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Keshav Dev Temple, or Krishana Janmasthan Temple Complex, is the actual birthplace of Krishana, situated in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is visited by millions of devotees, especially during the festive occasion of Janmashtmi.
Architecture
The temple is divided into three sections: Keshvadeva Temple, Garhbhgriha, and Bhagvata Bhavan. Garbhagriha is the place where Lord Krishana was believed to be born. It’s said that the Eidgah mosque that is built by Aurangzeb and adjacent to the temple was built on the assembly hall of the original temple, and Garhbgriha was left.
Keshava Deva Temple was built by Ramkrishna Dalmia in memory of his mother, Jadiadevi Dalmia, in 1957. Similarly, Bhagvata Bhavan was dedicated to god Bhagavata Bhavan and consisted of 5 main shrines, including the shrines of Radha and Krishana; the shrines of Balarama, Subhadra, and Jagannatha on the right; the temples of Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita on the left; Garuda Stambha (pillar) and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in front of Jagannatha shrine; Hanuman in front of Ram shrine; the temple of Durga; and the temple with Shivalinga.
Mythology
According to Hindu mythology, Krishna was born to Devaki and Vasudeva. However, the both were imprisoned by Kansa in a prison cell on fear of a prophecy of his death by Devaki Child. The temple is built on the same prison where Lord Krishna took birth.
In archaeological excavations, terracotta and pottery things were discovered from the site that belongs to the sixth century BCE. Several donations were made to the temple by the Rashtrakuta empire.
The temple was constructed in many phases, signifying its importance. In the 4th century CE, Emperor Chandragupta Vikramaditya built a temple complex in place of an old temple. The temple received several donations from the Rashtrakuta empire.
Medieval period
In medieval times, many invasions occurred to plunder the treasure of the temple. It was first attacked in 1017 or 1018 by Mahmud Ghazni to plunder temple Mahaban. In the 11th century, the temple was rebuilt by King Vijay Pal Deva, which was later again destroyed by the Muslim ruler Sikandar Lodi in the 16th century.
During Jahangir rule, a temple was built by Raja Veer Singh Deva in 1618. However, in 1670 AD, Aurangzeb tried to destroy Keshavdeva temple and built a mosque, Shahi Eidgahi.
Modern Period
When Mathura came under British rule. They auctioned a land in Katra to a famous wealth banker, Raja Patnimal; however, he was not able to construct any structure there. In 1944, politician and educationist Madan Mohan Malaviya took land from Raj Krishna Das at a cost of Rs 13000 with the help of industrialist Jugle Kishore Birla. Similary, many industrialists, like Jaidayal Dalamia, made private trusts, and finally the construction of the temple was completed in 1965.