Navamohana Krishna Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Agra has the closest airport, 54 km from Gokul.

• By train

  Mathura is the closest railway station, 7 km from Gokul.

• By road

  The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation runs buses between Mathura and Gokul.

Why devotees come here

Navamohana Krishna Temple stands in Gokul, Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams, the Vishnu temples praised by the Alvars, and its sanctum holds Krishna in his childhood form. Tradition says Krishna grew up in this town.

Navamohana Krishna Temple is counted among the Divya Desams, which are 108 Vishnu temples honoured by the 12 Alvars, a group of poet-saints. The Naalayira Divya Prabandham, a 7th to 9th century Vaishnava canon, records hymns on it by Periyalvar in ten, Andal in five and Thirumangai Alvar in seven. Andal, the only female Alvar, is among those who revered the place. According to Hindu tradition, Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu, spent his childhood in Gokulam, and the sanctum holds an image of him in that childhood form.

The temple is believed to be a modern addition. The old temple was destroyed due to various political circumstances. Today it has a small shrine and pillared halls, and its tank lies to the west, parallel to the Yamuna river. The temple stands in modern Gokul, a town in Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh. Tradition says Krishna was born in Mathura and grew up in Gokul. Both towns lie in Mathura district. Mathura is also revered as the heart of the Braj region.

Tips for your visit

• Mathura has two railway stations: Mathura Junction and Mathura Cantt.
• From Mathura railway station, you can reserve a cab to take you to Gokul.
• From Agra airport, you can arrange a taxi to Gokul.
• Gokul is a separate town in Mathura district, not part of Mathura city.

Questions people ask