Letter from Seoul 54
Mathura
Located about 100-miles (162 km) south of New Delhi, Mathura is a city of 665,000 people in the metro area. While hardly among the megacities of India, Mathura is vitally important for the Hindu world because it is the birthplace of Lord Krishna.
A thumbnail history of Lord Krishna: He is the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, who is regarded as the Preserver and Protector of the universe, maintaining cosmic order (Dharma) by descending to Earth as various incarnations like Krishna.
Lord Krishna was deified in the 5th century, and is revered as the god of protection, love, compassion, desire, passion, and worshipped as the supreme deity by many Hindus.
This year the faithful marked the celebration of Govardhan Puja on October 3, when Krishna as a young boy of seven or eight lifted the Govardhan Hill for seven days to provide shelter for the villagers from torrential rains. This date might vary yearly as Govardhan Puja follows Diwali, a Hindu festival of lights, held typically in October-November.
This makes Mathura the most authentic place to experience this celebration of divine protection, humility, and nature’s bounty through grand temple rituals, massive food offerings, and devotional circling of Govardhan Hill.
Mathura is considered a spiritual heartland for Hindus, celebrating Krishna’s life and also significant in Buddhism and ancient Indian art.
