God lives breaths and plays in this city! Mathura is the Lord Krishna?s playground and the Chants of ?Jai Shri Krishna? and ?Radhe Radhe Govinda? greet you from dawn to dusk in this spiritual city. Bhajans, kirtans, Govind geet reverberate through the narrow lanes of the glorious city of Mathura. Walk through the old by lanes and it is impossible to escape the strong feeling of Lord Krishna?s presence which is evident in every single aspect that flows through the city. And this strong spiritual belief forms the very nerve centre of Mathura and you cannot escape the magic that Lord Krishna and his devotees in Mathura weave on you. It?s akin to a dream come true where your spiritual self feels complete. The chants, the hyms, the geets, the sanctity?all of this is truly an enriching experience. It leads you to a profound and deep sense of spiritual fulfillment. Welcome to Brajbhumi, birthplace of the most endearing of the Hindu Gods. The sanctity of Mathura comes alive in the long stretch of the picturesque ghats. There are steps leading from there to the water's edge, and beautifully carved arched gateways and temple spires extend along the right bank of the River Yamuna. The two towns of Mathura and Vrindavan are situated on the banks of the Yamuna, 15 km apart, and are collectively known as Brajbhumi. The two have strong associations with Krishna as he spent his growing up years and quite a bit of his adult life here.

History
The earliest reference to Mathura is about 2,500 years old. The Buddha is said to have visited the city and established monasteries here. This is authenticated by the travelogues of the famous Chinese traveller Fa Hien, who visited Mathura around 400 AD.

The town became a metropolis as the capital of the powerful Kushan Empire. It however, fell prey to the invading armies of Mahmud of Ghazni in 1017, Sikandar Lodi in 1500 and the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, who plundered and looted the city. These foreign rulers destroyed the Hindu and Buddhist religious sites.

The city was cast into oblivion until the reemergence of the Bhakti cult. The city regained its glorious past with the help of various Hindu rulers, chieftains and merchants who built temples, riverfront ghats and other structures. The British gave the town a cantonment, called the Civil Lines. Today, Mathura has grown into a crowded town with pilgrim and tourism services as well as small industries.

How to Reach
Air
The airport nearest to Mathura is in Agra (62 km). The Delhi airport is about 155 km away.

Rail
Mathura is on the main lines of the Central and Western Railways and is connected with all the important cities of the state and country, including Delhi, Agra, Mumbai, Jaipur, Gwalior, Mathura, Hyderabad, Chennai and Lucknow.

Road
Mathura has regular bus services to Delhi and Agra, besides important towns in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana. The bus stand is near Hotel Mansarovar Palace.

What to see
Ghats and Lakes
There are about 25 ghats in Mathura. The most important one is the Vishram Ghat, where according to legend, Krishna rested after killing King Kansa. It is at Vishram Ghat that the traditional parikrama or circumambulation of the Govardhan Hill starts and ends. The town has a number of Shiva temples as well.

Mansarovar
is a rare wetland grove and bird sanctuary located a few miles across the Yamuna River. Tradition has it that the lake was formed by the tears of Radha, who thought she had lost Krishna. There is a small shrine by the lake where her solitary image has been installed and is worshipped.

Museums
The Government Museum houses an exquisite collection of art that flourished in Mathura from the 3rd century BC. There are stone sculptures, architectural pieces, inscriptions, coins, terracottas, inscribed bricks, pottery pieces, clay seals, bronze objects, paintings and sculptures belonging to various dynasties, faiths and religions.

Also on display are ancient forms of drapery, ornamentation and hairdressing and a host of articles of domestic or special use.

The entry fee is Rs.25 and the museum is open between 10.30 am and 4.30 pm. It is closed on Mondays and Saturdays and other public holidays.

Government Museum
Museum Road, Dampier Nagar
Tel: 91-565-500847

Other Attractions
Jama Masjid
This mosque was built on the ruins of a temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. The temple, Keshava Deo, is believed to be the place where Krishna?s was born (Kansa?s prison), and was apparently destroyed by Aurangzeb. The mosque lies in the heart of the city and was built by Abe-In-Nabir Khan in 1661 AD.

Sati Burj
is a 17-m high, red sandstone structure built in 1570 AD to commemorate the death of the widow of Raja Bihari Mal of Amer. She committed sati (self-immolation on the husband?s pyre). The four-storey tower was built by Raja Bhagwan Das, her son, on the right bank of the Yamuna. Aurangazeb demolished the upper storeys but they have since been rebuilt.
Religious Places
One of the most beautiful shrines here is the Gita Mandir, located on the Mathura-Vrindavan Road. There are fine images of Krishna in the sanctum and the full text of the holy Bhagwad Gita inscribed on the walls. The main temple however is the Dwarakadheesh Temple, located on the northern side of the town. Seth Gokuldas Parikh, treasurer of the State of Gwalior, built this temple in 1815 and it is managed by the Vallabhacahrya sect. The temple has beautiful carvings, sculptures and colorful paintings/motifs depicting incidents from Shri Krishna?s life.

The image at the Radharamana Temple is said to be a self-manifested saligram-sila (saligram is a special kind of stone). Also kept in this temple is the wooden sitting place (hoki) and shawl (chaddar) of saint-poet Chaitanya. There is no idol of Radha here, but a jewelled crown has been placed next to the Krishna?s idol, symbolising his consort.

The wealthy Seth family of Mathura built the Rangji Temple in 1851 on the lines of Dravidian architecture. The idol depicts Lord Vishnu lying down on the Sesanaga or celestial serpent. The famous Brahmotsava is held here during the months of March/April and lasts for 10 days.

Quick Escapes
Govardhan
Situated 26 km west of Mathura, Govardhan is located on a narrow sandstone hill known as Giriraj. The young Lord Krishna is said to have held up Giriraj on the tip of a finger for a period of 7 days and nights to shield the people of Braj from the deluge of rain sent down by Lord Indra. Govardhan is set along the edge of a large tank called Mansi Ganga. Walking distance from here is the famous Haridev Temple. At Kusum Sarovar you can view the exquisitely carved the cenotaphs of the royal family of Bharatpur, who perished during a war with the British in 1825.

Barsana
Some 50 km to the northwest of Mathura and 19 km from Govardhan, it is situated at the foot of a hill named after Brahma. Barsana was the home of Radha, Krishna's consort. The Sriji Temple here is dedicated to the divine couple. The open terrace in front of the temple offers views of the entire town. To the right is Maan Mandir, where Radha used to wait for Krishna. Anyone you come across on your travel in Barsana will greet you with the chants of ?Radhe Radhe?.

Radhakund
About 5 km north of Govardhan and 26 km west of Mathura is a large lake called Radhakund. It is believed that Shri Krishna slayed the demon bull Arista here. To commemorate this event, a large fair is held here every October/November.

Vrindavan
Just 15 km from Mathura, Vrindavan is noted for its numerous temples. The woods of Vrindavan are where Krishna spent his growing up years, playing tricks, slaying demons, and wooing Radharani and the other cowherdesses. The Madan Mohan Temple, located near the Kali Ghat is the oldest temple in Vrindavan. The Banke Bihari Temple built in 1864 is the most popular shrine.

There are not many options for accommodation in Vrindavan barring some hotels and rest houses. The place does have around 200 dharamshalas where one can stay, but facilities are very basic. It is a good idea to visit the place during the day, especially since it is so close, and return by night. You could carry some snacks and light food with you. The best time to visit Govardhan, Radhakund and Barsana is during a full moon night.