Mathura and Vrindavan a place which we also call the holy city of Lord Shri Krishna. Mathura and Vrindavan are such pilgrimage sites that are very famous not only among Indians but also among foreign tourists. It is believed that Lord Krishna still performs Ras Leela every night in this city and because of this reason, this world is worshiped a lot among the devotees.
In this article we will know about some such places of Mathura and Vrindavan which are very famous all over the world. If you are going to Mathura and Vrindavan, then you should not miss these places at all. we will try to give you the best information about these places, what is the timing, whether, there is a ticket or not, what are the beliefs, all information related to these places. Read the entire article so that there is no doubt.
Places to visit in Mathura
Shri Krishan Janam Bhoomi :
Mathura, which was the city of King Kans, is known today by the name of Lord Shri Krishna Janam Bhoomi. Because Mathura is the place where Lord Krishna was born. Krishna Janmabhoomi, which has been converted into a temple today, was earlier the prison of Kans. Where Kans had imprisoned his sister Jaanki and brother-in-law Vasudev and in the same prison, Lord Krishna took birth. And for this reason, Krishna Janam Bhoomi is very popular all over the world. It is forbidden to carry any kind of electronic item in Krishna Janma Bhoomi. And there is a lot of security outside the temple. The main gate of Krishan Janam Bhoomi is gate no. 1, which is very beautiful and made of huge detail and on the which Lord Shri Krishna can be seen sitting on the main gate. In this temple you will get to see the prison where Kansa killed 6 children of his sister Janaki and the place where Shri Krishna was born. Most of the tourists come to see the prison. Krishna Janma Bhoomi has no entry fee and timings are from 5 am to 12 noon and 4 pm to 9:30 pm.
Geeta Mandir :
Geeta Mandir of Mathura which is also famous as Birla Mandir. This temple is on Mathura Vrindavan Road in the Bihari area of Mathura. Birla Mandir is famous for its grand design and architecture. This temple was established by Jugal Kishore Birla ji in 1946 in memory of his parents and this temple is dedicated to Lord Lakshmi Narayan who is an incarnation of Vishnu. This temple is also called Gita Mandir because the main room of filled with verses of Gita. Other statues that attract tourists to this temple are Lakshmi Narayan ji, Ram ji, and Sita ji. There is no ticket to visit Birla Mandir and the timings are from 5:00 am to 2:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The best time to visit Birla Temple is on Janmashtami.
Kansa Quila :
It is believed that this fort is 4 to 5 thousand years old. Though it is believed that in this world nothing can exist that much old, except Giza Pyramid or Ram Setu. These are the few constructions which are exist in this world. This fort has been restored by Raja Maan Singh of Amber in the sixteenth century. You will find many ancient temples near the Yamuna River of Mathura and this Kansa fort is between those temples. According to Hindu mythology this fort used to be the palace of Kans, and the history of this palace is older than the Mahabharata period. Kans Fort was demolished many times by the Mughals and by foreigner
Kusum sarovar :
Kusum Sarovar is very famous lake of Mathura. Where Shri Chaitanya Maha Parbhuchi used to come daily, this place is a witness to the beautiful moments passed between Krishna ji and Radha Rani. It is believed that Radha Rani ji along with her friends used to come secretly to meet Shri Krishna. The lake complex displays beautiful Rajasthani architecture with intricate carvings and motifs. Raja Veer Singh of Orchha saved this natural pond in the year 1675. In the 18th century, Raja Jawahar Singh of Bharatpur built a red stone here to pay respect to his father, Raja Surajmal and his two wives. No entry ticket to visit Kusum Sarovar and it is open 24 hours.
Mathura Museum :
The mystery of Mathura is as old as time. The government of Mathura has built this museum to preserve this culture and for our upcoming generations to know. Here things like gold coins, silver coins, paintings and terra cotta are kept. The most popular things in Mathura Museum or Mathura Sangrahalaya are the 12th century statues. There are about 6 thousand stone statues in Mathura Sangrahalaya, there are 25 thousand coins and 3 thousand sculptures of terra cotta. The fee for visiting Mathura Museum is Rs 5 for adults and Rs.2 for children.The ticket for foreigners here is Rs.25 and the fee for carrying a camera to this museum is Rs.20. Mathura Museum timing is 10:30 am to 4:30 pm.
Vishram Ghat :
Vishram Ghat is at a distance of 2 km from Krishna Janmabhoomi. According to Hindu mythology, it is believed that this is the ghat where Lord Krishna rested after killing his maternal uncle Kans since then the name of this ghat is Vishram Ghat. Another popular story related to the Vishram Ghat is that Yami Maharani and her brother Dharmaraj Yamraj had promised to protect their sister for the rest of their life. and that's why if brother and sister took holy bath in this ghat on bhai dooj fulfills all their wishes. You can also see the aarti of Yamuna River at Vishram Ghat. And along with this you can also enjoy the boating here. For doing boating you have to pay a separate fee, but there is no fee to visit the Vishram Ghat. The timings are from 5 am to 8 pm. The most revered day to come to the Vishram Ghat is the day of Bhai Dooj. As we go to shiv temple during sawaan (monsoon) sesason for shivling Here, you will see the five sided face of shivling. This is a very beautiful ghat.
Places To Visit In Vrindavan
Prem Mandir :
Prem Mandir is in Vrindavan, it will take 2 to 2.5 hours to come from Delhi to Vrindavan and here when you go to the main temple of Vrindavan i.e., Bankey Bihari ji, you will see this Prem Mandir on the way. It is a must visit temple Another name of Prem Mandir is temple of god’s love. The founding stone of this temple was laid on 14 January 2001by Shri Kripalu Maharaj Ji. It took 10 to 11 years to build this temple, it was open to the general public in February 2012. This Prem Mandir is that temple of Vrindavan Dham, which is more famous due to its beauty, carving, fountain show and the glimpses made in the temple. The night scene here is very popular among the devotees. The foundation of Prem Mandir was laid on 14 January 2001. It took 12 years to get this temple ready, in which about 1000 laborers contributed. This whole temple is spread over 54 acres, whose height is 125 feet and its length is 190 feet.
Prem Mandir is a tourist place where the children's stories from the life of Krishna ji are depicted on the walls where he destroyed many demons. Many special glimpses have also been made in Prem Mandir. like when Krishna ji was carrying the entire Govardhan mountain on his little finger and when Krishna ji used to perform Raas Leela with the gopis. Along with this, there are many selfie points inside the temple where tourists can collect their precious memories.Prem Mandir is the most beautiful or colourful temple of Vrindavan. There is no ticket to visit this temple and its timing is from 5:30 am to 8:30 pm. But the best time to visit Prem Mandir is in the evening when this colourful light show starts. This temple is made of white marble, white sandstone marble and they have done a beautiful carving around his all walls. and whatever Krishan ji did in his lifetime all his miracles and stories are explained on the walls. They have made a small paintings of famous incidents due to which they are known as god. They are in the 3D form not in general form which look very beautiful.
Radha Vallabh Temple :
Radha Vallabh Temple is the oldest temple in Vrindavan. The statues kept in this temple will be seen as half Thakur Ji and half Radha Ji. Because of their form, it is believed that Radha ji and Krishna ji are one. The hanging logs in this temple even today prove that here Thakur Ji and Radha Ji reside in a steer. It is believed that Lord Shiva, pleased with the penance of a Brahmin, gave him this temple as a boon. Radha Vallabh Temple was built in 1585, which was built only with red stone. There is no ticket to visit this temple, the timings are from 5:00 am to 12:00 noon and 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. It is considered very auspicious to visit this temple in the month of Kartik.
### Iskcon Temple :
Iskcon temple is such a temple in India that is very famous not only in India but in the whole world. This temple is also famous for the name Shri Krishna Balram Mandir. This temple was established in 1975 by Iskcon Foundation. Foreign devotees will also meet in this temple chanting Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. Those who do their devotion with pure heart and gaiety. Many devotees have come to the abroad of Vrindavan from their country to worship Krishna Ji and many people have come and settled here. Inside the temple, you will see the grand court of Lord Shri Krishna, in which beautiful statues of Shri Krishna Ji, Radha Ji, and Balram Ji have been kept. In the evening, many devotees come here in large numbers to see the hymns performed by foreign devotees in this temple. There is no ticket to visit the Iskcon temple and the timings are from 4:30 am to 1 pm and 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
Pagal baba Mandir :
Another place in Vrindavan where it is considered very revered to visit is the Pagal Baba Temple. There is a huge marble temple on the way from Mathura to Vrindavan. This temple was built by Saint Shrimad Lallan Nath Thakur. The most beautiful thing about this temple is that here you will get to see glimpses of 4 religions. Church on the first floor, the mosque on the second floor, Gurudwara on the third floor, and temples of Sanatan Dharma on the fourth floor. Which is a symbol of unity for the upcoming generation. Pagal Baba Mandir has 11 floors, it is about 221 feet long and 150 feet wide. The wishes of every devotee who visits Pagal Baba Mandir are fulfilled. There is no entry fees and and timings are 5:00 AM to 11:30 PM and 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
Mata Vaishno Devi Temple :
Mata Vaishno Devi fulfils the wishes of every devotee. This temple has been established by J.P. Chowdhary. This temple is considered a symbol of their faith. Mata Vaishno Devi Temple construction was started in 2004 and completed in 2010. The biggest attraction of the temple is the 141 feet high statue of Mata Rani, in which Hanuman ji is also sitting front of Mata Rani’s feet. As soon as you go inside this temple, this temple will fascinate you and the idols made on the wall are praiseworthy and in the middle, the statue of Mata Rani is decorated in a very beautiful manner. Seeing which only one thing comes to the mind of the devotees "Laal chunri seetaron wali jise odh kar aayi hai maa sheron wali”. There is also a cave inside the temple where there is an art gallery and there is also a musical fountain, which tourists from all over the country and abroad come here to see. In this cave, you will see 9 forms of Mata Rani. Every year lakhs of tourists come here. The entry fee to visit this temple is Rs 10 and the timings are from 6 am to 2 pm and 4 pm to 8 pm. Mata Vaishno Devi Temple is closed on Saturdays and Sundays. The best time to visit this temple is early morning or evening time.
Nidhivan
Nidhivan is one of the most mysterious temples of Vrindavan. Which is famous all over the world because of its mystery. It is said that even today Lord Krishna and Radha ji come to Nidhivan every day and do Ras Leela. It is said that the trees are here have been since the time of Lord Shri Krishna. Also, it is said that Hari Das ji had worshiped of Lord Shri Krishna ji here and Shri Krishna ji had given darshan to Hari Das ji at this place. The special thing about this forest is that the entire forest is surrounded by Tulsi trees which are only 5 to 6 feet high. It is said that all these trees are gopis of Krishna Ji, who become Tulsi trees in the day and gopis in the night, so that Shri Krishna can come here every night and can do Ras Leela with them. It is also believed that any person who see Shri Krishna doing Ras Leela here turns into stone or dies. Along with this from here no twig or plant is allowed to be taken home from the Tulsi Ji tree. There is no entry fee to visit Nidhivan and the timings are from 6 am to 7 pm. The best time to visit Nidhivan is in the evening when the sun is less here. Nihdivan is that forest in which today also it is believed that Krishan ji and Radha ji do raasleela every night and go back in every morning.
Madan Mohan Temple :
Shri Madan Mohan Temple is situated on the Aditya mound in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh. The total height of the temple is 20 meters, which is still on the same place when it was earlier, above the river Yamuna. Inside the temple, you will have a darshan of Radha Ji, Krishna Ji, and Gopi Lalita. This temple is present since ancient times and this temple is very revered for all the devotees who come to Vrindavan. The history of Madan Mohan Temple is 5000 years old. When King Vajrnab who was great-grandson of Lord Krishna's and he established few temples in Vrindavan. But with time these temples disappeared. According to the hindu mythology, in 1580, under the guidance of Shri Santan Goswami, a businessman from Multan built temples here. There is no fee to visit Madan Mohan Temple and the timings are from 7 am to 12 noon and 4 pm to 8 pm.
Keshi Ghat :
It is said that if there is anything present in the life of Krishna Ji in today's era, then it is just 4 things i.e., The land of this place, the Yamuna River, Govardhan Parvat, and Nidhivan. Keshi Ghat which is near to Nidhivan.That's why Keshi Ghat is very famous among all the tours coming to Vrindavan. Every year lakhs of people come here for holy bath in Keshi Ghat and attend the Yamuna Aarti here in the evening. According to Hindu Puranas, the story of Keshi Ghat is very well known. Keshi was the name of a demon who had the form of a horseand Kans had sent Keshi demon to kill Shri Krishna Ji near this ghat, Krishna Ji had killed that demon that’s why this ghat is name called Keshi Ghat. There is no entry fee to Keshi Ghat, if you go for boating here then you will have to pay for that. The timing of Keshi Ghat is from 5 am to 8 pm and here Yamuna Aarti takes place at 6 pm. The best time to visit Keshi Ghat is at 5 pm so that you can do boating here and can attend the aarti.
Radha Raman Temple :
Radha Raman Mandir is one of the 7 famous temples of Thakur Ji. This temple was built in 1952 by Gopal Bhatt Goswami. For this reason, this temple is a modern Hindu temple. Which is dedicated to his beloved Radha Rani and Lord Shri Krishna. It is believed that pleased with the devotion of Goswami, Krishna himself appeared here in a small form, which is also given the name of Shaligram. That is why here you will see the form of Shaligram of Shri Krishna. Many people come here from far away to ask for their wishes. There is no entry fees and the timings are 8 AM to 12:30PM and 6PM to 8PM. Evening is the best time to visit this temple.
Rangnath Temple :
The Rangnath temple of Vrindavan is built as similar as the Ranganath temple in Madras in South India. This temple was built in 1851, if you have never been able to visit the Ranganath temple of South India, then you can visit the Ranganath temple of Vrindavan. Rangnath Temple is the largest temple in Vrindavan dedicated to Lord Vishnu. According to Hindu Puranas, it is said that a famous Vashwa saint of the 8th century who composed Tripuvai, therefore you will see Lord Krishna in this temple in the form of a groom. In which he is holding a stick in one hand like the grooms of South India hold. That's why inside the temple you will find the priests of South India worshiping. It is believed among the devotees that there are 7 gates of the temple, out of which the name of one gate is Vaikund Darwaza which leads to Vaikund (heaven). This door is opened once in a year on Vaikund Ekadashi. There is no entry fees. and the timings are 6 AM to 11Am and 4PM to 9PM.
### Banke Bihari temple :
The most famous temple of Vrindavan is Shri Bankey Bihari Temple. It was founded by Shri Hari Das Ji, the Guru of Tansen. The original form of Banke Bihari ji is worshiped in the Nidhivan. You will see the child form of Shri Krishna ji in Banke Bihari temple. Just like a child is looked after, similarly, Shri Krishna Ji is looked after in this temple. That is why this temple opens at 8:30 am in the morning in summer and at 9 am in winter. Just as a child sleep till late in the morning, similarly Thakur Ji also sleeps till late in the morning. There is a child form of Banke Bihari that's why there is no bell or noise found in this temple. Because any child can be afraid of loud sounds, so the bells do not ring even during the aarti in this temple.
Banke means crooked and Bihari means enjoyer, so here you will find the statue of Banke Bihari ji bent at the neck, waist, and legs. Every year millions of devotees gather here and have darshan of Banke Bihari Ji. There is no ticket to visit Banke Bihari Temple. The timings of this place are from 8 am to 12 pm noon and from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm. Banke Bihari Temple is in Vrindavan. This is the most famous temple of Vrindavan. Banke Bihari Temple opens from 8 am to 12 pm noon and closes at 12 pm noon due to heat. Then it opens at 4 pm till 8 pm. So, if want to visit this temple then you can come 8 to 2pm and 4 to 8pm. The crowd is huge, They are allowing in the queue after the covid.
FAQ'S About Mathura And Vrindavan
Q. What is famous about Mathura?
Ans. Mathura is famous for being the birthplace of Lord Krishna, a significant pilgrimage site for Hindus, with historic temples.
Q. Is Mathura and Vrindavan same?
Ans. Mathura and Vrindavan are separate but closely linked towns.
Q. Which month is best for Mathura?
Ans. The best time to visit Mathura is during October to March.
Q. Where to go first Mathura or Vrindavan?
Ans. Mathura
Q. What should I wear in Vrindavan?
Ans. Wear modest and comfortable clothing in Vrindavan.
Q. What is Vrindavan famous for?
Ans. Vrindavan is renowned for being the childhood home of Lord Krishna.
Q. Can I cover Vrindavan in one day?
Ans. Covering Vrindavan in one day is possible but rushed. Plan wisely to visit key attractions
Summary :
Mathura and Vrindavan, known as the holy cities of Lord Krishna, attract tourists globally. Mathura boasts Krishna Janmabhoomi, Geeta Mandir, Kansa Quila, Kusum Sarovar, Mathura Museum, and Vishram Ghat. Vrindavan's attractions include Prem Mandir, Radha Vallabh Temple, Iskcon Temple, Pagal Baba Mandir, Mata Vaishno Devi Temple, Nidhivan, Madan Mohan Temple, Keshi Ghat, Radha Raman Temple, Rangnath Temple, and Banke Bihari Temple. Each site holds historical, cultural, and spiritual significance, making them must-visit destinations.