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 August 2, 1872.] north-east and south-west.

SKETCHES OF MATHURA.

is the hill

cession has been vehemently disputed by the

which Krishna is fabled to have held aloft on the

This

priests of the two rival temples, Sri-nāth and

tip of his finger for seven days and nights to cover the people of Braj from the storms poured down upon them by Indra when deprived of his wonted sacrifices. In pictorial representations it always appears as an isolated conical peak, which is as unlike the reality as possible. It is ordinarily styled by Hindus of the present day, the Giri-ráj, or Royal Hill, but in earlier litera

Gokul-máth ; and it is generally found desirable,

a little before the anniversary, to bind both parties over in heavy sums to keep the peace. Immediately opposite Jatipura, and only parted from it by the intervening range, is the village of Anzor—literally ‘the other side'—with the temple of Sri-nāth on the summit between them.

A little distance beyond both is the village of

ture is more frequently designated the Anna-küt.

Puchhri, which, as the name denotes, is consi–

There is a firm belief in the neighbourhood that,

dered ‘the extreme limit' of the Giri-ráj.

as the waters of the Jumna are yearly decreasing in body, so too the sacred hill is steadily dimi nishing in height; for in past times it was visi ble from Aring, a town 4 or 5 miles distant, whereas now a few hundred yards are sufficient to remove it from sight. It may be hoped that

the marvellous fact reconciles the credulous pil grim to the insignificant appearance presented by the object of his adoration. It is accounted so holy that not a particle of the stone is allowed to be taken for any building purpose; and even the road which crosses it at its lowest point, where only a few fragments of the rock crop up above the ground, had to be carried over them by a paved causeway.

Kártik, the month in which most of Krishna's

exploits are believed to have been performed, is the favourite time for the pari-krama or per ambulation of the sacred hill. The dusty circular road which winds round its base has a

length of 7 kos, that is about 12 miles, and is frequently measured by devotees who at every step prostrate themselves at full length. When

flat on the ground, they mark a line in the sand as far as their hands can reach, then rising

The ridge attains its greatest elevation towards the south between the villages of Jatipura and

they prostrate themselves again from the line so marked, and continue in the same style till the whole weary circuit has been accomplished. This ceremony, called Dandavati pari-krama, occupies from a week to a fortnight, and is gene rally performed for wealthy sinners vicariously by the Brahmans of the place, who receive from

Ánzor. Here on the summit was an ancient temple dedicated to Sri-nóth. In anticipation of

IRs. 50 to Rs. 100 for their trouble, and transfer all the merit of the act to their employers. The

one of Aurangzeb's raids, the image of the god

ceremony has been performed with 108 prostra tions at each step ; but in that case it occupied some two years, and was remunerated by a

was removed to Náthdwara in Udaypur territory, and has remained there ever since. The temple on the Giri-ráj was thus allowed to fall into ruin, and the wide walled enclosure now exhibits only long lines of foundations and steep flights ofsteps,

donation of 1,000 rupees. About the centre of the range stands the town of Gobardhan, on the margin of a very

with a small, untenanted, and quite modern shrine.

large irregularly shaped masonry tank, called

The plateau, however, commands a very extensive view of the neighbouring country both on the

the Mánasi Gangá, supposed to have been called into existence by the mere action of the divine will (mdmasa). At one end, the boundary is formed by the jutting crags of the holy hill, on all other sides the water is approached by long flights of stone steps. It has frequently been repaired at great cost by the Rājās of Bharat pur; but is said to have been originally con structed in its present form by Rájá Mán Simh of Jaypur, whose father built the adjoin ing temple of Harideva. There is also at Banāras a tank constructed by Mán Sifih, called

Mathurá and the Bharatpur side, with the dis tant hills of Nand-gānw, Barsána and Dig. At

the foot of the hill on one side is the little village of Jatipura with several temples, of which one, dedicated to Gokul-nāth, though a very mean building in appearance, has considerable local celebrity. Its head is the Gosáin of the temple with the same title at Gokul, and it is the annual

scene of two religious solemnities both celebrat ed on the day after the Dip-dān at Gobhar dan.

The first is the ad, ration of the sacred

Mán Sarovar, and by it a temple dedicated to Má

hill, called the Giri-rāj Pujá, and the second the

neşvar.

Anna-kut, or commemoration of Krishna's sa crifice. The right to take the lead in the pro

spring, nor any constant artificial supply of

Unfortunately there is neither a natural

water, and for half the year the tank is always