In Hindu mythology, Mathura is traditionally identified as Krishna’s birthplace.
Krishna is said to have been born in Mathura to Devaki and Vasudeva, who were imprisoned by Devaki’s brother, the tyrant Kamsa. A prophecy warned Kamsa that Devaki’s eighth child would overthrow him, leading to the imprisonment and the killing of earlier children.
According to the birth narrative, Vasudeva carried the infant Krishna across the Yamuna River to Gokul, where he was raised by Nanda and Yashoda. This is why Mathura is associated with Krishna’s birth, while nearby Gokul and Vrindavan are associated with his childhood.
Dwarka is a different major location in Krishna traditions: it is the city he later established and ruled. Janmashtami, the festival celebrating Krishna’s birth, is especially prominent in Mathura.