Mathura
Shree Krishna Janmbhuni
Mathura is a city in the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately 50 kilometres (31 mi) north of Agra, and 145 kilometres (90 mi) south-east of Delhi; about 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) from the town of Vrindavan, and 22 kilometres (14 mi) from Govardhan. It is the administrative centre of Mathura District of Uttar Pradesh. During the ancient period, Mathura was an economic hub, located at the junction of important caravan routes. The 2011 census of India estimated the population of Mathura to be 25,47,000
According to Hindu scriptures Mathura is the birthplace of Lord Krishna at the centre of Braj or Brij-bhoomi, called Shri Krishna Janma-Bhoomi, literally: ‘Lord Krishna’s birthplace’. The Keshav Dev Temple was built in ancient times on the site of Krishna’s legendary birthplace (an underground prison). According to the Mahabharata and Bhagavata Purana epics, Mathura was the capital of the Surasena Kingdom, ruled by Kansa the maternal uncle of Shri Krishna.
Ancient history
Mathura has an ancient history and also homeland and birthplace of Krishna who was born in Yadu dynasty. According to the Archaeological Survey of India plaque at the Mathura Museum, the city is mentioned in the oldest Indian epic, the Ramayana. In the epic, the Ikshwaku prince Shatrughna slays a demon called Lavanasura and claims the land. Afterwards, the place came to be known as Madhuvan as it was thickly wooded, then Madhupura and later Mathura.
In the 6th century BCE Mathura became the capital of the Surasena Kingdom. The city was later ruled by the Maurya empire (4th to 2nd centuries BCE). Megasthenes, writing in the early 3rd century BCE, mentions Mathura as a great city under the name Μέθορα (Méthora). It seems it never was under the direct control of the following Shunga dynasty (2nd century BCE) as not a single archaeological remain of a Shunga presence were ever found in Mathura. Mathura may have come under the control, direct or indirect, of the Indo-Greeks some time between 180 BCE and 100 BCE, and remained so as late as 70 BCE according to the Yavanarajya inscription, which was found in Maghera, a town 17 kilometres (11 mi) from Mathura. The opening of the 3 line text of this inscription in Brahmi script translates as: “In the 116th year of the Yavana kingdom…” or ‘”In the 116th year of Yavana hegemony” (“Yavanarajya”) However, this also corresponds to the presence of the native Mitra dynasty of local rulers in Mathura, in approximately the same time frame (150 BCE—50 BCE), possibly pointing to a vassalage relationship with the Indo-Greeks.
After a period of local rule, Mathura was conquered by the Indo-Scythians during the 1st century BCE. The Indo-Scythian satraps of Mathura are sometimes called the “Northern Satraps”, as opposed to the “Western Satraps” ruling in Gujarat and Malwa. After Rajuvula, several successors are known to have ruled as vassals to the Kushans, such as the “Great Satrap” Kharapallana and the “Satrap” Vanaspara, who are known from an inscription discovered in Sarnath, and dated to the 3rd year of Kanishka (c. 130 CE), in which they were paying allegiance to the Kushans. Mathuran art and culture reached its zenith under the Kushan dynasty which had Mathura as one of their capitals, the other being Purushapura (modern-day Peshawar, Pakistan).
Faxian mentions the city as a centre of Buddhism about 400 CE while his successor Xuanzang, who visited the city in 634 CE, mentions it as Mot’ulo, recording that it contained twenty Buddhist monasteries and five Brahmanical temples. Later, he went east to Thanesar, Jalandhar in the eastern Punjab, before climbing up to visit predominantly Theravada monasteries in the Kulu valley and turning southward again to Bairat and then Mathura, on the Yamuna river.
The city was sacked and many of its temples destroyed by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1018 CE and again by Sikandar Lodhi, who ruled the Sultanate of Delhi from 1489 to 1517 CE. Sikander Lodhi earned the epithet of ‘Butt Shikan’, the ‘Destroyer of Hindu deities’. The Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, built the Shahi-Eidgah Mosque during his rule, which is adjacent to Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi believed to be over a Hindu temple.
Mathura culture
Mathura culture occupies a distinguished place in the Indian history and culture. Mathura is an active center of Brahmanism, Buddhism and Jainism for several decades in Uttar Pradesh. The art, religion, festivals comprise the culture of Mathura, which is famous worldwide. The culture in Mathura has culminated with all the major aspects such as history, society, epigraphy, religion, archeology, iconography, numismatics, art and sculpture. There are some cultural traditions in Mathura like the Sanjhee, which is the colorful art of decorating the ground with flowers. Raaslila is another predominant form of Mathura culture. The Bhagwat Purana says that Shri Krishna along with the gopis danced the Raas on the river bank of the Yamuna at Vrindavan.
Since then this dance is famous as Raaslila, only young Brahmin boys of 13 to 14 years of age can perform the Raaslila. The traditional folk dance of Braj is performed on the Dooj of Holi. A female dancer balances a row of lighted deepikas on her head while dancing. Usually the number of lamps ranges from 51 to108 in each performance. The Rasiya songs are the love songs of the divine couple Radha and Shri Krishna. These songs are compulsorily sung in Holi celebrations and all other festive occasions at Braj.
The Mathura culture is famous throughout India, particularly in the places, which consider Hinduism to be the main religion. Their rich tradition of folk songs are famous even in foreign lands.
Heritage
Shri Krishna Janambhoomi is a Hindu temple in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. The temple is built around the prison cell where Krishna is said to have been born. It is situated next to Kesava Deo Temple and the Shahi Eid Gah Mosque. Photography is banned inside the complex by the government.
The site celebrated as the birth place of Krishna. Krishna, as tradition goes, was born in a prison and the prison is said to have existed on the plot marked by a stone plate. To the right of it is the idgah. 1949
The original temple was built by King Vajra, 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.
