Mathura - Fact File
Location : Uttar Pradesh, India.
Area : 3,780 sq. kms (Mathura District)
Population : 6,00,000 approximately
Main Languages : Hindi, Brijbhasa and English.
Major Attractions : Shri Krishna Temples, Dwarkhadis Temple, Bisranti Ghat, Sati Burz, Archaeological Museum.
Climate : Extreme climate, Summer temp : 44°C and 30°C, Winter temp : 24°C and the minimum is 4°C.
Ideal Time to Visit : October to March.



Mathura - the Birthplace of Lord Krishna
Mathura, one of the Vaishnava pilgrimages in India is situated in Uttar Pradesh on the west bank of river Yamuna. The town is located at a distance of 54 kms from city of Taj , Agra and 147 kms from national capital Delhi. Mathura is commonly known as Brajbhoomi and is also popular as the birthplace of Lord Krishna. The town is somehow associated with the childhood of Lord Krishna and now it is an important pilgrimage site for Hindus. Mathura has suffered a series of invasions, first the invasion of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni in 1017 and the next was the invasion of Sikandar Lodhi in 1500. They destroyed most of the Hindu and Buddhists shrine of this city. Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb demolished the Kesava Deo temple and built a mosque here. Mathura has also been a important centre of art - the sculpture making and stone carving, based on the life of Lord Krishna.

Attractions of Mathura
Shri Krishna Temples
Over thousand temples have been built in Mathura in reminiscence of the child hood and adolescent day of Krishna. One of the temple is the Keshav Dev Temple which is the central piece of Mathura. The first temple was built during the reign of the Sakyas upon the ruins of a Buddhist monastery, which is the site of Kansa's fort where Krishna was born. The Bhagwat Bhawan or Gita Mandir was built in 1982 near Krishna's birthplace which is vast in size and rich in its decoration. The walls and ceiling of the temple are adorned with sculptures depicting various mythologies.

Dwarkadhis Temple
Dwarkadhis Temple was built in the year 1814 by Seth Gokuldas of Gwalior. The principal deity of the temple is Dwarkadhis and the idol of Dwarkadhis is lavishly adorned with jewellery. Apart from Dwarkadhis, the temple is inhabited by Mathurnath, Lakshminarayan and Muralimanohar.

Bisranti Ghat
The ghat is the most celebrated of the 25 ghats in Mathura. Bisranti Ghat is believed to be the place where Shri Krishna reseted after slaying his uncle Kansa. Devotees taking bath here are believed to have earned a permit for visiting Vishnulok.

Sati Burz
The 17 metre high four storeyed building is situated on the bank of river Yamuna. Sati Burz was built in 1570 by Behari Mal of Jaipur to commemorate the self-immolation of the Rani of Jaipur.

Archaeological Museum
Located at Dampier Park this museum is an important place to visit. It is highly praised for its fine collections on archaeology which include exhibits of Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Kushan and pre-Christian period. The museum also houses a 5th century image of Buddha which is a rare piece of art.

Rangbhoomi
Rangbhoomi is located opposite the Post Office in Mathura. This is the place where Shri Krishna killed his uncle Kansa and set his parents free from his captivation.

Accommodation
Mathura is dotted with many hotels that provide comfortable stay to guests. Famous hotels are Best Western Radha Ashok (3 Star), Hotel Sheetal Regency (3 Star), Brijwasi Royal (3 Star) and Hotel Madhuvan (3 Star).

How To Reach Mathura
By Air : Kheria airport at Agra (47 kms) is the nearest airport. Indian Airlines operate flight from Agra to Delhi, Khajuraho and Varanasi.

By Rail : Mathura railway station is well linked by train with cities like Agra, Delhi Bharatpur, Sawai Madhopur, Kota and other important places in India.

By Road : Mathura is connected by good network of roads with all major towns of Uttar Pradesh and nearby states.