Mathura & Vrindavan Krishna’s Janmabhoomi
In the land of Braj - where Krishna was born in a Mathura prison and grew up among the cowherds of Vrindavan - Janmashtami is kept most grandly of all, the temples ablaze with light and song through the midnight birth.
Janmashtami Friday, 4 September 2026·Mathura
The birthplace of Krishna
Two thousand years and more before our time, the tyrant Kamsa imprisoned his sister Devaki and her husband Vasudeva in Mathura, having heard a prophecy that her eighth child would slay him. That eighth child was Krishna, born at midnight as the guards fell asleep and the prison doors swung open. Vasudeva carried the infant across the flooding Yamuna to safety in Gokul - and the spot of that birth is enshrined today as the Shri Krishna Janmasthan.
Braj - the land of Krishna’s childhood
Around Mathura spreads Braj: Vrindavan, where the boy Krishna played his flute and danced the raas with the gopis; Gokul and Nandgaon, his foster home; Govardhan, the hill he lifted; and Barsana, Radha’s village. On Janmashtami the whole region keeps vigil, and the next morning brings Nandotsav, the joy of Nanda Baba at Krishna’s coming.
The great temples on Janmashtami
From the birthplace itself to the beloved deities of Vrindavan, each temple keeps the midnight birth in its own way.
The birthplace itself - built around the prison cell where Krishna was born to Devaki and Vasudeva. On Janmashtami the Janmabhoomi complex holds the grandest midnight abhishekam of all, thronged through the night by pilgrims from across the world.
Mathura's principal temple, honouring Krishna as the king of Dwarka. Its jhula, jhankis (tableaux) and processions make it a centre of the city's Janmashtami and the following Nandotsav.
Vrindavan's most beloved temple, where the deity of Banke Bihari - Krishna in his enchanting three-bent pose - is revealed only in glimpses. Janmashtami here is an ecstatic, all-night celebration of song and swing.
The ISKCON temple in Raman Reti, where Janmashtami draws devotees worldwide for a day of fasting, kirtan and the midnight maha-abhishekam, followed by Nandotsav the next morning.
One of the seven ancient Goswami temples of Vrindavan, its self-manifest deity worshipped with exquisite care. Its Janmashtami abhishekam, bathing the Lord in panchamrit, is a cherished sight.
The modern marble temple of divine love, whose illuminated fountains and depictions of Krishna's leelas make it a spectacular backdrop to the Janmashtami crowds.
Frequently asked questions
Where was Krishna born?
In a prison cell in Mathura, to Devaki and Vasudeva. The spot is enshrined today as the Shri Krishna Janmasthan (Janmabhoomi), the focus of the grandest Janmashtami of all.
Why is Vrindavan special to Krishna?
Vrindavan is where Krishna spent his childhood among the cowherds and gopis, playing the flute and dancing the raas with Radha. Its temples - Banke Bihari, Radha Raman, ISKCON and more - keep that Braj devotion alive.
What is Nandotsav?
The celebration held the morning after Janmashtami, marking Nanda Baba's joy at Krishna's arrival in Gokul, when sweets and gifts are showered and shared - especially grand in Mathura, Vrindavan and Gokul.
When is Janmashtami in Mathura this year?
In 2026, Krishna Janmashtami falls on Friday, 4 September 2026 in Mathura, with the midnight abhishekam at the Janmasthan.
Last updated 28 July 2026