About Mathura

Country: India | State: Uttar Pradesh

Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days

Nearest City to Mathura: Agra (60 Kms), Delhi City (159 Kms)

Best Time to Visit Mathura: August to March

Peak Season: August to September & March

At a distance of 56 km from Agra, 159 km from Delhi, 419 km from Lucknow and 224 km from Jaipur, Mathura is an ancient city and also the district headquarters of Mathura in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Mathura is one of the popular tourist places near Agra and also one of the best places to visit near Delhi.

Mathura is one of the seven cities (Sapta Puri) considered holy by Hindus, the other six are Ayodhya, Haridwar, Varanasi, Kanchipuram, Ujjain and Dwarka. Mathura is also one of the popular Delhi weekend getaways for 2 day trip. It is located at the banks of river Yamuna and is popularly known as the Brajbhoomi, the sacred land of Lord Krishna. The Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple is home to a prison cell called Garbha Griha that is believed to be the exact birthplace of Krishna. Large number of devotees visit this temple every year on Janmashtami.

The city of Mathura has a rich history. In the ancient times, Mathura was an important point of culture and civilization. In the epic of Ramayana, the Ikshwaku prince Shatrughna slays a demon called Lavanasura and claims the land. Afterwards, the place came to be known as Madhuvan as it was thickly wooded, then Madhupura and later Mathura. Mathura is usually visited along with Vrindavan. It takes 2 full days to visit the main temples in Mathura & Vrindavan.

In the 6th century BC Mathura became the capital of the Surasena Mahajanapada. The city was later ruled by the Maurya Empire and the Shunga dynasty. Mathura saw its golden age during the rule of the Kushanas and the able governance of rulers like Kanishka, Huvishka, and Vasishka, when the arts flourished and economic wealth grew. The city was sacked and many of its temples destroyed by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1018 and again by Sikandar Lodi, who ruled the Sultanate of Delhi from 1489 to 1517.

Apart from Sri Krishna Janma Bhumi, Dwarkadheesh Temple, Gita mandir, Kusum Sarovar, Vishram Ghat and Jama Masjid are the top places to visit in Mathura. The Government Museum in Mathura is one of the best museums and attracts people with archaeological interest. The museum has some of the best collections of artifacts from the Gupta and Kushan period (400 BC-1200AD).

Holi and Janmastami are the major festivals celebrated in Mathura. The Holi festival attracts national and international tourists to this town. Tourists can also visit nearby Barsana where the interesting tradition of Lath Mar Holi is observed. Mathura is also known for its milk and is famous for ghee (clarified butter) that is considered one of the best in the country.

Agra Airport is the closest airport, which is 60 km away. Mathura Junction Railway Station is a major rail head with regular train services to Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pondicherry, Vizag, Dehradun, Chandigarh, Trivandrum, Shirdi, Jammu Tawi, Chennai, Hubli, Goa, Patna, Lucknow, Bangalore and Chhattisgarh. Mathura is also well connected by road with Agra, Jaipur, Lucknow, Delhi, Indore and Allahabad.

The best time to visit Mathura is from October to March.

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Other Info
Internet Availability: Good
STD Code: 0565
Languages Spoken: Hindi and English
Major Festivals: Holi (Mar) and Janmastami (Aug/Sep)
Notes/Tips:
None

How to Reach Mathura

By Air

Nearest Airport: Agra - Kheria Airport (60 Kms)

By Train

Nearest Train Station: Mathura Jn Railway Station (0 Kms)

By Bus

Nearest Bus Station: Mathura New Bus Station (2 Kms)

Top 10 Places to Visit in Mathura

#1 of 8 Places to Visit in Mathura

About Mathura Sri Krishna Temple

At a distance of 4 Km from Mathura Junction Railway Station, Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi is the most famous temple located in the crowded city of Mathura. Dedicated to Lord Krishna, the temple is the most important site for the followers of Lord Krishna and among the must-include places in the Mathura tour packages. Sri Krishna Janma Bhoomi also known as Katra Keshav Dev Temple is the actual birthplace of Lord Krishna. The temple is built around the prison cell in which Lord Krishna's parents, Mata Devaki and Vasudeva were imprisoned by his evil uncle Kansa.

History of Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple

Sri Krishna Janmasthan Temple has been built around the prison in which Lord Krishna was born. It is believed that it was first constructed by the great-grandson of Krishna Vajranabha 5000 years ago. A bigger temple was constructed to replace the old temple during the reign of Emperor .....

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#2 of 8 Places to Visit in Mathura

About Dwarkadhish Temple

At a distance of 4 Km from Mathura Junction Railway Station, Dwarkadheesh Temple is a Hindu temple located near the banks of river Yamuna, close to Vishram Ghat and Gatashram Tila in the holy city of Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. The main deity of the temple is Lord Dwarkadheesh, a form of Lord Krishna. This temple is also famous by other names like Jagat Mandir or Nija Mandir. It is one of the oldest and largest temples in Mathura, and among the most visited pilgrimage sites near Delhi.

History of Dwarkadhish Temple

The Dwarkadheesh Temple in Mathura was established in 1814 by Seth Gokul Das Parikh, who served as the treasurer for the Gwalior State under the Scindia dynasty. A devoted follower of Lord Krishna, he constructed this shrine to honor the deity. The principal deity worshipped at the temple is Lord Dwarkadheesh, a manifestation of Lord Krishna, the ruler of Dwarka, .....

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#3 of 8 Places to Visit in Mathura

About Vishram Ghat

At a distance of 4.5 Km from Mathura Junction Railway Station, Vishram Ghat is a sacred bathing ghat situated on the banks of river Yamuna in Mathura. Vishram Ghat is the main ghat of Mathura and is central to 25 other ghats. The Vishram Ghat is one of the most important ghats as the traditional parikrama starts and ends at this place. The parikrama is the circumambulation of all the major religious and cultural places of Mathura, among the most prominent places to visit near Delhi.

History & Mythology of Vishram Ghat

According to the legend, Lord Krishna is said to have rested at this place after killing Kansa and the name Vishram Ghat is in reference to this as it means 'ghat of rest.' However, the Varaha Purana states that it was Vasudeva who rested at this site, and the ghat is named in his honor.

During the 15th Century, under the rule of the Mughal emperor, this location .....

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#4 of 8 Places to Visit in Mathura

About Birla Temple / Gita Mandir

At a distance of 6.5 Km from Mathura Junction Railway Station, Gita Mandir, popularly called as Birla Mandir, is located on the outskirts of Mathura, on the Vrindavan - Mathura road. The temple is dedicated to Lord Lakshmi Narayan, an avatar of Lord Vishnu. The temple has got a magnificent architecture, with exquisite carvings and paintings further enhancing its beauty. It is one of the must include places in the Mathura pilgrimage tour packages, and is frequented by pilgrims and leisure tourists alike.

History of Birla Temple / Gita Mandir

Gita Mandir in Mathura was built by Jugal Kishore Birla, the famous Birla group in memory of his parents in the year 1988. Dedicated to Lord Krishna, the temple showcases skilled craftsmanship and is built with red sandstone. All the 18 chapters of Bhagavad Gita are written on the pillars of this temple.

Architecture .....

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#5 of 8 Places to Visit in Mathura

At a distance of 26 km from Mathura, 148 km from New Delhi, and 25 km from Vrindavan, Kusum Sarovar is a huge tank, which belonged to the period of Lord Krishna, located between Govardhan and Radha Kund. Kusum Sarovar lies towards the right side of sacred parikrama path. It is among the ideal tourist places near Delhi & Noida for one day trip.

Kusum Sarovar is 450 feet long and 60 feet deep tank and features a flight of stairs on all sides. The Sarovar is believed to be the place where Radha along with gopikas used to collect flowers and meet Lord Krishna. Kadamba trees are found all over the place and it is said that Kadamba tree was the favorite tree of Lord Krishna. During the time of Lord Chaitanya (a great devotee of Lord Krishna), this place was known as Sumanah Sarovar. It is stated in the Chaitanya Charitamrita that Lord Chaitanya took bath here.

The Sarovar is surrounded by magnificent structures which were constructed by Jawahar Singh, the king of Bharatpur in the .....

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#6 of 8 Places to Visit in Mathura

At a distance of 13 km from Mathura, 70 km from Agra, 155 km from Delhi, 400 km from Lucknow and 235 km from Jaipur, Vrindavan is a holy town situated on the banks of Yamuna River in Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh. It is also among the most sacred places to visit near Delhi.

Vrindavan is a major pilgrimage center for the Hindus and one of the oldest cities in the country. The holy town of Vrindavan has a very rich history associated with the Hindu god Lord Krishna. It is said to be the place where Lord Krishna spent his childhood. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a great devotee of Lord Krishna is credited with rediscovering of Vrindavan. The place was later developed by various kings of the region.

The name Vrindavan is derived from the words vrinda meaning tulsi (or basil) and van meaning grove and most likely refers to the two small groves at Nidhivan and Seva Kunj. While Seva Kunj is believed to be the place where .....

Distance (From Mathura Jn Railway Station): 13 Kms
Trip Duration (From Mathura Jn Railway Station - Including Travel): 1-2 Days
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#7 of 8 Places to Visit in Mathura

At a distance of 2.5 km from Mathura Junction Railway Station, Government Museum, popularly known as Mathura Museum, is an archeological museum located near the Dampier Park in Mathura city. It is one of the best museums in India and also one of the popular Mathura tourist places.

The museum was founded by then collector of the Mathura district, Sir F. S. Growse in 1874. Initially it was known as Curzon Museum of Archaeology, then Archaeology Museum, and finally changed to the Government Museum, Mathura. Mathura Museum is considered one of the leading centers for research, study and the preservation of the heritage left by the Mathura School of Sculpture.

The building of the museum itself is worth visiting. This beautiful building is octagonal in shape and is made out of the red-sandstone. The museum is famous for ancient sculptures of the Mathura school dating from 3rd century BC to 12th century AD, all found from archaeological .....

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#8 of 8 Places to Visit in Mathura

At a distance of 48 km from Vrindavan and 45 km from Mathura, Barsana is a town in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh. Barsana was the birthplace of Radha, the consort of Krishna. Barsana is among well known tourist places near Delhi, best visited during Holi festival.

Barsana is surrounded by hills from four sides and this place was earlier named Brahmsarin. The myth goes that Krishna asked Brahma to take the form of hill. The four hills are said to represent the four heads of Brahma. Hence Brahma and Sarin (head) form this name. All the four hills have temples dedicated to Lord Krishna and Radha. The most famous among these is the Radharani Mandir, more fondly referred to as the Ladli ji Temple. It was built by Raja Bir Singh Ju Deo of Orchha in 1675. The new marble temple adjoining it is a later addition. The village also boasts of a tank named Prem Sarovar that is believed to be the first meeting place of Lord Krishna and .....

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