Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, is one of the holiest places in all of India, on the banks of the Yamuna River, less than 150 km from Delhi. More than a mere tourist attraction, Krishna Janmabhoomi is the main destination for Krishna devotees and pilgrims from all over the world who come here to worship their beloved God.
Birth place of lord Krishna
Among the many historical and cultural sites, the grand temple complex is the main attraction of the twin cities of Mathura and Vrindavan. Please see places to visit in Mathura and places to visit in Vrindavan for more information on the most popular destinations in the region.
Story of Krishna’s birth
The story of Krishna’s birth is a classic story of the victory of good over evil. Several thousand years ago, Mother Earth summoned the Supreme Lord Vishnu from Lord Brahma, the god of creation, to descend on this troubled planet to restore religious principles to a warring civilization.
Vishnu arranged for the deities to come down from their heavenly planets to incarnate as humans, who would welcome them into this world in the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the infant Krishna.
So it so happened that mother Devaki and father Vasudeva were expecting the Lord to appear as their child while imprisoned in the kingdom of Kansa, the evil brother of Devaki. When Kansa learned that his sister’s eighth child would kill him, he vowed to kill all her offspring.
Because he is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, even as a small child, used his divine powers to escape the wrath of Kansa and found his way to safety in the home of his foster parents, Mother Yashoda and Father Nandan. Eventually, Lord Krishna returned to Mathura to kill King Kansa and restore order to the kingdom.
Time and place of birth of Krishna
Krishna’s divine presence took place in the city of Mathura, in the prison of King Kansa, brother of Krishna’s mother Devaki.
According to the scriptures, all this happened on July 18, 3228 BC or 5245 years ago. This was during a period of great upheaval, before the outbreak of a devastating war between two noble warrior families.
Story of Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple
The site of the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple complex is around the area of the prison of King Kansa, in which Krishna appeared as the son of Mother Devaki. The first temple to appear at this site was built by Vajranabh, the great-grandson of Lord Krishna, one of the last surviving members of the Yadu dynasty.
After the disastrous battle at Kurukshetra, he became the king of Mathura where he established several temples for the home deities of Lord Krishna. One of them was built around the present site of the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple. Over the millennia thereafter, many temples at the site were destroyed and rebuilt.
The most beautiful temple was built in 400 CE by the benevolent Gupta emperor Vikramaditya, but it was destroyed by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1017. In 1150, the third temple was built by Jajja during the reign of King Dhrupet Deva Janjuja, the emperor of Mathura.
Lord Chaitanya, the Bengali saint responsible for founding the Hare Krishna movement, worshiped here in the 16th century before the Islamic Sultanate of Delhi was destroyed by Sikandar Lodhi. The temple was rebuilt again in the 17th century as the Keshav Dev Temple, which was destroyed by the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, who was notorious for desecrating many Hindu temples.
Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple
After British rule began in 1803, painstaking efforts to rebuild the temple remained unfulfilled, eventually leading to the establishment of the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Trust in 1951. The construction of the present temple began in 1953 and was completed in 1982.
When to visit Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi
Shri Krishna Janmashtami is the most important festival celebrated in Mathura, the day of the appearance of Lord Krishna. On this day, (the 8th day of Krishna Paksha or the black fortnight of August-September in the Hindu month) thousands of Krishna devotees, pilgrims and tourists flock to Mathura to celebrate the presence of their most beloved God.
If you don’t mind running amidst huge crowds, then this is a truly magical opportunity to visit Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi. Many temples throughout Mathura can see concerts, drama performances and colorful performances, as well as a number of religious services to commemorate the day of the appearance of the infant Krishna.
If you prefer to experience the sacred sites of this spiritual center in a less frenzied environment, try the months of February and March when the climate is ideal for sightseeing and city walking.
Conclusion of the birthplace of Lord Krishna
Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi, the birthplace of Lord Krishna is a must visit place due to its religious and historical importance. It is considered as one of the 7 holiest places in India as well as the main attraction of the city of Mathura.
Because it is located relatively close to the Taj Mahal and Delhi, it should definitely be included in any North India itinerary.
The rich cultural heritage of this magnificent site and the pure spiritual energy flowing through this place will leave a lasting impression on any lucky person who comes here.