VISHRAM GHAT AND GHAT DISTRICT
A not-to-be-missed area of Mathura, with the remains of superb facades, a tiny vegetable market, a colorful temple...
With its medieval ambience, the ghat district is definitely the place to be in Mathura. Get dropped off at the entrance to the old town, and follow the main street lined with stores. Look up and you'll see the remains of some superb facades. Walk down to the Yamuna. Alongside the river, you'll come across a tiny vegetable market. On the way to the ghats, you'll pass the colorful 18th-century Dwarkadhish temple dedicated to Krishna. You'll notice its large bell-cast portal overlooking the riverbank and an interior blending mirrors and gilding. The Krishna statue is unveiled eight times a day. You'll then come to the Vishram Ghat, the busiest. This is where Krishna is said to have taken a purifying bath after killing King Kansa. As night falls, candles are placed on the water by the locals, creating a magical spectacle... To get a better view of the temples and the series of steps punctuating the banks, there's nothing better than a short boat trip. Next to the Vishram Ghat, you'll see the Sati Burj, a four-storey tower erected by the son of Behari Mal of Jaipur in the 16th century to commemorate his mother's sati. This ritual of immolating a widow on her husband's funeral pyre is now banned in India. However, in certain rural and conservative regions, this ritual now takes the form of disguised suicides: no comment!
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