Page 184 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

182  CENTR AL INDIA

3 Mathura
Mathura district. 62 km (39 miles)
NW of Agra. * 349,909. £ @
n Old Bus Stand, (0750) 022 5050
District Tourism Office, (0565) 250
5351. _ Holi (Mar), Hariyali Teej (Jul),
Janmashtami (Jul/Aug), Kansa Vadha
(Sep), Annakut (Sep/Oct).
∑ mathura.nic.in
Mathura, on the west bank of
The entrance to Akbar’s mausoleum at Sikandra Yamuna river, is revered as the
birthplace of one of India’s most
2 Sikandra that can be seen at the Taj Mahal popular gods, Lord Krishna. A
in Agra (see pp176–7). dark, cell-like room in the modern
Agra district. 8 km (5 miles) NW of Agra.
@ Akbar’s Mausoleum: Tel (0562) 264 The large garden, where Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi
1230 (contact for permission to go to monkeys frolic, is a typical Temple, on the periphery of the
the tomb terrace). Open daily. & free charbagh, an enclosed garden city, is reputed to be the actual
on Fri. = 8 _ Urs at Akbar’s Tomb divided into four quarters site of his birth. Further away,
(mid-Oct). ∑ agra.nic.in/historyof_ (representing the four along the river front,
sikandra.html quarters of life) by a Mathura’s 25 ghats form
system of raised walk- a splendid network of
The Mughal Emperor Akbar is ways, sunken groves temples, pavilions, trees
buried in this small village on the and water channels. and stone steps leading
outskirts of Agra. It is believed The main tomb is a down to the water. The
that Akbar designed and started distinct departure from Jama Masjid, with its
the construction of his own the conventional domed striking tilework, lies
mausoleum, which was modified structure of the tomb of behind the riverfront.
and completed by his son Akbar’s father, Humayun, A charming oddity is the
Jahangir. The result is this impres- at Delhi (see p87). The Roman Catholic Church
sive, perfectly symmetrical first three storeys of this of the Sacred Heart, built
complex, with the tomb located majestic four-tiered in 1860, in the army
in the centre of a vast walled composition, consist of cantonment. It combines
garden. The main gateway, to red sandstone pavilions. A religious Western elements with
the south, is a magnificent red Above them is an exquisite image, details taken from local
sandstone structure with a marble-screened terrace Mathura temple architecture.
colossal central arch, finished enclosing the replica The Government Museum
with an exuberant polychrome tomb, which is profusely carved has a superb collection of
mosaic of inlaid white marble, with floral and arabesque sculpture in the distinctive local
black slate and coloured stone. designs, Chinese cloud patterns white-flecked red sand stone. The
On each corner are four graceful and the 99 names of Allah. artworks date from about the 5th
marble minarets, considered The upper levels, previously century BC until the 4th century
to be the forerunners of those accessible through special AD, when Mathura was part of
permission, are now closed the Kushana empire (see p47) and
due to security reasons. flourished as a major centre of

Vishram Ghat at Mathura, where every evening at sunset oil lamps are floated on the river
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p696 and pp708–709

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