings

• Summer : (4:30 AM to 12:45 PM, 4:30 PM to 8:00 PM)
• Winter : (4:30 AM to 1:00 PM, 4:00 PM to 8:15 PM)

Madan Mohan Temple

This temple is on the Parikrama Marg, very near the Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan. This temple was built in 1580 by Kapur Ram Das of Multan. It is on a hilltop and is surrounded by walls. It is made from red stones. The shikhara of the temple is about 60 feet high.

According to the locals, it is said that after vanquishing the demon Kaliya, Lord Krishna rested on this hillock. Drenched with water he began to feel cold. At that time twelve suns (dwadasha aditya) came down to give him warmth, giving the hillock its name – Dwadasha Aditya tila.

This place is also very pious among the followers of the Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

The original idol of Lord Madan Gopal was shifted from the shrine to Karauli in Rajasthan during Aurangzeb’s terror rule for safekeeping. Today, the replica of the image is worshipped at the temple.

Rangaji Temple

This temple is unique. It has traditional Gopuram on the lines of south Indian temple architecture, a Rajputa style architecture entrance gate and an Italian-influenced colonnade. The temple was built in 1851. There is a 15 m high pillar inside.

This temple is dedicated to Lord Ranganatha / Rangaji depicted as Lord Vishnu in his Sheshashayi pose i.e. resting on the coils of the sacred Shesha-naga. There is a tank within the temple compound. At this tank, the annual festival Jal Vihar is conducted.

The temple is also famous for its ‘Brahmotsav’ festival. It is celebrated in March-April. Another name of the festival is ‘Rath ka Mela’. It is a ten-day-long celebration marked by the pulling of the rath (the chariot car) by the devotees from the temple to the adjoining gardens.

Timings

• Summer : (8:00 AM to 12:45 PM, 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM).
• Winter : (5:30 AM to 11:00 AM, 4:00 PM to 7:30 PM).

Govind Dev Temple

This temple was constructed in 1590 by King Man Singh of Amer. He spent ten million rupees at that time to build the temple. In 1670, the temple was plundered by Aurangzeb. Today, only a three-storeyed sandstone structure remains ( earlier 7 storeys).

This temple is somewhat different from the conventional Nagara Style Temples. It is on a raised plinth and one has to climb a flight of stairs to reach the main hall. In its original form, it was a 7 storeys structure built in the form of a Greek cross. The temple has western, Hindu and Muslim architectural elements in its structure.

The temple also has an altar. The altar is made up of marble and silver. According to local tales, Mughal Emperor Akbar donated some of the red sandstone that had been brought for the Red Fort at Agra, for the construction of this temple.

Barsana

Barsana in the Mathura Vrindavan area is the birthplace of our beloved Radha Rani. It is situated 21 km north of Govardhan. Its original name was Brahmasaran. Barsana lies on a slope of a ridge. There are four prominent peaks on the hill. They are crowned by the Ladli Ji temple.

Important Places to visit in Barsana are:-

Shriji Temple :

This temple houses the deity of Shriji, also known as Ladli Lal ( meaning “The beloved one” ). The temple was constructed by Vajranabhabout 5000 years ago.

Maan Mandir :

The fables tell that at this place Radha would go into seclusion when annoyed by someone. There is a small tunnel leading to a dark chamber where Radha would go and sit. Krishna used to plead and cry to please Radha.

Mor Kutir :

Mor Kutir is the place where Krishna and Radha danced depicting peacocks.

Krishna Kund or Radha Sarovar :

There is a pond at the centre of the forests and caves where Radha is believed to take bathe. It is also believed that Radha-Krishna used to play water sports here.

Sankari Khor :

Sankari is a Hindi word meaning narrow. This is a very narrow passageway. It is at the junction of two hills – Brahma Hill and Vishnu Hill. Fables say that at this place Lord Krishna and his friends used to block the way of Radha by dressing as the tax-collectors. They would ask for curd, butter (Makhan) and ghee.

Nandgaon

Nanda Bhavan or Nandagram Temple:

This place is believed to be the residence of Nand Baba. There are deities of – Krishna, Balram, Nanda Baba and Yashoda Maiyya. Next to Yashoda Maiyya, is the deity of Radha Rani, Rohini ( mother of Balrama ) and Revati ( wife of Balrama ). Next to Nand Maharaj, is the deity of Sudama and Madhumangala – 2 friends of Lord Krishna.

The deities were established by Vajranabha whereas the temple was built by Rupa Singh in the 19th century. The deities of Krishna and Balram are made from black marble and are standing in a 3-fold bend posture.

Nandisvara Temple:

It is within the compound of the Nandagram Temple. There is a Sivalinga known as Nandisvara on the side altar. The Siva linga at the temple was installed by Vajranabha.

Pavana Sarovara:

Sarovar means lake. Pavana Sarovar is is a lake at the bottom of Nandisvara hill. This is believed to be one of Lord Krishna’s favourite lakes.

Charan Pahari:

Charan Pahari is a small hill southwest of Nandagram. It is close to the road that goes to Kamyavana. Impressions of Lord Krishna are worshipped at this place.

MATHURA

Krishna Janam Bhumi

Krishna Janam Bhumi is the place where Lord Krishna was born inside a prison cell. From here he was taken by Nana Baba. It is located in the western part of Mathura. Locals tell that there used to be a 4 m high idol of Lord Krishna which was plundered by Mahmud Gaznavi. Today, photos of Lord Krishna and a small brass idol in his Palna (swing) are worshipped. The idol is placed on a high columnar stone-like platform.

The interior of the place is still preserved in the original Fort-like structure while the top outside has been demolished to form a mosque-like structure. Therefore, the structure stands in a disputed position today like the Gyanvapi Mosque of Varanasi.

Dwarikadheesh Temple

This temple is also dedicated to Lord Krishna. In this temple, he is worshipped as a king. Since he was the ruler of Dwarika in Gujarat.

Timings :

• Summer (6:30 AM to 11:00 AM, 3:30 PM to 7:00 PM)
• Winter (6:30 AM to 11:00 AM, 4:00 PM to 7:30 PM)

Vishram Ghat

The parikrama marg starts from the Vishram Ghat in Mathura Vrindavan region. The path circulates 12 major ghats of the city.

These 12 major ghats including it, in the north of the Vishram Ghat are:-

1. Vishram Ghat
2. Ganesh Ghat
3. Dashashwamedh Ghat with its Neelakantheshwar Temple
4. Saraswati Sangam Ghat
5. Chakratirtha Ghat
6. Krishnaganga Ghat
7. Somatirth or Swami Ghat
8. Ghantagharan Ghat
9. Dharapattan Ghat
10. Vaikuntha Ghat
11. Navtirtha or Varahkshetra Ghat
12. Asikunda ghat or Brahma-tirtha Ghat

The other 11 major ghats in the south of the Vishram Ghat are:-

1. Guptatirth Ghat
2. Prayag Ghat marked by the Veni Madhav Temple
3. Shyam Ghat
4. Ram Ghat
5. Kankhal Ghat, the site of the Janmashtami and Jhula festivals
6. Dhruva ghat
7. Saptrishi Ghat
8. Mokshatirth Ghat
9. Surya Ghat
10. Ravan Koti Ghat
11. Buddha Ghat

The evening aarti of the Vishram Ghat is really very famous. You must not miss the religiousness in the air at this time. The entire visible area gets filled with the lighted floating diyas, floating on the Holy Yamuna.

Kunda Snan

Puranic verses mention 159 holy kunds in the Mathura-Vrindavan region. But today, only 4 of them survived. These are located at:-

1. Shiva Taal
2. Potara Kunda
3. Balbhadra Kunda
4. Saraswati Kunda

Shaivite Temples in Mathura Vrindavan

• Bhuteshwar Mahadev Temple to the west of the town
• Gokarneshwar Temple in the north
• Rangeshwar Mahadev Temple to the south
• Pipaleshwar Mahadev Temple to the east

Kansa Fort ( Qila )

This fort is situated on the banks of the Yamuna River. There are ruins of the fort. The present structure was built by Raja Man Singh in the 16th century. Later on, Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur added an observatory in the complex.

Hence this place also attracts historians and astronomers. This observatory is one of the great scientific works in ancient India. It is one of the 5 observatories that Sawai Jai Singh established including – Ujjain, New Delhi, Jaipur and Varanasi. These came to be called the Jantar Mantar.

Mathura Government Museum

This museum was founded in 1874 by F.S. Grouse. The museum houses the finest collection of sculptures belonging to the Maurya, Sunga, Kushana and Gupta periods. Since Mathura was one of the art and sculpture capital of Kushanas therefore the collection of Kushana art is considered to be the finest in the world.

Timing:

• 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM
• Closed on Monday

Gayatri Tapobhumi – World’s First Gayatri Temple

This place is located on Mathura road. It is believed to be the penance land of Durvasa Rishi and sage Angira. It was established by Vedmoorti Pandit Shri Ram Sharma Acharya in 1953 after performing 24 Mahapurashwaran of 24-24 lakh chanting of the Gayatri mantra.

How To Reach?

• By Air

  • The nearest airport is Agra ( Kheria) which is 46 km away.
  • Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL),  New Delhi is 136 km away.
  • Jewar Airport, Noida ( proposed ).

• By Railways

  • There are regular trains from other major cities.
  • Railway Stations: Mathura Cantt (MRT) and Mathura Junction (MTJ).
  • Mathura Junction is more accessible.

• By Road

  • Well connected via Yamuna Expressway and National Highway 44.

If you have planned to visit the place, please feel free to ask any doubts by posting in the comments.

Have a safe Yatra…