India GO
Krishna temples in Mathura
कृष्ण
In Mathura the temples read like a biography. In tradition, Krishna is born in a prison cell at the Janmasthan, grows up across the Yamuna in Gokul and Nandgaon, comes back to kill Kamsa and rests at Vishram Ghat, and is worshipped in the bazaar as Dwarkadhish, the king he became. The eight places in the list are free to enter; three of them are a long drive from the city.
Krishna
The eighth avatar of Vishnu; for Gaudiya Vaishnavas and ISKCON, the Supreme himself: cowherd, lover, Arjuna's charioteer and the voice of the Bhagavad Gita.
Krishna's story, place by place
Tradition ties each place to a moment in Krishna's life. In story order:
Birth: Krishna Janmasthan
The Janmasthan complex is built over the spot held to be Kamsa's prison, where Devaki gave birth to Krishna. A recreated underground cell is reached through narrow corridors. Security is strict: phones, cameras and all electronics stay in the cloakroom outside.
Childhood: Brahmand Ghat, Mahavan
About 15 km south-east, on the Yamuna. Here, the story goes, Krishna was caught eating clay, opened his mouth for Yashoda and she saw the whole universe inside it. Pilgrims still take a pinch of clay from the bank. A stone stair, a few shrines, small lamp aartis morning and evening, and villagers rather than tour groups.
Growing up: Nand Bhavan, Nandgaon
About 50 km out, 8 km from Barsana. Nandgaon is where Nanda moved the family and Krishna is said to have lived from about the age of six. The hilltop shrine, raised by Rup Singh in the 19th century over the traditional site of Nanda's house, holds images of Nanda, Yashoda, Krishna and Balarama.
A forest episode: Kokilavan
About 55 km from Mathura, near Kosi Kalan. By tradition Krishna appeared to Shani (Saturn) here as a cuckoo, kokila, and gave the grove its name. Today it is above all a Shani temple, with a shaded 1.25-kos parikrama (circuit) through the woods; Saturdays are by far the busiest.
Return: Vishram Ghat
Back in Mathura, Krishna kills his tyrant uncle Kamsa and rests on this bank of the Yamuna; vishram means rest. Vishram Ghat is the city's main ghat, and the Yamuna aarti is held here every evening at dusk.
The king: Dwarkadhish
Krishna later ruled from Dwarka, and Dwarkadhish, the Lord of Dwarka, is his temple in the old bazaar right above Vishram Ghat. Built in 1814, it belongs to the Pushtimarg tradition of Vallabhacharya and is known for near-constant kirtan (devotional singing).
The brother: Dauji, Baldeo
The Dauji Temple in Baldeo, about 22–25 km away, belongs to Balarama, Krishna's elder brother, whom Braj calls Dauji. The present temple dates to around 1535.
The teaching: Gita Mandir
On the Mathura–Vrindavan road, a red sandstone pillar of about 18 m carries all seven hundred verses of the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna's teaching to Arjuna. The temple, built in 1946 by Jugal Kishore Birla, has sanctums for Radha-Krishna, Lakshmi-Narayan and Sita-Ram, and it is quieter than the temples of the old city.
✅ What to leave behind
Entry is free everywhere on the list; the rules are what catch people out.
- Janmasthan: no electronics — Phones, cameras and other electronics go into the cloakroom at the gate, and there is a security check. Agree a meeting point before going in: without phones, groups lose each other.
- Dwarkadhish: phones, leather and bags outside — Bags go to the cloakroom, and the deity and sanctum are not photographed.
- Shoes and dress — Shoes come off at the shrines; modest dress is expected at the Janmasthan and Dwarkadhish. More on the temple dress code.
Janmashtami and Holi in Mathura
Janmashtami, Krishna's birthday, falls on 25–26 August 2027. It is Mathura's biggest night, peaking at midnight at the Janmasthan, and the India GO database rates it a mass gathering with steep price rises: book rooms about 45 days ahead and transport about 60 days ahead, arrive the day before and plan two or three nights. See Janmashtami in Mathura.
Holi (22–23 March 2027) is the other peak. Braj's Holi runs for weeks: Lathmar Holi at Barsana, with the men of Nandgaon going there and Barsana's women coming to Nandgaon the next day, and on the day after Holi the Huranga of water and colour in the Dauji temple courtyard at Baldeo. For Holi the database advises booking about 90 days ahead. See Holi in Mathura.
More temples
For timings of the Janmasthan and Dwarkadhish and a half-day walk through the old city, see temples in Mathura. The Radha-Krishna temples of Vrindavan are on temples in Vrindavan.
❓ FAQ
Which is the most important Krishna temple in Mathura?
The Krishna Janmasthan complex, built over the place held to be Krishna's birthplace. Dwarkadhish in the old bazaar is the city's second great Krishna temple.
Is there an entry fee for Krishna temples in Mathura?
No. All eight places on this page are free to enter.
Can I take my phone into Krishna Janmabhoomi?
No. Phones, cameras and other electronics must be left in the cloakroom at the gate.
When is Janmashtami in Mathura in 2027?
On 25–26 August 2027, with the celebration peaking at midnight. Book rooms about 45 days ahead.
Where did Krishna spend his childhood?
By tradition in Gokul and Mahavan across the Yamuna, then in Nandgaon, where Nanda moved the family when Krishna was about six.