Places Visit In Mathura

Banke Bihari Temple,Mathura

Shri Bankey Bihari Mandir is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Krishna, in the holy city of Vrindavan in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh.

Overview

Shri Bankey Bihari Mandir is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Krishna, in the holy city of Vrindavan in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh. It is situated near Shri RadhaVallabh Temple.This temple is among the 7 temples of Thakur of Vrindavan including Shri RadhaVallabh Ji, Shri Govind Dev Ji and four others. Bankey Bihari Ji was originally worshipped at Nidhivana. Bankey means “bent in three places” and Bihari means “supreme enjoyer.” The image of Lord Krishna stands in the Tribhanga posture. Haridas Swami originally worshipped this devotional image under the name of Kunj-Bihari.

'Bānke' means 'bent', and 'Bihāri' or 'Vihāri' means 'enjoyer'. This is how Kṛṣṇa, who is bent in three places, got the name "Bānke Bihāri". According to Śrī Brahmjaiasaḿhitā (verse 5.31), Brahma says the following about Kṛṣṇa:

Lingaraja temple is maintained by the Temple Trust Board and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The temple has an average of 6,000 visitors per day and receives lakhs of visitors during festivals. Shivaratri festival is the major festival celebrated in the temple and event during 2012 witnessed 200,000 visitors.

"I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, round whose neck is swinging a garland of flowers beautified with the moon-locket, whose two hands are adorned with the flute and jewelled ornaments, who always revels in pastimes of love, whose graceful threefold-bending form of Śyāmasundara is eternally manifest."

History

Bankey Bihari Temple was established by Swami Haridas,a guru of the famous singer Tansen. Once on the request of his disciples Swami Haridas ji sang the following verse in Nidhivan in Vrindavan " Mai ri sahaj jori pragat bhai ju rang ki gaur syam ghan damini jaisen. Pratham hun ahuti ab hun aagen hun rahihai na tarihai taisain.. Ang ang ki ujraii sugharaii chaturaii sunderta aisain.. Shri Haridas ke swami syama kunjbihari sam vais vaisain.." On singing the verse, the Celestial couple Shyama-Shyam (Radha Krishna) appeared in front of him and his devotees. On the request of Shri Swami ji the couple merged into one and the idol of Banke bihari appeared there. The idol was established in Nidhivan.

The image of Bihariji installed in Shri Bankey Bihari Mandir, is the one granted to Swami Haridas by the celestial couple Shyama-Shyam themselves. Submitting to the desire of devotees, The Lord appeared in person with his divine consort and left back a black charming image before disappearing.

Swami Haridas was born to Shri Ashudhir and his wife Srimati Gangadevi on the day of Radha Ashtami i.e. eighth day of second (bright) fortnight of Bhadrapad month of the year 1535 Vikrami(1478 A.D.). He was born in a small village, now known as Haridaspur, near Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh. The lineage of the family can be traced back to Shri Gargacharya. Shri Gargachrya was the Kulaguru (family guru) of Yadavas and visited Brij secretly for conducting the Namakarana Samskara (naming ceremony) of young Krishna and Balarama on request of Sri Vasudeva. A branch of the family migrated to Multan (now in Pakistan), but some of them returned after a long time. Sri Ashudhir was one such migrant who after returning from Multan settled at the outskirts of Brij, near Aligarh.

Swami Haridas was the reincarnation of Lalita ‘sakhi’ (female friend), of the inner consortium of Lord Krishna. This easily explains the fact that even in his childhood, he was more into meditation and scriptures, while other children of his age were busy playing. He was married at the suitable age according to the time to Harimati. Even after his marriage, young Haridas stayed away from worldly pleasures and concentrated on meditation. Harimatiji was such a saintly soul herself that on realizing the inclination of her husband, she prayed intensely and was bodily transported to the heavenly abode of Lord by entering the flame of a small lamp in the presence of Haridas. No physical remains were left behind.

Soon after that Haridas left his village for Vrindavan, which was a dense forest at that time and chose a secluded spot, which is now known as Nidhivan, to practice his music and to enjoy eternal bliss of meditation. He constantly and continuously meditated on Nitya Ras and Nitya Bihar of Lord at Nitya Vrindavan. His way of Sadhna was to compose and sing songs in the praise of Lord. While on earth, living in a mortal state, he facilitated his regular unobstructed entry in the Nitya Bihar and always enjoyed the pleasure of closeness of Lord. He chose a secluded and densely forested area, Kunj, in Nidhivan as his gateway to the nirvana and was mostly sitting there, singing, meditating and surfing in the ocean of eternal bliss.

His disciples were curious about this place and one day with permission of Swamiji, they all entered the kunj. But instead of seeing anything they were almost blinded by bright, intense light, which seemed to fill the whole place. On knowing of their plight Swamiji himself went there, and then after his requests, the lord appeared in person with his divine consort, pleasantly smiling and in a playful mood and casting a spell of charm on every living being present there. Those who witnessed this, were so spell bounded by the beauty of the Lord and his consort, that they couldn't even blink their eyes; it seemed that all of them had turned into stone statues.

The legend as handed down to the generations of Goswamis, says that the beauty of the divine couple was such that no one wanted to lose the sight and proximity of divinity, but then what kind of divinity is it, which cannot make a mere mortal swoon and charmed enough to forget and give up the world and its luxuries? The beauty of the divine couple was so much that lesser mortals, like you and me, won’t be able to bear such a heavenly beauty. Sensing this Swami Haridasji requested both of them to take a single form, as the world won’t be able to bear their image. He requested them to take a single form like Ghan (cloud) and Damini (lightning), thus giving a perfect metaphor to the combined beauty of dark Lord and his fair consort, Radhaji. Also he wanted his beloved lord to be in front of his eyes always. Granting him his both wishes, the couple turned itself into one single black charming idol, the same one that you see in the temple today. The charm and beauty of Shri Bankey Bihariji is the only reason why the ‘darshan’ in the temple is never continuous but is broken by thel curtain drawn on him regularly. It is also said that if one stares long enough into the eyes of Shri Bankey Bihariji, the person would lose his self-consciousness. Thus came into existence the physical form of Lord Bankey Bihari, popularly known as Bihariji. The responsibility of Sewa of Bihariji was handed over to Goswami Jagannath by Swamiji himself. Goswami Jagannath was one of the principal disciple and younger brother of Swamiji. By tradition, the Sewa is performed by descendents of Jagannath Goswami till day.

Initially, the deity was installed in a temple close to the first appearance in Nidhivan. A new temple befitting the glory of Bihariji was constructed in 1862 AD. Goswamis themselves mobilized resources for the construction. The temple is an architectural beauty in itself and follows the contemporary Rajasthani style. The sewa of the Bihariji is unique in its own way. It is performed in three parts every day i.e. Shringar, Rajbhog and Shayan. While shringar (which includes bath, dressing and adornment with jewellery like crown and necklaces) and Rajbhog(feast) is offered in the forenoon, Shayan Sewa (shayan means sleep) is offered in the evening. The temple doesn’t have a tradition of Mangala (early morning) sewa. Swami Haridas did not favour Mangla Sewa as he wanted his child like Lord to take complete rest and did not want to disturb him out of deep slumber so early in the morning. So, the temple today stands with its full glory, inside which the Lord himself resides. It is thronged by thousands of visitors everyday. Many of saints visits the temple. Sadguru Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi(AMMA) from Kerala visited the temple on 2016. Amma’s entire tour group(more than 3000 people) joined Amma for the visit to the always-crowded temple. The already sanctified space reverberated and pulsed with devotion as Amma entered the temple and gazed at the murti of Sri Krishna. Before leaving, Amma participated in a ceremonial worship of the Lord. The temple’s priest welcomed Amma as an honored guest and presented her with ceremonial shawls, garlands and the same type of flute that was played by Sri Krishna.

Shri Krishna Janmbhoomi,Mathura

Shri Krishna Janmbhoomi is a religious temple in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. The temple is built around the prison cell where the ancient Hindu god Lord Krishna is said to have been born.

Overview

Shri Krishna Janmbhoomi is a religious temple in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. The temple is built around the prison cell where the ancient Hindu god Lord Krishna is said to have been born.It is situated next to Kesava Deo Temple and a mosque, photography is banned inside the complex by the government.

The original temple was built by Vajranabha, then later rebuilt by Vikramaditya. The temple is said to have been destroyed and rebuilt 17 times in its history. Today the temple is one of the most frequently visited temples in India.

Mathura is one of the very popular pilgrimage destinations in India. Touted to be the birth place of Lord Krishna the most revered and beloved incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Mathura draws millions of travelers from across the globe ever year. The devotees and the tourists make sure they visit this holy city during any of the festivities of Holi, Janmasthami and Diwali. There are several places of tourist attractions in Mathura almost all enjoying religious association. Of the numerous attractive spots monuments in Mathura are highly visited along with temples. Mathura Shri Krishna Janmbhoomi is a very prominent monument and deserves at least one visit.

Shri Krishna Janmbhoomi is temple located in the crowded city of Mathura. Mathura, the birth city of Bhagwan Krishna is situated on the banks of river Yamuna and is approximately 145 km from the capital city Delhi. The town is renowned for being host to the most revered temple of Shri Krishna – the famous Krishna Janma Bhoomi Mandir. Along with neighboring towns Govardhan, Nandgaon and Vrindavan, the area is a major pilgrimage site for the Hindus. The temple is located in the middle of the city mathura. According to historians, the prison cell, popularly known as ‘Garbha Griha’, in the temple premise is the exact place where Bhagwan Krishna was born. The stone walled cell is reminiscent of the cruelty of King Kans. Many statues and sculptures of the bygone era were found on excavating the site. The prison cell was gradually turned into the present beautiful temple. Lakhs of devotees visit the temple during Janmashtami. The festivities and celebrations during the festival is famous all over India. Celebrations begin during mid night with the birth of Bhagwan.

History

The history of Mathura dates back to 'Treta-Yuga,', which is earlier than the times of Lord Shri Krishna of 'Dwapara-Yuga'. According to the Puranas, Shatrughana, the younger brother of Lord Shri Rama, killed a demon named Lavana and established a town called 'Madhura'. 'Madhura came to be known as Mathura over time, where Shri Krishna would manifest Himself in the prison cell of the tyrant king Kansa.

Ancient relics found in Katra Keshavadeva and the researches of foreign and Indian scholars indicate that numerous grand and magnificient temples were constructed here from time to time. It is certain that an earlier shrine or series of shrines, on the same site and under the same dedication, had been famous for many ages. But, while most of them were destroyed by the ravages of time, the rest were ruined by the onslaughts of persons owing allegiance to a different religion. Not even a single temple could be saved.

According to the epics and folklore prevailing in the local area, the first temple was constructed on this spot by Vajranabha, the great grandson of Lord Shri Krishna, in memory of his family deity. A stone inscription in Brahmi script shows that in the reign of Shodasa, an individual named Vasu had a temple, an arched doorway and an altar constructed at the birthplace of Shri Krishna.

The next big temple was constructed here during the reign of Gupta Emperor, Chandragupta Vikramaditya in 400 A.D. Mathura was then a flourishing city, where Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism were held in high esteem. Close to the site of Janmasthan, Buddha Viharas and Jain temples were also in existence. From the remains of these, it has been established that the followers of Buddhism and Jainism had great regard for the birthplace of Lord Krishna. In 1017 A.D., the magnificent temple that had been built by Emperor Chandragupta Vikramaditya, was destroyed by Mahmud Ghaznavi. Mahmud Ghaznavi’s scribe, Mir Munshi Al Utvi, described the grandeur of the temple and the beauty of Mathura of those times in his ’Tarikhe Yamini’ thus: “In the centre of the city there was a huge and magnificent temple, which the people believed wasn’t built by human beings but by the angels. Any description of the temple, either in words or in pictures, would fall short and fail to convey its beauty.” After seeing the temple for himself, the Sultan Mahmud said that if any one wished to construct a building equal to it, he would not be able to do so without spending a hundred million dinars, and the work would occupy two hundred years, even though the most able and experienced workmen were employed.

A Sanskrit inscription incised on a stone slab was found in Katra Keshavadeva, which mentions that in Vikrama Samvat 1207 (1150 A.D.), when Maharaja Vijayapal Deva was the ruler of Mathura, an individual by the name of Jajja constructed a new temple on the site of Shri Krishna’s birthplace. Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to Mathura and bathed at the Vishraam Teertha. Then he prayed and paid obeisance to the Lord at the Keshavadeva temple at Shri Krishna’s birthplace. Imbued with his love for Lord Shri Krishna, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu began to dance, sing and cry out the name of the Lord. People were mesmerised by his acts of divine love and began to chant, ”Hari-Hari” along with him. The priest of the Keshavadeva temple garlanded Shri Chaitanya. Shri Chaitanya returned to Mathura after a visit to Gokul and paid obeisance to the Lord at His birthplace. He stayed at the house of the priest. This grand temple was destroyed in the early sixteenth century during the reign of Sikandar Lodi.

Mathura Museum,Mathura

Overview

Government Museum, Mathura commonly referred as Mathura museum is an archaeological museum in Mathura city of Uttar Pradesh state in India. 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, Mathura, and finally changed to the Government Museum, Mathura.

The museum houses artifacts pottery, sculptures, paintings, and coins primarily from in and around Mathura, plus discoveries made by noted colonial archaeologists like Alexander Cunningham, F. S. Growse, and Fuhrer.The museum is famous for ancient sculptures of the Mathura school dating from 3rd century BC to 12th century AD., during Kushan Empire and Gupta Empire.today it is one of the leading museums of Uttar Pradesh. The Government of India issued a postage stamp on October 9, 1974 on the centenary of the museum.

The Government Museum, Mathura originally founded by F.S. Grouse in 1874, is today one of the leading centers for research, study and the preservation of Mathura’s splendid heritage of art. The museum housed in a fine octagonal, red sandstone building, located at Dampier Park, has a finest collection of sculptures belonging to the Maurya, Sunga, Kushana and the Gupta periods. Its collection of Kushana art is considered to be the finest in the world.

On a visit to the Mathura Archaeological Museum which is located at the Dampier Park you will come across an exciting collection of antiquities. You will get to see the articles that were discovered in the archeological excavations from Mathura and adjacent area. You will really be surprised to see that most of the collection belongs to the period between the 3rd to 12th centuries. Some of the most fascinating items of these centuries include the sculptures from the Gupta and Kushan time.

In the Archaeological Museum in Mathura you will get to see some of the more interesting objects like stone sculptures, bas-reliefs, architectural fragments, inscriptions related to diverse faiths, old coins, terracotta and bronze articles, pottery, bricks, clay seals and paintings. Most of these items were discovered by Cunnigham, Growse and Fuhrer among others. Majority of the items basically belongs to Mathura region.

This apart, at Mathura Archaeological Museum you will also be delighted at the sight of the articles on Indian Art and Iconography, attractive old drapery, ornamentation, hairdressing and articles of domestic or special uses.

History

Government Museum, popularly known as Mathura Museum, is located near the Dampier Park. The museum houses artefacts of the Gupta and the Kushan period ranging from 400 B.C. to 1200 A.D. It also encompasses a collection of the Mathura School of Sculptures.

Furthermore, tourists visiting the museum can also see a collection of stone sculptures, terracotta, gold, silver and copper coins. The museum also houses ancient paintings, bronze sculptures, pottery and clay seals.

The building of museum in itself is a work of art, which is made with red sandstone and is octagonally shaped. The statues of headless figure of Kanishk, standing Buddha and mother goddess along with the memorials of Sunga period are worth watching.

The Archaeological Museum in Mathura was instituted by Mr. F S Growse in the year 1874. Mr. F S Growse was the then collector of the Mathura district. In 1930 this museum was relocated to the present building.

Gita Mandir,Mathura

The Gita Mandir features inscriptions of the holy book in and around the surroundings of the temple. A magnificent idol of Lord Krishna is housed in this temple along with Lakshmi Narayana, Ram and Sita.

Overview

Gita Mandir, also known as Birla Mandir is located on the outskirts of Mathura, on the road connecting Vrindavan and Mathura. The mandir is neat, clean, well maintained, and provides an all- pervading peaceful and devotional atmosphere. It is one of the most popular destinations of Mathura frequented by pilgrims and leisure tourists alike. The presiding deity of the shrine Lord Krishna.

Apart from the idol of Lord Krishna, another attraction, ‘Gita Stambh’, is also known to stun visitors. It signifies the victory of truth over evil, as witnessed in the epic Mahabharata. The temple's architecture juxtaposed with intricate carvings and paintings are worth watching. Entire Bhagavad Gita is inscribed on the temple walls, which in turn adds charm to it.

On the top of the hill, a dazzling white peace pagoda has been built by the Japan Buddha Sangha and the Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangha in the 1970s.Light and sound show in Dhaulagiri The nearby region also houses Ashokan edicts and possibly a Stupa at Bhaskareshwar temple at Tankapani road as arglars. The Dhauligiri hills also has an ancient Shiva temple which is the place for mass gathering during Shiva Ratri Celebrations.

History

Attraction Of Gita Mandir

The temple is having an effigy of Lord Krishna for darshan, which is placed in On the outer side of the temple is a huge effigy of Lord Hanumana. In this area there is also a picture of Lord Krishna picking the Giriraj Mountain.

When you reach the temple, long stairs welcome you. The entrance to the temple is covered by a porch, which is supported by carved pillars. Lakshmi Narayan and Sita Rama figurine is on the left and right side.

The temple is open throughout the week and there is no entry charge for the temple. Worshipers can visit in the morning and offer their offering. There are small shops outside the mandir which sell sweets, flowers and other items required for the puja

Best Time To Visit

One can visit the temple at any time of the day. But the devotees prefer to be a part of the morning aarti.

The festivals of Janmashtami and Holi are celebrated with great fervor and the temple is extensively decorated. Large section of devotees visit specifically on the occasion of Gita Jayanti, when the temple is beautifully decorated.

Timings

The Gita Mandir can be visited on any day of the week; general visiting timings: 5.00am to 9:00 pm

Vishram Ghat,Mathura

Vishram Ghat is a ghat, a bath and worship place, on the banks of river Yamuna in Mathura, India. It is the main ghat of Mathura and is central to 25 other ghats. The traditional parikrama starts and ends at Vishram Ghat.

Overview

The traditional parikrama (circumambulation of all the important religious and cultural places of the city) starts from Vishram Ghat and ends here. The 12 ghats of the Yamuna to the north of Vishram Ghat include Ganesh Ghat, Dashashwamedh Ghat with its Neelakantheshwar Temple, Saraswati Sangam Ghat, Chakratirtha Ghat, Krishnaganga Ghat, Somatirth or Swami Ghat, Ghantagharan Ghat, Dharapattan Ghat, Vaikuntha Ghat, Navtirtha or Varahkshetra Ghat, Asikunda ghat or Brahma-tirtha Ghat.

To the south, there are 11 ghats - the Guptatirth Ghat, Prayag Ghat marked by the Veni Madhav Temple, Shyam Ghat, Ram Ghat, Kankhal Ghat, the site of the Janmashtami and Jhula festivals, Dhruva ghat, Saptrishi Ghat, Mokshatirth Ghat, Surya Ghat, Ravan Koti Ghat and Buddha Ghat.

The Vishram Ghat is lined with elegant temples and some of the most important shrines of Mathura that includes - the Mukut Temple, Radha-Damodar, Murli Manohar, Neelkantheshwar, Yamuna-Krishna, Langali Hanuman and Narasimha temples. The baithak of the great Vaishnava Saint, Mahaprabhu Ballabha Chaitanya, is also nearby.

The aarti held at the Vishram Ghat every evening is something that shouldn't be missed, for the little oil lamps that are floated on the river set the placid water sparkle with countless flickering lights.No pilgrimage to Mathura is complete without a visit to its kunds or sacred ponds. Traditionally there were 159 ancient kunds but now only four have survived. These include Shiv Tal, Potara Kund associated closely with Lord Krishna besides the Balbhadra and Saraswati kunds.There are several Shaivite temples as well. Prominent Shaivite temples include-Bhuteshwar Mahadev Temple to the west of the town, the Gokarneshwar Temple in the north, the Rangeshwar Mahadev Temple to the south and the Pipaleshwar Mahadev Temple to the east.

History

Vishram Ghat literally meaning the resting place is located at the banks of the river Yamuna. The ghat is made up of marble stone and has a large stone arch. According to the legend, it is at this ghat Lord Krishna rested after a long battle with the king Kansa.

Furthermore, the ghat is surrounded by several temples like Mukut Temple, Murli Manohar and many other temples. . Aarti on the ghat in evening is a sight worth watching. Tourists can also sight a beautiful view of small oil lamps floating on the river surface.

Vishram Ghat,Mathura

Overview

History

Govardhan Hill,Mathura

Overview

Govardhana Hill, also called Mount Govardhana, Giri Raj and Royal Hill, is a sacred Hindu site in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India on a 8km long hill located in the area of Govardhan and Radha Kund,which is about 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Vrindavan.Known as Govardhan or Giriraj it is the sacred center of Braj and is identified as a natural form of the Lord Krishna himself (Govardhana sila).

Once, when the elder people of Braj including Nanda Maharaj were planning for the Puja of Lord Indra, Shri Krishna, a child then, questioned them as to why they were doing so. Nanda Maharaj explained to Krishna that this was done every year to please Lord Indra so that he continued to grace the people of Braj by providing rain as and when required. But little Krishna debated that they were farmers and they should only do their duty or ‘Karma’ to the best of their abilities, by concentrating on farming and protecting their cattle, rather than performing pujas or conduct sacrifices like this for any natural phenomenon. Finally convinced by Krishna, the villagers did not perform with the puja.

Furious with the inhabitants of Braj for listening to the little child Krishna and worshipping the Govardhan Hill instead of him, lndra, the King of Heaven, decided to punish them by sending terrible rain clouds to flood the land of Vrindavan. Calling the Samavartaka clouds of devastation, lndra ordered them to lash upon Vrindavan with torrents of rain and thunderstorms and cause extensive floods that would destroy the livelihood of the inhabitants.

As terrible rains and thunderstorms ravaged the land and submerged it under water, the frightened and helpless inhabitants of Vrindavan approached Lord Krishna for help. Krishna, who understood the situation perfectly well, lifted up the entire Govardhan Hill at once with His left hand, and held it up like an umbrella. One by one all the inhabitants of Vrindavan, along with their cows and other household possessions, took shelter under Govardhan Hill. For seven days they stayed under the hill, safe from the terrible rains and surprisingly undisturbed by hunger or thirst. They were also astounded to see the huge Govardhan Hill resting perfectly balanced on Krishna’s little finger.

Stunned and mystified with the order of events, King Indra called back the clouds of devastation, thus stopping the thunderstorms and the rains. The sky became clear again and the sun shone brightly over Vrindavan. Little Krishna asked the inhabitants to return home without any fear, and gently placed the Govardhan Hill back to exactly where it was. All the inhabitants of Braj including Nanda Maharaj, Yasoda and Balarama hailed Krishna and embraced Him with happiness.

History

Govardhan Puja is celebrated the day after Diwali. It is the day Lord Krishna defeated Indra, the deity of thunder and rain. As per the story, Krishna saw huge preparations for the annual offering to Indra and questions his father Nanda about it. He debated with the villagers about what their 'dharma' truly was. They were farmers, they should do their duty and concentrate on farming and protection of their cattle. He continued to say that all human beings should merely do their 'dharma', to the best of their ability and not pray or conduct sacrifices for natural phenomenon. The villagers were convinced by Krishna, and did not proceed with the special puja (prayer). Indra was then angered, and flooded the village. Krishna then lifted Mt Govardhan and held it up as protection to his people and cattle from the rain. Indra finally accepted defeat and recognized Krishna as supreme. This aspect of Krishna's life is mostly glossed over - but it actually set up on the basis of the 'karma' philosophy later detailed in the Bhagavad Gita.

According to ancient Vaishnava legends the Vedic Deva, Indra was feared by human beings because he would either give the people no rain or flood them if he was not satisfied with their worship. When Krishna found out, he opposed the performance of sacrificial worship for Indra. He emphasized the importance of karma and doing ones duty. This made Indra angry at the boy Krishna.

Indra thus invoked many clouds to appear in the sky and schemed to flood the region with rains lasting for seven days and seven nights. Krishna in reply then lifted Govardhan Hill, under which all the animals and people of the region took shelter, safe from the rains of Indra's fury. Ultimately, Indra accepted defeat. He offered his prayers and left to his heavenly kingdom.

It also represents the downfall of Indra, and a new beginning in Hindu philosophy, from a more sacrificial/ appeasement oriented worship, to a more spiritual plane of thought. This evolution of thought in Hinduism was brought about by Krishna, and therefore he has been the most important Hindu deity since then - considered an 'avatar' of the supreme. The more we look at his life story - we find him to be a great reformer of his time.

Dwarkadheesh Temple,Mathura

The Dwarkadhish temple, also known as the Jagat Mandir and occasionally spelled Dwarakadheesh, is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Krishna, who is worshiped here by the name Dwarkadhish, or 'King of Dwarka'.

Overview

Sri Dwarkadheesh Mandir is one of the oldest and largest temples of Mathura city in States of Indiaof India, India. This is a major and famous Hindu shrine, and its current structure was built up by Seth Gokul Das Parikh, the treasurer of then Gwalior State(Scindia) in 1814. It was built for the famous Hindu deity Dwarkadheesh (meaning the God or king of Dwarka, where Lord Krishna has shifted from Mathura and settled till his life on earth). There the main deity is of Lord Dwarkadheesh, a form of Lord Krishna seen in a black Marble idol named Dwarkanath. With him is the White marble idol of his counterpart deity Sri Radharani.

Showcasing the ideology of the ISKCON movement, the temple organises kirtans, bhajans and pooja on a regular basis. With activities surrounding over two ISKCON centres, one in the Swarga Dwara area and the other in the outskirts of the city, ISKCON movement is very prominent in Bhubaneshwar. Nearby ISKCON temple, a new Radha-Krishna Temple is constructed, for the devotees of Krishna and Radha, the universal symbol of love.

The Dwarkadhish temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Lord Krishna. Dwarkadhish Temple is one of the major pilgrimages of the Hindus. The temple located in the city of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, India and along the Yamuna River which is on the edge of the city's main (Vishram Ghat) pier. The temple is famous in northern India and its current structure was established by Seth Gokul Das (the treasurer of the Gwalior Estate) in 1814. In 1930, the temple was gifted to Pustimarga Girgharlal Acharya ji, from Kankroli for worship service and since then Lord Krishna was worshipped according to them. Lord Krishna worshipped here by the name Dwarkadhish, or 'King of Dwarka' and thus name was given to the temple. The main attraction of the temple is the beautiful deity of Lord Krishna which is made up of black marble and deity of Radharani, made up of white marble.

ISKCON has from then developed into a worldwide organization comprising of about 10,000 temple devotees and 250,000 relating devotees. Also famous with the name of the Hare Krishna movement, ISKCON has now become a wide network of more than 350 centers, 60 restaurants, 50 schools and 60 rural communities across the world.

The temple is having a good large premises with the main building enclosed by a magnificently carved Rajasthani style entrance with steep steps leading to temple courtyard. The temple has the images of all gods and goddesses. The temple complex is very beautiful and attractive.

History

Dwarka is the legendary city, the residing place of Lord Krishna, on the shore of the Arabian Sea, the extreme west coast of Gujarat (Jamnagar district). The name Dwarka is derived from the Sanskrit word 'dvar' that means door or gate. Dwarka It is among the seven ancient cities of India, which is well known for the Dwarkadhish temple and as the place where Krishna ruled his kingdom. Therefore, it is one of the most momentous pilgrimage spot for the Hindus.

Besides the ruling place of Shree Krishna, Dwarka is the place where Lord Vishnu killed the demon named Shankhasura. Besides this historic event, the Puranas (a holy book of Hindus) one of the 12 JyotirLingas (columns of lights) specifically manifesting Lord Shiva named Nageshwar Mahadev is in the sanctified place of Dwarka.

A popular belief is that this city has drowned six times in the Arabian Sea after Lord Krishna departed from the Earth and the present Dwarka is the 7th such city that was reestablished near the site of old Dwarka.Sri Krishna abandoned the battle in Mathura for the sake of the betterment of the people dwelling in that city. Therefore, it was named 'Ranchodrai'. He decided to leave Mathura and founded the Dwarka city.

Ghats, Mathura

Overview

Mathura Ghats, Mathura: There are 25 Ghats (holy tirthas) in the holy city Mathura. Vishram Ghat is in the middle. There are 12 ghats to the north and 12 ghats to the south of Vishram Ghat. Before starting their Braj Mandala Parikrama, some pilgrims bath in all the tirthas. Lord Chaitanya and Prabhu Nityananda took bath in these ghats before starting their Braj Mandala Parikrama. The names of many ghats have changed and it is not possible to find them now. Vishram Ghat, Dhruv Ghat, Krishna Ganga Ghat, Chakratirtha Ghat, Praya Ghat and Asi Ghat are still known by the same names

History

The Vishram ghat is lined with elegant temple and some of Mathura's most important shrines are found here - the Mukut Temple, Radha-Damodar, Murli Manohar, Neelkantheshwar, Yamuna-Krishna, Langali Hanuman and Narasimha temples. The baithak of the great Vaishnava, Shri Chaitanya, is also near by. The aarti held at the Vishram Ghat each evening is not to be missed, for the little oil lamps that are floated on the river set the placid water asparkle with a myriad flickering lights. History tells us that this important site was ravaged and patronized in equal measure over the ages, It was badly damaged during the early invasions but two Vaishnavite saints, Keshav Kashmiri and Vallabhacharya restored its sanctity during the time of Sikander Lodhi. It received lavish patronage during the tolerant rule of Akbar when the temples were repaired and embellished but again time and events took their toll.

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