City of Mathura

Mathura, the birthplace of Sri Krishna, is where I spent one year after my undergraduation. A batch of 23 fun loving people – that’s to be euphemistic – joined me in this journey just out of college. After my first trip to the much hyped about City, I guided people who came to me for advice and who still had high hopes of pub, music and galore, that if they stand at one place for more than few seconds in the City, they would surely have some cattle deposit its charge, hot and rot, on their shoes. With our exaggerated observation, we all agreed, after visiting the City only twice, that, there must be at least one-lakh shrines in this holy City. One fellow wouldn’t agree on this number and even started out to count them but for the fear of him growing old, we added the word ‘at least’ in the count. Few of us felt that this should be reported in Guinness Book of World Records so that U.P Tourism would see the light of the day. Whoever said India is a developing country, should clarify in what aspects.

The site of Mosque adjacent to JanmaBhoomi, though reminded of the bitter blood shed between brothers, was in fact quite scary. I didn’t unpack my baggage fully. Plenty of time in hand inspired me to freak out more. I joined wings with the other free birds to explore the nook and corner of the City. Initially though I hesitated to board the pig-faced tempo, renaming it as ‘Limousine’ gave a feeling that things are not as bad as they look. They are only worse. The Limousine is by no means less prejudiced compared to the U.P State Road Transport Buses. They too equally make ‘more noise than motion’.

The ever-jingling temple bells of the City, though initially kindled feelings of piety, turned to be palling. Sights of hermit like men with knee long beards and shouting weird slogans were frequent. Fanaticism was portrayed in the form of small red flags everywhere, from paan shops to posh buildings. I even saw one hoisted at the top of a crane inside the refinery.Those who preferred to stay tuned with the material world – read Ekta’s K serials - restricted to the inner and outer ring roads of the Township. Silence existed in air - a silence loudly heard and felt deep inside. That’s Township in one word. Though it left me wondering whether I have gone back on a time machine, I realised its the best place to live in Mathura. Hail the haunting silence. One more feather in the cap is that Township is a no-power-failure zone. Outside was a no-power zone!!!

Huge hoardings of Mayawati and Mulayam on road sides talked a lot about the vibrant politics in this state. Since my understanding of Hindi was only limited, I used to recognize Govt offices only with the help of these hoardings. Wise is the guy who made these advertisements, where logos and pictures convey more message to the illiterate public. Did idol worship thrive in india because those brahmin pundits couldnot educate the local people enough to read the scripts??

[the journey is not yet complete.......]