Lord Krishna
He is easily the most popular person here. Every square foot of
Mathura-Vrindavan is wrapped in timeless devotion to Lord Krishna, the
evergreen hero of Hinduism, the lover of Radha, the cowherd-prince and the
re-incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Mathura without Lord Krishna is like
Bethlehem without Christ. Welcome to Brajbhoomi or Krishna-land.
Brajbhoomi
The city of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, the nucleus of Brajbhoomi, is located
at a distance of 145 km south-east of Delhi and 58 km north-west of Agra.
Covering an area of about 3,800 sq. km., today, Brajbhoomi can be divided
into two distinct units - the eastern part in the trans-Yamuna tract with
places like Gokul, Mahavan, Baldeo, Mat and Bajna and the western side of
the Yamuna covering the Mathura region that encompasses Vrindavan,
Govardhan, Kusum Sarovar, Barsana and Nandgaon. In a nutshell, the land of
Braj starts from Kotban near Hodel about 95 km from Delhi and ends at
Runakuta which is known specially for its association with the poet Surdas,
an ardent Krishna devotee.
An Ancient City
An ancient city, Mathura's strategic location at the cross roads of various
trade routes - that went westwards to West Asia and the Roman Empire;
northwards, via Taxila, Pushkalavati and Purushapur to Central Asia and the
Silk Route and eastwards to China - ensured its position as a centre of
trade and a meeting point for varied cultures. By the 5th century BC, during
the time of Buddha, it was a major metropolis and the capital of the
Surasena Kingdom. Mathura saw its `golden age' during the rule of the
Kushanas and the able governance of rulers Kanishka, Huvishka, and Vasishka,
when the arts flourished and economic wealth grew. It remained a centre of
power during the Mauryan period, through the enlightened rule of Emperor
Ashoka (3rd century BC) to the Gupta era (4th century AD).
Holy Land
It has often been said that it is easier to count the number of dust
particles on the surface of the earth than to count the number of holy
places in Mathura. Each of the Ghats, for instance, has its own Krishna
myth. Here He rested after killing his evil and tyrannical uncle, King
Kansa; This is where His mother tied him after he stole butter; This is the
sacred grove where Krishna and Radha spent lazy, love-filled times - the
list is endless. In Mathura-Vrindavan, it is difficult to know the dividing
line between reality and myth.
Vrindavan
- The City Of Temples
Vrindavan, around 15 km from Mathura, is a major place of pilgrimage, on
the banks of Yamuna. Attracting about 5 lakhs pilgrims every year, it is
noted for its numerous temples- both old and modern. Vrindavan is synonymous
with the innocent mirth and child like playfulness of Shri Krishna.
Vrindavan, the dusty little town known for the temples, big and small,
famous and remote strewn all over the place.
A Divine Career
Lord Krishna was born in a prison cell in Mathura. His father Vasudev aided
by several celestial forces stole him out of Mathura, across the raging
river Yamuna and into the house of Nand in Gokul. Krishna spent his early
childhood here and revealed the first signs of his divinity. His uncle
Kansa's muderous attempts forced Krishna to leave Gokul and move to
Nandgaon, a more secure home high up on a hill. From here, the adolescent
Krishna, the cowherd, would wander into the Vrindavan forests to play with
his friends and dally with Radha, his lady love. Vrindavan, is still a
transcendental world, a place of Krishna's leela, (play), of deep eroticism
and an archetypal connection to nature. Each tree in the area speaks, as it
were, of the love of the divine couple.
