Presentation given by Harsh Sharma of St. Paul's School in the Stage 3 of Mathura Genius Award 2009 (Senior Level) organized by Paarth Educational Foundation (www.paarth.in)

1. MATHURA OF MY
DREAMS
CREATOR: HARSH SHARMA

2. POINTS TO BE COVERED
 INTRODUCTION TO MATHURA.
 MATHURA’S GLORIOUS PAST.
 MATHURA’S ART,CULTURE &
MUSIC.
 REPERCUSSIONS WITNESSED
BY MATHURA.
 MY DREAM CITY “MATHURA”.

3. INTRODUCTION TO MATHURA
 Mathura, the nucleus of the Braj
region is located in western U.P.
on the banks of river Yamuna.
 The district is placed 145 Km
southeast of Delhi and 58 Km
north west of Agra.
 It has a geographical area of
about 3329.4 sq. kms.
 This district is divided in 3 tehsils
and 10 blocks
 It has an average elevation of
174 metres (570 feet).

4. MATHURA’S HISTORY
 Mathura is the city where Lord
Krishna, one of the incarnations of
Lord Vishnu took birth to set people
free from Kans, Mathura’s king who
was a cruel conceited hoity
contemptuous despot.
 Besides Lord Krishna’s karmabhoomi,
Mathura has been the capital
(cultural) of great conqueror
Kanishka.
 It has been one of the saptapuris.
 It has been the centre of trade since
Aryan period.
 By the fifth century BC, during the
time of Buddha, it was a major
metropolis and the capital of the
Surasena Kingdom - one of the 16
Mahajanapadas of the period.
 Mathura’s geographical location has
been an advantage as many trade
routes passed through it.
 Mainly Greek & Iranian traders
pervaded here.
 It is this city only where the three
religious currents- Brahminism,
Lord Krishna Buddhism & Jainism flourished
altogether.

5. MATHURA’S ART
 In the art history of India, Mathura
occupies a prominent place.
 Mathura’s art of sculpture-making
is considered very great since the
past time.
 Kushans developed Mathura
School of art during their reign.
 The Mathura School of art, noted
for its vitality & assimilative
character, was a result of
pervasion of Indian sanctity of
religion, Iranian simplicity & Greek
beauty. The influence of Gandhara
art was also manifested in its
sculptures.
Gautam Buddha

6. FEATURES OF MATHURA
SCHOOL OF ART

Secular in character - The sculptures
worked for Brahmanical, Buddhist and
Jain faiths alike.
Use of spotted red (some times buff)
coloured sandstone.
Black clay terracottas is the special
speciality of the School.
Fusion of the primitive Yaksha cult
with pantheon of other sects.
Replacement of symbols by
anthropomorphic form.
Foreign elements blended with
indigenous motifs.
Introduction of portrait.
Tutelary deities representing the
popular phase of religion given
important place.
Exposition of feminine beauty with
great delicacy and charm.

7. BRAJ CULTURE
SANJHEE RAAS LILA
This is the colourful art of According to the Bhagwat Purana, Shri
decorating the ground with Krishna along with the gopis had danced
the Raas on the banks of the Yamuna at
flowers. The story goes Vrindavan. When the gopis felt conceited
that Shri Krishna, in order about Lord Krishna dancing with them, he
to please Radha, decorated disappeared from their midst. In the agony
the floor with flowers one of separation from their beloved Krishna,
evening, and thereafter this the gopis recalled and enacted his lilas
art was known as Sanjhee. (divine episodes of his life) which in course
of time came to be known as the Raaslilas.
The Raaslila in its present form is ascribed
to Swami Haridas and Shri Narayan Bhatt.
Only young Brahmin boys of 13 to 14 years
of age can perform the Raaslila. The
charming childhood pranks of Shri Krishna
constitute the main theme of these dramas.

8. BRAJ CULTURE
CHARKULA RASIYA
This is a traditional folk dance of Braj, where This is the rich tradition of folk-songs
a female dancer balances a column of that is found in the Braj area. Rasiya
lighted deepikas over her head while
dancing. The charkula, a tapered wooden songs describe the love of the divine
column with four to five circular tiers has couple Radha and Shri Krishna. It is
earthen lamps on each level. The number of an inseparable part of the Holi
lamps can range from 51 to 108 at times. celebrations and all other festive
The dancer with her face veiled, moves with occasions at Braj. The Rasiya is sung
swift, graceful movements while balancing to the rhythm of huge drums, locally
the 40 to 50 kilogram charkula on her head. known as bumb.
A dramatic dance that is visually attractive,
it is performed on the Dooj of Holi, to the
accompaniment of Rasiya songs rendered
by the menfolk.

9. MATHURA’S MUSIC
 Mathura’s big
contribution in the
music is the Haveli
Sangeet.
 Lord Krishna, too was
fond of music & he can
be so called profounder
of Bansuri (Flute).

10. MATHURA IN PRESENT
After looking at the slides shown before, one can imagine how
glorious our city, Mathura has been in the past .
But there is a great saying “Nobody has an authority over
time”. Mathura too witnessed, in fact witnessing the
repercussions of degraded politics & lack of initiatives.

11. MATHURA’S PROBLEMS
Miserable condition of roads.
Pollution in Yamuna.
Lack of civic sense.
Improper sewage & sanitation system.
Archaic traffic conditions.
Willful violation of law & order by people.
Lack of greenery.
Inefficient electricity & drinking water supply.
Absence of flyovers at busiest crossings.
Humiliation of migrated Bengali widows, particularly in Vrindavan.
SEEING THIS CONDITION, IT SEEMS THAT:
“KRISHNA-KRISHNA IS EVERYWHERE, BUT
LAND OF KRISHNA IS NOWHERE.”

12. SOLUTIONS OF SOME
PROBLEMS
• We are consuming water faster than it is being replenished,
therefore, we ought to adopt measures like rainwater harvesting so
that there may be no paucity of drinking water.
• We should plant more & more trees to have greenery prevail in this
city, so as to get a soothing environment.
• We can carry out door to door visits to make the awareness
amongst the people.

13. MY DREAM CITY “MATHURA”
My dream city Mathura would be:
• A totally planned Mathura with wider roads.
• A Mathura with proper sewage & sanitation system.
• A Mathura with proper electrification all around, not merely in areas adjacent
to Janma Bhoomi.
• A Mathura with apex institutions-so that aspiring students may not move out
• A Mathura with full job opportunities.
• A Mathura full of greenery.
• A Mathura with proper traffic system.
• A Mathura with its citizenries having a good civic sense.

14. LAST WORDS
MATHURA’S GLORY CAN BE REVIVED IF
PEOPLE JOIN HANDS TOGETHER TO DO
SO WITH A SMART LEADER.
“THE SECRET LIES AMONG US”