• UGI USER
  • Dec 19, 2023
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HISTORY OF MATHURA’S KRISHNA JANMASTHAN TEMPLE

Why in the News?

The Supreme Court has rejected a stay on the Allahabad High Court order for a survey of the Shahi Idgah mosque in Mathura, situated at Krishna Janmasthan, the believed birthplace of Lord Krishna.

About the Dispute :

  • The Krishna Janmabhoomi at Mathura Case is a prolonged dispute between Hindu and Muslim communities in India over a site believed to be Lord Krishna’s birthplace.
  • The controversy centres on a 17th-century mosque, Shahi Masjid, built by Aurangzeb.
  • The key issue is whether the mosque was constructed on an existing temple site and if it can be reconverted.

About Krishna Janmasthan Temple:

  • Mathura gained prominence during the Mauryan era (4th to 2nd centuries BCE) as a vital trading and administrative center.
  • Historian A W Entwistle suggested that the first Vaishnava temple at Krishna Janmasthan likely emerged in the 1st century CE.
  • A more elaborate temple was constructed during the rule of Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya) around 400 CE.

Impact of Mahmud of Ghazni:

  • Mahmud of Ghazni’s raids in the early 11th century resulted in the destruction of Buddhist and Jain structures in Mathura.
  • However, Krishna worship persisted, as mentioned by historian Al-Biruni.

Impact of Mughals:

  • Resurgence :The Mughal rulers, particularly Akbar, contributed to the revival of temples in Mathura. Akbar’s grants to various Vaishnavite sects supported religious activities.
  • Destruction : Under Aurangzeb’s rule, the Keshavdev temple faced destruction in 1660, replaced by the Jama Masjid and later the Shahi Idgah in 1670.

British Era and Legal Disputes:

  • Mathura came under British control in 1803. In 1815, 13.37 acres of land at the Katra Keshavdev site were auctioned to Raja Patnimal.
  • Ongoing litigation surrounds this piece of land.

Post-Independence Construction:

In 1951, industrialist Jugal Kishore Birla formed the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Trust, which completed the construction of the temple in 1983 with contributions from Indian industrialists and business families.