Mathura
Today, Mathura is a city of temples and shrines abustle with the thousands of
devotees who come to visit the city of Lord Krishna. A splendid temple at the
Katra Keshav Dev marks the spot that is believed to be the Shri Krishna Janmasthan
- the birthplace of the Lord, by his devotees. Another beautiful shrine, the
Gita Mandir, located on the Mathura -Vrindavan Road has a fine image of Shri
Krishna in its sanctum. The whole of the Bhagwad Gita is inscribed on the walls
of this temple.
The most popular shrine at Mathura is the Dwarikadhish Temple to the north of
the town, dedicated to Shri Krishna. This was built in 1815 by a staunch and
wealthy devotee, Seth Gokuldas Parikh, Treasurer of the State of Gwalior.
There are about 25 ghats in Mathura today, of which the most important is the
Vishram Ghat. Where according to legend, Shri Krishna took his rest after killing
Kansa.
The 12 ghats to the north of Vishram Ghat include the Ganesh Ghat, Dashashwamedh
Ghat with its Neelakantheshwar Temple, Saraswati Sangam Ghat, Chakratirtha Ghat,
Krishnaganga Ghat, Somatirth or Swami Ghat, Ghantagharan Ghat, Dharapattan Ghat,
Vaikuntha Ghat, Navtirtha or Varahkshetra Ghat, Asikunda ghat and Manikarnika
Ghat. To the south, there are 11 ghats - the Guptatirth Ghat, Prayag Ghat marked
by the Veni Madhav Temple, Shyam Ghat, Ram Ghat, Kankhal Ghat, the site of the
Janmashtami and Jhula festivals, Dhruva ghat, Saptrishi Ghat, Mokshatirth Ghat,
Surya Ghat, Ravan Koti Ghat and Buddha Ghat.
The Vishram Ghat is lined with elegant temples and some of Mathura's most important
shrines are found here - the Mukut Temple, Radha-Damodar, Murli Manohar, Neelkantheshwar,
Yamuna-Krishna, Langali Hanuman and Narasimha temples. The baithak of the great
Vaishnava Saint, Shri Chaitanya, is also near by.
The aarti held at the Vishram Ghat each evening is not to be missed, for the
little oil lamps that are floated on the river set the placid water as sparkle
with a myriad flickering lights.
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