Temples in Mathura
Braj has thousands of Krishna temples, and a few of them set the rhythm of every visit. Each has its own rules on phones, crowds and hours, and most close for part of the day.
How darshan works here
Darshan means seeing the deity. In Braj, temples open in a morning and an evening session and close in between, usually from around noon until late afternoon. Hours shift between summer and winter and on festival days, so check at the gate or on the temple's own site. Leave shoes at the counter, cover shoulders and knees, and move with the queue.
Krishna Janmabhoomi
Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura is the complex built over the cell where Krishna is believed to have been born. It holds the birthplace shrine, the Keshavdev temple and the Bhagavata Bhavan. Security is the tightest in Braj: phones, cameras and bags go in lockers, and everyone is searched.
Banke Bihari
Banke Bihari, in the heart of Vrindavan, is the busiest temple in town. A curtain is drawn across the deity every few minutes and there are no bells, because the deity is treated as a child who must not be disturbed. The temple itself warns that Ekadashi, full-moon and new-moon days, weekends, holidays and the stretch from 20 December to 5 January bring heavy rush.
ISKCON Krishna Balaram Mandir
ISKCON Vrindavan was opened in 1975 by the movement's founder, whose white marble samadhi stands by the entrance. Kirtan runs through the day, and the schedule is clearly posted. It is the easiest temple for first-time visitors.
Prem Mandir
Prem Mandir is a white marble temple finished in 2012, set in large gardens. It is at its best in the evening, when the building is lit in changing colours.
Older Vrindavan temples
Vrindavan's older temples are smaller and quieter. Radha Vallabh, built in 1585, and Madan Mohan, near Kalidah Ghat, are among the oldest. Radha Raman is known for its saligram deity. In Mathura, the Dwarkadhish temple of 1814 stands near Vishram Ghat and hosts a swing festival in the monsoon month of Shravan.
Etiquette
- Do not photograph the deities unless a sign says you may.
- Keep glasses and phones zipped away in the lanes, where monkeys snatch them.
- Do not push in a crush. If a lane is jammed, step aside and wait.
Questions
Mathura — FAQ
Are non-Hindus allowed into the Mathura and Vrindavan temples?
The main temples here welcome visitors of any faith who dress modestly and follow the rules at the door. ISKCON in particular is used to foreign visitors.
Why is the curtain at Banke Bihari drawn every few minutes?
The deity is worshipped as a child. Tradition holds that a long, unbroken gaze could draw him away with a devotee, so darshan comes in short glimpses.
Is there a mangala aarti at Banke Bihari?
Only once a year, on Janmashtami. On other days the temple opens for the morning session without the pre-dawn aarti held at most Krishna temples.
Which temples stay open at midday?
Very few. Plan on most temples closing from around noon until late afternoon. Use that time for lunch, the Government Museum in Mathura or rest.