Situated on the western bank of the Yamuna River, the sacred city of Mathura is one of major pilgrimage center of our diversified India. A land diffused with sanctity, this city was the place where Lord Krishna was nurtured. The surroundings of this great place is still sparked with the notorious pranks of Shri Krishna in his boyhood days. Apart from its religious centers of worship, Mathura is rapidly developing in terms industrialization.
At a distance of 162 Kms away from New Delhi, Mathura lives with the delights of festivals all throughout the year. The famous Janmashtami , Raas Leela and the colorful Holi shall paint your memory with unfathomable instances of happiness.
Barsana Holi
Having a variegated scopes of spending time, one can live by the whole day exploring the busy markets of Mathura. Starting from temple decorations, fancy fabrics, traditional jewelries, wooden footwear and silk paintings; you can just pass the day looking out for these.
Markets at Mathura
The city has a wide range of choices for the tourists to visit by, out of these the major attractions are –
- Krishna Janma Bhoomi Mandir:
Built over the cell where Lord Krishna was born, this temple is one of the holiest devout centers of India. Various archeological findings testify this fact of history.
- Dwarkadheesh Temple:
An inexorable attraction of the city, this temple was built to commemorate Lord Krishna. Embracing the images Lord Krishna and his beau Radha. The festivals of Braj-ki-Holi, Jhulan Utsav, Janmashtami and Sharad Purnima are celebrated here with outmost pomp.
- Kans Qila:
Strongly believed to be the fort of Shri Krishna’s maternal uncle Kansa, this pre-historic fort dates back to the times of Mahabharata. It is also believed that this fort was built so as to save the people of Mathura from the floods of the Yamuna River. The audience hall here is phenomenal and is made of red sandstone pillars. But due to poor conservation of the site, you can only see the ramshackle image of the fort.
- Gokul:
The town of the cowherds, Gokul is here the notorious childhood of Lord Krishna passed. Fostered by Yashoda, it was here where Krishna performed his miracles.
- Jami Masjid:
Constructed during the time of Aurangzeb’s rule, the Jami Masjid is located in close proximity with the Shri Krishna Janma Bhoomi Mandir. The architecture of this mosque leaves a mesmerizing impression on the tourists coming to visit this majestic building.
- Vishram Ghat:
Located on the bank of the river Yamuna, it is believed that Shri Krishna took rest here killing Kansa. The traditional parikrama starts and end in this religious spot. Lined with aesthetic temples, the eveing aarti held in the evening shall not be missed by any tourist coming to this holy place.
Apart from its sacred places and the markets, Mathura is very much famous for its milk-based sweets and meals. The most famous amongst them are the peda , Puri-kachodi , Ghewar and Khaman. To get the taste of the local cuisines, try exploring –
- Brijwasi Mitahi Wala
- Sagar Ratna
- Dosa Plaza
- Shankar Mithai Wala
- Sheel Gopal
- Heera Foods.