Krishna Kubja Temple, Mathura: The Temple of Grace

Temple	Krishna Kubja Temple (Kubja Mandir)
Deity	Krishna standing with Kubja (after her transformation)
Location	Krishna Puri Colony, Antapara, near Holi Gate / Tank Choraha, Mathura - PIN 281001 (verify)
Nearest landmark	10-15 min walk from Vishram Ghat
Age	Said to be 500 years old (verify)
Leela	Kubja/Trivakra - straightened by Krishna on his entry to Mathura (Bhagavata Purana)
Unique for	The only temple where Krishna stands with Kubja, not Radha

Why it's a smart choice	What you get
Local & authentic	A Braj-based operator with a born-Brajwasi guide - real on-the-ground knowledge
Transparent pricing	Packages from ₹1499/person, AC cab included, no hidden charges
Done-for-you darshan	Local Braj guide + old-city temple navigation & status checks
Flexible & supported	Free cancellation, 24/7 support, response within 2 hours
Built for groups	Family, senior-citizen, temple-group & bhajan-mandali yatras
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What is the Krishna Kubja Temple?

The Krishna Kubja Temple in Mathura is a rare shrine - by tradition the only temple where Krishna is worshipped standing with Kubja, not Radha. It honours the leela of Kubja (Trivakra), the hunchbacked maidservant whom Krishna straightened and made beautiful on his entry to Mathura. Said to be about 500 years old, it sits near Holi Gate and celebrates Krishna's grace to the overlooked.

Who was Kubja?

Kubja was a hunchbacked maidservant of Kamsa in Mathura, who carried sandalwood paste for the king. Bent in three places, she was also called Trivakra ("three bends"). When Krishna entered Mathura, she offered him the sandalwood with pure love and he straightened her body and made her beautiful with a touch. Her story is one of the most tender in the Bhagavata Purana.

Why is it called Trivakra?

Trivakra means "bent in three places" - the name given to Kubja for her threefold deformity, her body curved at three points. Kubja likewise means "the hunched one." Both names describe her condition before Krishna's grace straightened her. After he lifted her with a touch, the three bends vanished and she stood upright and beautiful - the very transformation the temple commemorates.

What is the story of Kubja and Krishna?

In the Bhagavata Purana, as Krishna and Balarama entered Mathura, they met Kubja, a hunchbacked servant carrying sandalwood paste for Kamsa. Moved by her devotion when she offered it to him, Krishna pressed his foot on her toes, placed his fingers under her chin and lifted - straightening her bent body and making her beautiful. It is the supreme leela of his grace to a humble, overlooked devotee.

Why is this temple unique?

Because it is, by tradition, the only temple where Krishna stands beside Kubja rather than Radha. Everywhere else Krishna is shown with Radha, the gopis or his family; here the central image is Krishna with the transformed Kubja. It celebrates not romance but compassion - the Lord's grace to the lowliest devotee - making it a one-of-a-kind shrine in all of Braj.

Where is the Krishna Kubja Temple?

The temple is in Krishna Puri Colony, Antapara, near Holi Gate and Tank Choraha in Mathura (PIN 281001), about a 10-15 minute walk from Vishram Ghat. It is tucked in the old-city lanes, easily missed and best found with a local guide. Confirm the exact location and the PIN locally, as old-city addresses can be imprecise.

How old is the Krishna Kubja Temple?

The temple is said to be about 500 years old. As with many old-city shrines, exact dates are uncertain and accounts vary, so treat this as the traditional estimate rather than a precise figure. What is clear is that it is an old, long-revered shrine of the Kubja leela, woven into the sacred fabric of old Mathura near Holi Gate.

What does the idol show?

The temple's rare central image shows Krishna standing beside Kubja, depicted after her transformation - the straightened, beautiful woman beside the Lord who lifted her. It captures the very moment of grace. Unlike the Radha-Krishna images found everywhere else, this idol honours Krishna's compassion for the lowly, making it the temple's unique and moving centrepiece.

What is the spiritual meaning of the Kubja temple?

Its meaning is grace to the overlooked: that Krishna sees the heart, not the body or the station. Kubja was deformed, low-born, a servant of his enemy - yet her sincere offering drew his full grace. The temple teaches that no soul is too broken or humble to be uplifted by Krishna; one needs only a sincere heart, not wealth, beauty, ritual or status.

Is the Krishna Kubja Temple known for healing?

Yes - it carries a popular devotional tradition of healing, especially of skin ailments, with devotees offering sandalwood paste, tulsi and sweets in faith. Please understand this honestly: it is a matter of devotional belief, not medical fact. A temple is a place of prayer and grace, not a substitute for a doctor. Come for comfort and faith; for health conditions, see a qualified physician.

Can the temple cure skin diseases?

The temple has a devotional tradition associating it with relief from skin ailments, rooted in Kubja's transformation - but this is faith and belief, not medical fact. I say this caringly: please do not treat any temple as a cure or a substitute for proper medical care. See a qualified doctor for health conditions and visit the temple, if you wish, for the comfort, hope and grace it offers the heart.

What offerings are made at the temple?

Traditional offerings are sandalwood paste (chandan) - echoing Kubja's own gift to Krishna - along with tulsi leaves and sweets such as laddoos. The sandalwood is especially fitting, recalling the very paste Kubja carried. Give donations only of your own free will and beware anyone who pressures you. The spirit of the offering, like Kubja's, matters more than its value.

What is Kubja Kupa?

Kubja Kupa is the well in old Mathura where, by tradition, Kubja first met Krishna and Balarama as she carried her sandalwood toward Kamsa's palace. It is one of the leela-sites marking Krishna's brief, world-changing entry into Mathura. Tucked in the old-city lanes, it is best found with a local guide; ask about it when you visit the temple.

Was Kubja a reincarnation of Surpanakha?

By one tradition - the Brahma Vaivarta Purana - Kubja is held to be the reincarnation of Surpanakha, Ravana's sister, whose desire for Rama in the previous age found fulfilment in Krishna. Other folk tellings link her instead to Shabri. These are sampradaya and oral traditions that vary; a good Brajwasi shares them as rich, differing lore rather than fixing one as certain. They share the theme of devotion rewarded across lifetimes.

Is the Krishna Kubja Temple open?

Honestly, it has been reported closed for restoration, its old structure worn by pollution and time. Things may have changed - it may have reopened or work may continue. So please verify its current status before visiting: ask locally or have a Braj-based guide confirm it is open on the day. The story and site endure regardless, but for a darshan, check first.

How do I reach the Krishna Kubja Temple?

It is in the old city near Holi Gate, about a 10-15 minute walk from Vishram Ghat, reachable on foot or by auto-rickshaw from Mathura Junction (a few km away). The narrow lanes make it easy to miss, so a local guide helps. See the commute guide for getting around and verify the temple is open before setting out.

What are the temple timings?

As a small old-city temple, it keeps informal hours and - given the reported restoration - its current status is uncertain. So I won't fix timings here. Please verify on the temple timings guide and locally before you go, confirming both the hours and whether it is open. A local guide can check on the day.

Is the temple suitable for elderly or disabled pilgrims?

The shrine sits in narrow old-city lanes, so wheelchair access is difficult and the approach can be tight. Elderly pilgrims are best served with a guide who can lead them gently to it and confirm it is open. Pair it with a vehicle-accessible visit to Vishram Ghat and the nearby temples. As always in old Mathura, take care with the crowds, steps and lanes.

Which festivals are observed at the temple?

The Kubja leela belongs to Krishna's entry into Mathura, so the temple resonates with Mathura's great festivals - above all Janmashtami (Krishna's birth) and Holi (Holi Gate is right beside it). Festival dates are tithi-based and move yearly, so verify the current year. If the temple is under restoration, confirm whether it observes them this year before planning around it.

What is the significance of the sandalwood (chandan) in the story?

Sandalwood paste (chandan) is central: it was what Kubja carried for Kamsa and what she lovingly offered Krishna instead and it is the traditional offering at the temple today. Chandan is cooling, fragrant and auspicious in worship. Kubja's gift of it - meant for a tyrant, given to the Lord - is the very act that drew Krishna's grace, making sandalwood the fitting and symbolic offering here.

How does the Kubja leela teach about devotion?

It teaches that sincere devotion, however humble, attracts the Lord's full grace - regardless of one's body, birth or status. Kubja had nothing the world values: she was deformed, low-born, a servant. Yet her one pure offering, given with love, won her transformation and liberation. The leela assures every devotee that Krishna responds to the heart's sincerity, not to wealth, beauty or ritual.

Is the Kubja temple part of a Mathura pilgrimage?

It can be a moving, lesser-known addition to a Mathura pilgrimage, easily paired with Vishram Ghat, Dwarkadhish and the Janmabhoomi nearby. Most pilgrims focus on the great sites, but those who seek the tender, grace-filled corners of Braj treasure this unique shrine. Verify it is open and let a guide weave it into your old-city route for a richer, deeper darshan.

Why is Kubja's story important for ordinary people?

Because it speaks directly to anyone who has felt unseen, unworthy or broken. Kubja was the kind of person the world ignores - yet Krishna saw her, valued her devotion and lifted her up. Her story says that no one is beyond his grace, that a sincere heart is enough. For the humble, the suffering and the overlooked, it is one of the most comforting tales in all of devotion.

Can I take photos at the temple?

As a small old-city temple, photography customs vary and during restoration access itself may be limited. Where permitted, be respectful - avoid flash near the idol and don't disturb others at worship. Always ask the priest or attendant first. When in doubt, set the camera aside and simply take the darshan; some moments are better kept in the heart than the phone.

What should I wear to visit?

Modest, respectful dress, as for any temple - covering shoulders and knees; footwear is removed before the sanctum. The old-city lanes are busy and often warm, so dress simply and comfortably. Respectful clothing honours the shrine and those worshipping. There is no elaborate dress code, only the ordinary courtesy due to a sacred place.

Is the Kubja temple crowded?

No - being a small, lesser-known shrine (and reportedly under restoration), it is far quieter than Mathura's great temples like Dwarkadhish or the Janmabhoomi. This is part of its charm: a quiet, intimate place of grace away from the crush. The surrounding old-city lanes and Holi Gate area, however, can be busy, especially at festival times.

Where should I stay to visit the temple?

Stay in Mathura, near the old city or Vishram Ghat, to reach the Kubja temple and the nearby great temples easily on foot or by auto. Mathura has many hotels, guesthouses and dharamshalas. Book ahead for Janmashtami and Holi, when the old city fills. A central base lets you pair the Kubja shrine with Vishram Ghat, Dwarkadhish and the Janmabhoomi.

What food is available near the temple?

The old-city lanes around Holi Gate and Vishram Ghat offer classic Mathura fare - kachori, jalebi, peda (Mathura's famous sweet) and lassi. Favour busy, freshly-cooking stalls and drink sealed bottled water, especially if you're not used to local water. The area is one of Mathura's most atmospheric for a simple, traditional bite after your darshan.

Is the temple safe to visit?

Yes - the shrine itself is peaceful, though the surrounding old-city lanes are busy; take the usual care with valuables and pickpockets in the crowds and watch for monkeys near the ghats. Given the reported restoration, confirm it is open and safe to enter on the day. With sensible care and ideally a local guide, a visit is calm and rewarding.

How is the Kubja temple different from other Krishna temples?

Most Krishna temples celebrate his romance with Radha, his childhood or his cowherd-leelas; the Kubja temple uniquely honours his compassion for a lowly, overlooked devotee. Its central image - Krishna with Kubja, not Radha - is found nowhere else by tradition. It is a temple of grace and healing-faith rather than romance or grandeur, offering a different, tender face of Krishna's love.

Does the temple relate to the Govardhan or Vrindavan leelas?

No - the Kubja leela belongs specifically to Krishna's entry into Mathura as a youth, on his way to confront Kamsa, not to the Govardhan or Vrindavan pastimes of his childhood. It is a distinctly Mathura story, set in the city of his birth and his victory over the tyrant. This roots the temple firmly in old Mathura, near the sites of Krishna's Mathura deeds.

Can I visit Kubja Kupa and the temple together?

Yes, if both are accessible - the Kupa (the well of the meeting) and the temple are both in old Mathura and a local guide can lead you to both. As old-city sites tucked in the lanes, they are easily missed alone. Ask about the Kupa when you visit the temple and confirm access, as some lesser sites are hard to find or intermittently open.

Why do devotees offer sandalwood here specifically?

Because sandalwood (chandan) was Kubja's very offering to Krishna - the paste she carried for Kamsa and gave instead, with love, to the Lord. Offering chandan at the temple re-enacts her devotion, the gift that won his grace. It is the most fitting and symbolic offering here, tying every devotee's gesture directly to the leela the temple commemorates.

Is there an entry fee?

As a small old-city temple, there is generally no entry fee; any offerings are voluntary. Give only of your own free will and beware anyone pressuring you for money, especially around lesser-known shrines. During restoration, access arrangements may differ. Confirm locally. The grace of the temple is free to all who come with a sincere heart.

What is the best time to visit?

October to March is the most comfortable season in Mathura and mornings or evenings are calmest. Janmashtami and Holi bring the old city alive (Holi Gate is beside the temple) but also great crowds. Above all, given the reported restoration, verify the temple is open before choosing your day. A cool-season morning, with the Vishram Ghat aarti, makes a lovely pairing.

Does Experience My India arrange a visit to the Kubja temple?

Yes - Experience My India is a Braj-based operator with a born-Brajwasi guide who can confirm whether the temple is open, lead you through the old-city lanes to it (and the Kubja Kupa) and weave it into a Mathura route with Vishram Ghat, Dwarkadhish and the Janmabhoomi. Ask on WhatsApp or see the Mathura & Vrindavan tour. Book only through official channels.

Who was Kamsa in the Kubja story?

Kamsa was the tyrant king of Mathura - Krishna's maternal uncle - who, foretold to die at his nephew's hands, imprisoned Krishna's parents and sought to kill him. Kubja was a maidservant in Kamsa's service, carrying sandalwood paste for the king when she met Krishna. Krishna had entered Mathura precisely to confront and slay Kamsa, which he soon did, freeing the city. The Kubja leela unfolds in the midst of that great mission.

Did Krishna keep his promise to visit Kubja?

Yes - in the Bhagavata Purana, having promised to visit her after completing his work in Mathura, Krishna, true to his word, later came to Kubja's home and honoured her devotion, blessing her with his grace. It shows that Krishna never forgets a sincere devotee, however humble. He keeps his promises and reciprocates love fully - fulfilling the longing of one who gave him her heart with a simple offering of sandalwood.

How is Kubja connected to Shabri?

By one folk tradition, Kubja is linked to Shabri - the tribal devotee who, in the Ramayana age, served Rama her lovingly-tasted berries and was blessed for her pure devotion. The idea is that her devotion across lifetimes found fulfilment with the Lord. This is one of several varying traditions (others link Kubja to Surpanakha); a good Brajwasi shares them as differing lore, united by the theme of humble devotion rewarded.

Is the Kubja temple itself mentioned in the Bhagavata Purana?

The leela of Kubja is told in the Bhagavata Purana (its tenth canto), but the temple is a later shrine built to commemorate that pastime, not a structure named in the scripture itself. This is common: the Purana records the divine event and devotion through the centuries raises temples at the remembered sites. The temple's authority rests on the leela it honours and its long tradition near Holi Gate.

What other Mathura sites mark Krishna's entry into the city?

Krishna's entry into Mathura is marked by several old-city sites - the Kubja temple and Kubja Kupa, the places of his confrontation with Kamsa and the great Janmabhoomi where he was born. Old Mathura is dense with such leela-memories, woven into its lanes. A local guide can thread them, showing how the city holds the story of Krishna's brief, decisive coming to slay the tyrant and free his people.

Is the temple linked to any particular sampradaya?

The Kubja temple is more a leela-shrine of old Mathura than the seat of a single sampradaya - it draws devotees of all traditions who are moved by the story of Krishna's grace. Unlike the great sectarian temples (Pushtimarg's Dwarkadhish, the Gaudiya Vrindavan seats), it belongs broadly to Krishna-devotion. Its appeal is universal: anyone who cherishes the Lord's compassion for the humble finds meaning here.

What is Holi Gate, beside the temple?

Holi Gate is one of old Mathura's well-known landmarks - a historic gateway in the heart of the old city, near the Kubja temple, around which the famous, fervent Mathura Holi swirls. It is a useful reference point for finding the temple, which sits in the lanes nearby. The area is busy and atmospheric, full of the old city's shops, sweets and devotional life.

How much time do I need at the temple?

The Kubja temple is small, so the darshan itself takes only a short while - perhaps 15-20 minutes to take darshan, hear the story and make an offering. Allow extra time to find it in the lanes (a guide speeds this) and to pair it with nearby Vishram Ghat and the old-city temples. It is a quiet, brief, soulful stop rather than a lengthy one.

What makes Kubja's humble offering special?

Its power lay not in its grandeur but in its sincerity - Kubja offered simple sandalwood, meant for a tyrant, with pure, selfless love, desiring nothing in return. That sincerity is what drew Krishna's full grace. The leela teaches that the Lord values the heart behind a gift, not its size or splendour: a humble offering given with love outweighs the richest one given without it.

Can I visit the Kubja temple during Janmashtami?

You can, if it is open - Janmashtami fills all of old Mathura with celebration and the Kubja temple, tied to Krishna's Mathura story, resonates with it. But the crowds are immense and, given the reported restoration, you must verify the temple's status and access. For a calmer darshan of this quiet shrine, an ordinary cool-season day may suit better than the Janmashtami crush.

Are local guides available for the old-city shrines?

Yes - local Braj guides know the old-city lanes intimately and can lead you to easily-missed shrines like the Kubja temple and Kubja Kupa, confirm whether they are open and tell their stories. For lesser-known sites tucked in the galis, a guide saves time and wasted walks and deepens the visit. Experience My India's born-Brajwasi guides are well-suited to this old-city navigation.

Why is the Kubja temple called a hidden gem of Mathura?

Because it is small, quiet and easily overlooked beside Mathura's famous temples - yet it holds one of the most moving stories and the unique Krishna-with-Kubja idol found nowhere else. Those who seek beyond the great sites, to the tender corners of Braj, treasure it. It rewards the curious and the soulful: a modest door near Holi Gate opening onto a profound tale of grace.

Is the temple good for those feeling low or unseen?

Many find deep comfort here, for Kubja's story speaks to anyone who has felt overlooked, unworthy or low - it assures that Krishna sees and uplifts even the humblest heart. As spiritual solace, it can be genuinely consoling. But please note: for genuine depression or illness, faith is a companion to, not replacement for, proper care - seek a doctor or counsellor as needed and let the temple offer the comfort and hope of the spirit.

What is the significance of the Krishna Kubja Temple?

It is the temple of grace - by tradition the only shrine where Krishna stands with Kubja, not Radha, honouring his compassion for the lowliest devotee. Through Kubja's transformation it teaches that no soul is too broken or humble for Krishna's love and that a sincere heart draws his full grace. For the overlooked and the suffering, it is one of Braj's most tender and comforting shrines.

Session	Timing
Morning Darshan	6:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Evening Darshan	4:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Aarti	Timing
Morning Aarti	6:00 AM
Evening Aarti	6:30 PM

Session	Timing
Morning Darshan	6:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Evening Darshan	4:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Aarti	Timing
Morning Aarti	6:00 AM
Evening Aarti	6:30 PM

Krishna Kubja Temple, Mathura: The Only Temple Where Krishna Stands with Kubja - Story, Significance & Visiting Guide

Temple at a Glance

Table of Contents

Temple Visitor Guide

Darshan Timings

Darshan Timings

Krishna Kubja Mandir Aarti Timing Mathura – Simple, Yet Meaningful

Aarti Timings

Best Time to Visit

Local Guide Tip

Connect with our Temple Guides

Who was Kubja (Trivakra)?

The unique idol - Krishna with Kubja

The meaning - grace to the overlooked

The healing tradition - an honest word

Kubja Kupa - the well of the meeting

The deeper Puranic story

Is the temple open? An honest note

How to visit

Festivals

Temples to combine nearby

Author's tips from Gurudutt - what only a local knows

Sacred Journey of the Temple

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Temple Overview

History & Significance

Explore the Krishna Kubja Temple, Mathura: The Only Temple Where Krishna Stands with Kubja - Story, Significance & Visiting Guide

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Temple Visitor Questions