Mathura, Varindavan & Haridwar

Mathura Tourist Attractions

Braj is the land of Krishna and Mathura is its epicenter. Since time immemorial, Mathura has been home to the follower of Krishna. The city of milkmaids has a lot to offer when it comes to 'Krishna Tourism'. The city has some of the beautiful temples and religious sites. We list a few of them: -

Dwarkadhish Temple
Dwarkadhish Temple is not only an important temple of Mathura but also of India. Built in 1814, Dwarkadhish Temple is situated in the heart of the city of Mathura. Dwarkadhish Temple that is currently managed by the followers of the Vallabhacharya sect is the most visited temple in Mathura. Located in the eastern part of Mathura, not far from the Yamuna River, the temple is architecturally very interesting.

Government Museum
Mathura Kusum Sarovar is the must visit site in Mathura. Kusum Sarovar is actually a 450 feet long tank that belongs to the era of Lord Krishna. Kusum Sarovar is 60 feet deep and has numerous flights of stairs from all sides. Kusum Sarovar is just half an hour walk from another famous tank named Radha Kunj.

Krishna Janambhoomi
Krishna Janambhoomi is one of the most visited tourist destination in India. The place has been named so because it is considered to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna. 'Janam' means 'Birth' and 'Bhoomi' means 'Place' in Hindi. It is supposed that the present temple is built over spot of the prison where Lord Krishna took birth.

Kusum Sarovar
Kusum Sarovar is the must visit site in Mathura. Kusum Sarovar is actually a 450 feet long tank that belongs to the era of Lord Krishna. Kusum Sarovar is 60 feet deep and has numerous flights of stairs from all sides. Kusum Sarovar is just half an hour walk from another famous tank named Radha Kunj.

Vrindavan, just 15 km from Mathura, is another major place of pilgrimage. It is noted for its numerous temples - both old and modern. The name Vrindavan evokes the playfulness and lovable characteristics of Shri Krishna. This is the wood where he frolicked with the gopis and tenderly wooed Radha.Set in idyllic environs, this beautiful city has many jewel palaces and temples surrounded by the best of nature's bounty. The regal swans in the waters of the Yamuna, among the beautiful lotus flowers, the kadamba trees, fragrant flowers and the sweetly singing make it place of spiritual peace. There are over 5,000 temples in Vrindavan. Attracting about 500 000 pilgrims every year, mainly during major festivals like Janmashtami, Holi and Radhashtami, it is noted for its numerous temples, both old and modern, big and small, believed to be around 5000 in number! Tourist Attractions of Vrindavan ISKCON Temple Newly constructed ISKON temple is one of the most impressive ones with funds coming from devotees overseas. The marble buildings exude their own brilliance and present an example of intricate carving. It owes its existence to Swami Prabhupada, a Hindu devotee born in Bengal in 1896. Today, ISKON is a worldwide movement with followers from many different ethnic backgrounds   Pagal Baba Temple Founded by Late Pagal Baba, this gleaming white temple has eleven stories in all. One of the modern architectural examples, the temple retains the playfulness of Pagal Baba in the spirit of his disciples who are ready to welcome the visitors into the temple's interior. One can get some good views of the surrounding area from the ninth storey. The main attractions are the puppets exhibited in the temple. Some of them are mechanized and depict scenes from Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Govind Dev Temple Govinda Dev Temple was a grand seven-story structure, with an altar of marble, silver and gold. Architecturally this temple is one of the finest in North India. A sculptured lotus flower weighing several tons decorates the main hall ceiling. It was built in 1590 by Raja Man Singh from Jaipur, a general in Akbar's army. It was said to have cost ten million rupees and several thousand men were working for five full years to complete it. Bankey Bihari Temple One of the most important and lively temples is the Bankey Bihari, which houses a sacred image of Krishna known as Thakur Ji, which shows Krishna embodied in almost black color. Devotees can be seen playing amall cymbals to timeless tunes of worship and singing hymns to its rhythm and offering garlands of flower petals and offer them to the statue while Brahmins occasionally draw across the curtain to let the devotees catch the glimpse of the great Lord.

Haridwar

Introduction The gateway to the Char Dham in the Garhwal- Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Haridwar is one of the most important pilgrimages in India. Haridwar is believed to be one of the four spots where the elixir of immortality- Amrita spilled over from the Kumbh in which it was being carried by Garuda, the holy bird and the vehicle of Lord Vishnu. Haridwar being a pilgrimage spot, tourist attractions in Haridwar consist mainly of temples. Most of the tourist attractions in Haridwar are all located well within the reach of tourists and within the city bounds. Haridwar, the name literally translates to the Gateway (Dwar) to Lord Vishnu (Hari)!  In other words, it can be said that Haridwar is the place from where you can gain access to the Lord. Situated at the foot of the Himalayas, the holy city is said to have entertained the Hindu Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, in the epic times. Adding to its sanctity is the fact that it is from Haridwar that the holy Ganges enters the plains, giving it the name of ‘Ganga-Dwara’ (Gateway of Ganga). Thousands of pilgrims congregate at the city every year, to take a dip in the holy waters around ‘Har-ki-Paudi’ (a bathing ghat). With more than 300 temples within its precincts, Haridwar is considered the best place to trace the roots of Hinduism. Places to See in Haridwar Har ki Paudi The most popular as well as the most scared of all the tourist attractions in Haridwar is the Har ki Paudi. It is basically a bathing ghat that holds as much reverence for the devotees as the Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi. As per the legends, ‘Har ki Paudi’, meaning the Steps (Paudi) of Vishnu (Har), was once visited by Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva and even served as the venue of a yagna by Lord Brahma. Taking a dip in the holy waters around the bathing ghat is one of the main reasons why pilgrims come to the city. Mansa Devi Temple A trip to Haridwar, without a visit to the Mansa Devi temple, is totally incomplete. The temple, as the name suggests, is dedicated to Mansa Devi - an incarnation of Goddess Durga. It is situated atop the Bilwa hill. Health conscious people prefer to trek their way to the temple, while the adventure enthusiasts can make use of the ropeway cable car. Pawan Dham Temple Situated at a distance of around 2 km from the heart of Haridwar is the Pawan Dham Temple. Dating back to the ancient times, the magnificent temple stands ornamented with intricate glasswork on its walls. The extensively festooned idols of the temple also make it worth paying a visit. Maya Devi Temple Another temple in Haridwar that is dedicated to a goddess is the Maya Devi Temple. It enshrines the image of Goddess, as an incarnation of Power or Shakti. One of the major attractions of the temple is that it forms one of the Shaktipeeths in India. Along with that, Maya Devi Temple is believed to be the place that became the recipient of the heart & navel of Sati (wife of Lord Shiva). Vaishno Devi Temple Vaishno Devi Temple is amongst those temples in Haridwar that do not have an ancient lineage and were built sometime back only. The major attraction of the temple arises from the fact that its design is majorly based on the Vaishno Devi Temple of Jammu. Bharat Mata Temple The most unique and unusual temple of Haridwar is the ‘Bharat Mata Temple’. It is totally different from the typical Hindu temples and is dedicated, not to various Gods and Goddesses, but those people who have influenced the country in one way or the other. Each of the eight stories in the temple is dedicated to a different group, like spiritual leaders, freedom fighters, etc. Chandi Devi Temple Chandi Devi Temple dates back to the year 1929, when it was built under the aegis of Suchat Singh, the King of Kashmir. It is situated atop the Neel Parvat and enshrines the idol of Chandi Devi, the Goddess who killed the demon brothers Shumbh-Nishumbh. Legends say that the idol was enshrined there by Adi Shankracharya, in 8th century. Accommodation As far as accommodation is concerned, visitors to Haridwar will have no reason to complain. Dharamshalas, hotels or ashrams - you name it and you will find it in the holy city. The hotels in Haridwar cater to every need and budget. If the royal past is what you are wishing for, ‘Haveli Hari Ganga’ heritage hotel will suit you perfectly. If you want the latest amenities, then hotels like Country Inn & Suites by Carlson, Hotel Classic Residency, Hotel Park View and Sun Hotel are amongst the best ones. If money is your problem, you can stay at budget hotels like Hotel Alaknanda, Hotel Alpana, Hotel Midtown, etc. For the austere travelers, ashrams are not far away. How to Reach Haridwar By Air Jolly Grant Airport of Dehradun, situated approximately 35 km away, falls the nearest from Haridwar. By Rail The railway station at Haridwar connects it with all the important cities of India. All the trains going to Dehradun also make a stoppage here. ByRoad With the National Highway passing through it, Haridwar is easily accessible from the key cities in India, by road. You can get buses as well as taxis, from cities like Delhi and Dehradun, for reaching the place.