Gokul
गोकुल
An old village on the east bank of the Yamuna River. According to legend, Krishna was secretly brought here after birth to be raised by his foster parents. It has the Nanda temple site and a riverside ghat.
Gokul lies on the east bank of the Yamuna River, about 15 km southeast of Mathura. According to legend, after Krishna was born, his father swam across the Yamuna that night and brought him here, entrusting him to the herdsman Nanda and his wife Yashoda, where Krishna spent his infancy. The village has the ruins of Nanda Bhawan, the Raman Reti sandbank, and the Gokul ghat, as well as many temples of the Vallabha sect. The Nanda Festival, held the day after Janmashtami, is the most lively. Touts in the village lanes often demand large “donations”, which you can politely refuse. You can reach Gokul from Mathura by e-rickshaw, and visit it together with Mahavan.
Opening hours
About 06:00–12:00, 16:00–20:00
Nearby sights
- Government Museum, Mathura
- Dwarkadhish Temple, Mathura
- Jai Gurudev Naam Yog Sadhna Mandir
- Vishram Ghat
- Krishna Janmasthan Temple, Mathura
- ISKCON Krishna Balaram Mandir
- Prem Mandir, Vrindavan
- Govind Dev Temple, Vrindavan