In the ancient city of Mathura on the bank of the Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh — one of the seven sacred cities that grant liberation — stands the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple, revered as the very birthplace of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. The Bhagavata Purana tells how Krishna was born here at midnight in the prison of the tyrant Kansa, to Vasudeva and Devaki, and was carried across the flooding Yamuna to safety in Gokul — the beginning of the divine play (leela) that would enchant the world.
The shrine, built around the traditional site of the birth-cell, is a focal point of devotion, especially at Janmashtami, when Krishna's midnight birth is celebrated with unmatched joy. Mathura, the heart of the Braj region, draws pilgrims from across the world to the land where the beloved Lord took birth.
