AUGUST 2, 1872.]
SKETCHES OF MATHURA.
233
hereditary proprietors, 17 in number, devote the
in the future golden age, might be to Gobar dhan what the Pagan Pantheon is now to Chris constantly wrangling about its partition, com tian Rome; for though originally consecrated pletely neglecting the fabric of the temple and to idolatrous worship, it is in all points of con its religious services. In consequence of this struction equally well adapted for the public short-sighted greed, the votive offerings at this, ceremonial of the purest religious faith. one of the most famous shrines in upper India, On the opposite side of the Mānasi Gangá are have dwindled down to about Rs. 50 a year. two stately cenotaphs, or chhattris, to the memo Not only so, but some months ago a great part ry of Randhir Sifih and Baldev Siâh, Rājas of of the nave roof suddenly fell in, and unless Bharatpur. Both are of similar design, consist repaired, the remainder must follow before very ing of a lofty and substantial square masonry long. Accordingly to prevent accidents and pro terrace with corner kiosks and lateral alcoves, bable loss of life, the customary order was and in the centre the monument itself, still fur issued to the guardians of the building, requiring ther raised, on a richly decorated plinth. The them, within a certain fixed time, either to restore cella, enclosed in a colonnade of five open arches it or pull it down. As the nave is not consi on each side, is a square apartment surmounted by dered sacred, the shareholders are quite indif a dome, and having each wall divided into three ferent as to its fate; and so long as the actual bays, of which one is left for the door-way, and cella stands and contains an image of the god, be the remainder are filled in with reticulated trac fore which some brief daily services are performed, ery. The cloister has a small dome at each cor they have no qualms of conscience about appro ner, and the curious curvilinear roof, distinctive of priating the endowment. But the European the style, over the central compartments. In the entire income to their own private uses, and are
antiquary can scarcely regard with equal non
chalance the destruction of so interesting an architectural monument. A very large sum of money has been lately expended by the Impe rial Government in taking photographs of the Mathurá temples. But when the work was com pleted, it was found that the points of view had been so badly selected, and the letter-press was so meagre, that both were worthless for the pur poses of the student; and to save the Govern ment the discredit of appearing as patron of such an abortive production, steps were taken most judiciously to ensure its absolute suppres– sion. Now that the actual building is in imminent danger of falling, no grant can be made towards its repair, on the ground that it
would be an encouragement of idolatry.
Yet
it seems somewhat inconsistent to incur the
larger monument, the visitor's attention is spe cially directed to the pannels of the doors, painted in miniature with scenes from the life of Krishna, and to the cornice, a flowered design of some vitrious material executed at Delhi.
This com
memorates Baldeva Sīāh, who died in 1825, and was erected by his son and successor, the late Rājā Balavant Siñh, who was placed on the throne after the reduction of the fort of Bharat
pur by Lord Combermere in 1826.
The British
army figures conspicuously in the paintings on the ceilings of the pavilions. Rājā Randhir Siiih, who is commemorated by the companion monument, was the elder brother and predeces sor of Baldeva and died in the year 1823. A mile or so from the town, on the borders of
the parish of Rádhákund, is a yet more magni ficent architectural group erected by Javáhir Siñh in honour of his father Sūraj Mal, the
most reckless expenditure in publishing illustra tions of a temple, as a model for architects to founder of the family, who met his death at follow, and then to condemn the original to Delhi in 1764. The principal chhattri, which is ruin as an unclean and unholy thing. And the 57 feet square, of precisely the same style as the more so, since there is no doubt that the priests,
for a small consideration, would gladly erect on some adjoining spot, a new and more commodi ous shrine for the reception of the ejected Thákur, and vacate the ancient building in
two already described, is flanked on either side by one of somewhat less dimensions, commemo
rating the Rājā’s two queens, Hansiyá* and Kis hori.
The lofty terrace upon which they stand
is 460 feet in length, with a long shallow pavi
then
lion serving as a screen at each end, and nine
remain a national monument, and at some day
two-storied kiosks of varied outline to relieve
- Hans-ganj, on the bank of the Jamunā, immediately
opposite Mathurá, was founded by this Ráni; in consequence
village is now that most melancholy of all spectacles, a modern ruin; though it comprises some spacious walled gardens, crowded with magnificent trees.
favour of the Government.
It would
of a diversion of the road which once passed through it, the
