Is it wise and safe to visit Mathura at the time of Janmashtami?

Mathura is filled with the essence of spirituality during Janmashtami (not that it is less spiritual otherwise though). More than spirituality it is the festivities, the great pomp and show of the religious values, and of the cult of Lord Krishna that is worth witnessing. You get the best delicacies in the form of Prasad, best decorations in all big and small temples, and the famous Dahi-Handi ritual in every nook and corner of Mathura. And the most important attraction is beautifully adorned idols of Lord Krishna in every home and every temple –most of them with equally beautifully adorned idol of Sri Radha.

But hat is not all that happens there. If Janmashtami is the best time to be in Mathura, it can be the worst as well. In Mathura and Vrindavan, Janmashtami is as much a festival, as it is a frenzy. The Krishna fanatics are all over and the crowd in the bigger temples (which are worth visiting otherwise) is unimaginable. The crowd is so big and so uncontrollable that you see nothing but the back of the heads of others. Getting the Darshan of Krishna becomes very difficult on Janamshtami in Mathura, and more than often people return home disappointed.

So to conclude, if Janmashtami for you means a spiritual getaway, you can celebrate it anywhere in India, as whole India indulges in the festivities of Lord Krishna’s birthday. However, if you are looking for an adventurous and fanatical kind of experience, Mathura would be the best place for you to be during Janmashtami.